The Education Collaboratory at Yale launched in July 2023. To share more about our work, we are spotlighting all the dedicated team members of our lab, highlighting their work and what brings them to our team's mission to advance the science and practice of SEL.
I began working for Dr. Chris Cipriano in 2019 as a consultant examining social and emotional learning through the lens of Universal Design for Learning and continued this role over the years assisting with various systematic reviews and meta-analyses. During my first month, we began systematically reviewing the experiences of elementary school students in SEL in the U.S. A small group of us began having lengthy conversations about the current state of SEL. One thing led to another, and we decided to take on a full comprehensive meta-analytic update that examined SEL across K-12 settings worldwide. This study would eventually be named one of 10 most significant education studies of 2023.
With the recently developed Education Collaboratory, I transitioned to a more policy-focused role, translating research into policy-driven goals and recommendations that advocate for more inclusive practices to help ensure SEL’s long-term sustainability, development, and equitable progression.
What brought you to the field of SEL and what line of research do you find the most interesting/intriguing in the field right now?
My path toward SEL has been very nontraditional. Prior to starting a PhD program in teaching and curriculum, I studied history and human rights as an undergraduate and obtained a master's degree in Global Development and Peace. Throughout this journey, I have consistently focused on supporting the rights of individuals with disabilities.
As the older sibling to a woman with intellectual disabilities, my life experiences of watching my family navigate political, economic, and social structures inspired me to explore the social and emotional development and functioning of families like mine. I have experienced how the lack of disability-related services at the local and national levels, the financial toll of medical expenses not covered by insurance, the lack of appropriate in-school resources, as well as witnessing medical-related trauma of a child can impact each family member in very different ways. At the same time, I have also been fortunate to experience the absolute joy of being a sibling to an individual with disabilities. The ways in which family members engage, communicate, and function with one another through this unique experience can play a direct role in how each family member socially and emotionally develops.
Through these personal experiences, I realized that how a person develops is a highly contextualized and personal process that shapes our identities, which in turn influences how we socially and emotionally interact with the world around us. The perspectives that I have gained from my own experiences have led me to advocate for the idea that other people’s experiences as well as their race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and cultural and familial upbringing influence how they engage with and learn from SEL programs.
Recently, Dr. Cipriano and I published a paper in the journal of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy that outlines a framework for more inclusive social and emotional learning practices and research. Currently, I am also working on a policy-focused study with Dr. Cipriano, Eliya Ahmad, and Linda Torv. The goal of this study is to develop a roadmap to help SEL stakeholders navigate social emotional learning in a highly politicized and polarized environment.
What energizes you outside of work?
As a new father, over the last year, I have developed a special bond with my son. From witnessing his first smile to hearing his first belly laugh and seeing him excitedly call out my name when I leave and enter a room, has brought me such happiness, it is hard to envision my life before. Also, watching my partner of 14 years, and my wife for 7 of those years, become a mother has been an incredible experience. Watching our son respond to how we parent, and grow into a smiley, excited, and happy toddler is what energizes me within and outside of work. This entire process has taught me that the social and emotional development of our youngest children is a challenging, but even more rewarding, long-term process that requires commitment, patience, and collaboration among all family members.