FPG advanced research scientist Nicole Gardner-Neblett has been selected for a prestigious 18-month ZERO TO THREE Fellowship.

Founded in 1981, the ZERO TO THREE Fellowship Program brings together multidisciplinary, cross-sector leaders that work across the country and around the world to positively impact the lives of infants and young children through research, practice, advocacy, and policy.

“Nicole has an impressive background in infant and toddler language development, and she will bring a unique perspective to the team,” said Matthew Melmed, ZERO TO THREE Executive Director. “She will help us transform and advance programs, systems and policies that help give all children a strong start in life.”

Gardner-Neblett is also a research assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on investigating factors that promote children’s language and literacy development, which includes studying the design and implementation of professional development programs for early childhood professionals to promote infant and toddler language and communication development.

Gardner-Neblett co-authored More Than Baby Talk, a popular guide for early childhood professionals on research-based practices to promote language and communication skills among infants and toddlers. In addition, she studies the language and literacy development of African American children, with an emphasis on identifying the linguistic strengths of African American children and the implications for educational practices.

Gardner-Neblett’s work has been published in Developmental Psychology, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Child Development Perspectives, and the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Before joining UNC, she worked as a Society for Research in Child Development Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, where she designed and monitored national research and evaluation projects aimed at promoting child well-being.

Gardner-Neblett is joined by 14 other Fellows, representing the U.S., Australia, and Turkey. The Fellows reflect the broad diversity of the infant-family field and demonstrate a diversity of disciplines, including infant and early childhood development, infant mental health, early care, education and human services, child maltreatment, psychology, and more.

adapted from materials provided by ZERO TO THREE