HDFS faculty are interested in how contexts outside the family affect individual development, exploring both proximal contexts that individuals experience directly and distal contexts that affect individuals indirectly. In some instances, contexts are closely tied to the physical settings in which individuals spend their time, such as schools, neighborhoods or workplaces, while in other cases contexts are not defined by a particular physical space but instead are manifested in social trends and opportunities or societal stratification, including socioeconomic resources, the media, family or social policy.
Maria Arredondo
- Assistant Professor
Dr. Arrendondo will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Aprile Benner
- Professor
Dr. Benner is reviewing applications for doctoral students for academic year 27-28.
Mateo Farina
- Assistant Professor
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Dr. Farina is not reviewing applications for doctoral students for academic year 27-28.
Elizabeth Gershoff
- Professor
- Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Amy Johnson McLaughlin Centennial Professorship in Home Economics
Deborah Jacobvitz
- Professor
- Phyllis L. Richards Endowed Professor in Child Development
Su Yeong Kim
- Professor
Dr. Kim is reviewing applications for new Ph.D. students to start in Fall 2028. Application will open in August 2027, and deadline is December 1, 2027.
Jeffrey J. Lockman
- Professor
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Dr. Lockman will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Elma Lorenzo-Blanco
- Associate Professor
Seeking undergraduate student research assistants for course credit or on a volunteer basis. See profile for more details.
Dr. Lorenzo-Blanco will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Elizabeth Muñoz
- Associate Professor
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Dr. Muñoz will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Lisa Neff
- Professor
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
Dr. Neff is reviewing applications for doctoral students for academic year 27-28.
Nicole Perry
- Assistant Professor
Dr. Perry will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Gabriela Livas
- Professor
- Department Chair for Human Development and Family Sciences
Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professors in Child Development.
Dr. Livas is reviewing applications for doctoral students for academic year 27-28.
Fatima Varner
- Associate Professor
- Department Co-Chair of Human Development and Family Sciences
Dr. Varner will not be reviewing doctoral applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.