MSU Human Development and Family Studies members published, received awards and were featured in the news over the summer 

Awards/Recognitions 

Dr. Linda Halgunseth received the SRCD Latinx Caucus Mid-Career Research Award at the biennial meeting of Society for Research in Child Development in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May, 2025. 

Dr. Sarah Dunkel-Jackson and Hockey Challenge Camp have won the National Hockey Leagues’  Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award.  

Dr. Erica Mitchell and doctoral candidate Francesca Pratt worked with MSU undergraduate Alexa Baker on UURAF 2025 research.   

In April, Drs. Erica Tobe and Amanda Guinot-Talbot co-hosted the MSU Financial Literacy Fair with other campus partners.  

Dr. Andrea Wittenborn received the Dr. Bernard DuBray Lifetime Achievement Award from from Southeast Missouri State University in recognition of outstanding professional accomplishment and meritorious service to the field of study by an alumnus.   

Dr. Linda Halgunseth will be the co-chair and assisted by HDFS and YEP faculty for the next Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting in 2027. 

Dr. Sarah Douglas was selected to be a Fulbright Scholar. 

Laurie Linscott was reappointed to Governor’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation Executive Committee. 

Graduate students Simone Bibbs and Prince Owusu selected as 2025–2026 Urban Community Engagement Fellows.  

Publications 

Drs. Ryan Bowles, Lori Skibbe and Yatma Diop (child development Ph.D. alumnus) recently published “Within-group variability in communication style among caregivers and its relation to the language abilities of Wolof-learning toddlers in Senegal” in Developmental Psychology.  

 

In the News 

Sylvia Lin was selected as MSU College of Social Science Access Torch for May Asian Pacific Desi Islander (APIDA) Heritage Month because of her research which centers on ethnic-racial identity development among Asian-American youth. 

Dr. Sarah Dunkel-Jackson's award has been featured in multiple news outlets. 

MSU Child Development Lab expands to Lansing’s Eastside neighborhood in MSUToday 

Dr. Claire Vallotton was interviewed by MSU Today for article, “Millennial parents want to give their children a '90s kid summer. What does that mean?” 

Dr. Claire Vallotton was interviewed by Today.com for the article, “Should You Talk to Your Baby Like an Adult?” and was also interviewed by Fox32 in Chicago 

Drs. Lori Skibbe and Ryan Bowles partnered with MSU Innovation Center to develop a new early childhood literacy assessment. 

Your News 

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By Katie Frey

Education and Learning