2023 Abecedarian Award winner: Hsiu-Wen Yang
The Abecedarian Award Endowment Fund was established in 2013 by Joseph J. Sparling, PhD, Craig T. Ramey, PhD, and Sharon L. Ramey, PhD, to commemorate Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute's (FPG's) 'Abecedarian' longitudinal studies—the Abecedarian Project, Project CARE, and the Infant Health and Development Program. The Abecedarian Award honors a Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) staff member's early career research that is scientifically rigorous and addresses an issue of significant social concern.
We recently spoke with this year's winner, Hsiu-Wen Yang, PhD, to ask about her work at FPG and what the Abecedarian Award means to her. Here's what she had to say.
What does the Abecedarian Award mean to you?
To be named as the recipient of 2023 Abecedarian Award is such a tremendous honor in my professional career. Receiving this award has further strengthened my dedication to ensuring all children have access to inclusive and equitable education and services. It also serves as validation of my past achievements and my aspirations for the future.
Can you tell us about what you’re currently working on and/or planning to work on?
As someone deeply committed to supporting inclusive and equitable education and services for all young children, I am currently working on analyzing demographic reporting practices and participants' characteristics in the early STEM intervention literature. This review is aimed at ensuring that equity remains a central consideration in the realm of early STEM literature. Additionally, I am investigating the extent to which state early learning guidelines encourage educators to promote STEM learning among infants and toddlers.
Can you share with us how you plan to use the award funds?
Advancing research skills across diverse methodologies is one of my professional development goals. I intend to allocate a portion of the award funds to improve my skills in using innovative research methods to address areas of interest. Networking is another critical aspect of my professional career that I would like to prioritize. Building a strong professional network has opened doors for many collaborations, particularly with prominent researchers in the field. Therefore, I plan to use some funds to attend conferences to expand my professional connections, as these connections can often pave the way for fruitful collaborations.
What do you look forward to about the future of the work you do?
I look forward to applying the knowledge and skills gained through the professional development opportunities mentioned above to build an inclusive and equitable future for all children.
And to learn even more about Yang’s work at FPG, visit the links below:
