Four Institute of Child Development (ICD) PhD candidates, Keira Leneman, Pearl Han Li, Alyssa R. Palmer, and Isabella Stallworthy, have been awarded the 2021-22 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Minnesota Graduate School.

The highly competitive fellowship provides support to the University’s most accomplished PhD students, so they can devote full-time effort to their research and writing their dissertation. Each student is awarded $25,000 to support them throughout their fellowship year.

Leneman’s dissertation will focus on “The Psychophysiology of White fragility.” ICD Associate Professor Daniel Berry, EdD, is her primary advisor with assistance from ICD Regents Professor Megan Gunnar, PhD.

Li’s dissertation is, “Acquiring Moral Knowledge: Children’s Use and Evaluations of Moral Testimony Across Two Cultures.” Her advisor is ICD Professor Melissa Koenig, PhD.

Palmer’s dissertation is titled, “Positive influences on early childhood mental health in the context of rural poverty.” She works alongside ICD Regents Professor Ann Masten, PhD, and ICD Associate Professor Daniel Berry, EdD, as her advisors on this project.

Stallworthy’s dissertation will focus on “Multi-Level Infant-Parent Synchrony and Flexibility in the Context of Everyday Challenges.” Her advisors are ICD Associate Professors Daniel Berry, EdD, and Jed Elison, PhD.