Fellowships at the Center for Developmental
Science
Overview
The primary goal of the training programs is to provide advanced research training in human development for persons in the social and behavioral sciences, education, and health-related areas. The programs have a special focus on training in longitudinal methodology and analysis, on the social ecology of development, on the educational and health implications of behavioral study from infancy through adolescence and mid-life, and on the implications for research on health promotion and problem prevention. The training faculty crosses beyond departmental, school, and divisional lines and disciplines. Support is extended to highly selected candidates for advanced predoctoral and post-doctoral research training.
Over the past decade, research programs in human development in the component universities have grown closer by virtue of shared areas of research and theoretical concern. A common theoretical concern has been the elaboration of a systematic developmental model; a common methodological theme has been a commitment to the longitudinal study of human behavior. Collaboration seems vital because understanding key issues of human development requires expertise that cuts across traditional discipline boundaries. This shared concern with issues of theory, method, and analysis has promoted a climate of cooperation and the sharing of resources and students. The present cross-discipline and cross-school training programs are an outgrowth of years of cooperation.
Members of the mentor faculty are involved in joint teaching, supervision,
and research collaboration. Collectively, they are responsible for the
training activities. The mentor faculty have been selected from various
departments located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Duke University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central
University, Meredith College, and the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro. In the divisions of health affairs at these institutions,
mentor faculty appointments are from the departments of psychiatry, pediatrics,
allied health professions, developmental epidemiology, maternal and child
health, and nursing. In the divisions of academic affairs, the mentor
faculty represent sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, and
human development and family relations. In addition, members of the mentor
faculty have key responsibilities in university research institutes and
centers, including the Center for Chronic Illness Research (UNC-CH), the
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (UNC-CH), the Carolina
Population Center (UNC-CH), the National Center for Early Development
and Learning (UNC-CH), and Center for Child and Family Policy (Duke University).
The areas represented by the mentor faculty encompass the study of multiple problems of development, including mental retardation, autism, behavioral-emotional-learning problems of childhood, and delinquent-aggressive behavior. But the study of behavioral anomalies requires an understanding of normal developmental processes. Different members have specialized in the major stages of normal human development, from prenatal behavior and infancy through childhood and adolescence to early maturity and senescence. Relevant to this concern, members of the Consortium training faculty have been at the forefront in the conduct of contemporary longitudinal studies of behavioral development, including some of the major ongoing investigations in the United States.
In the context of these training programs, longitudinal refers to a class of research designs, not to a single methodology. The present faculty and fellows have pioneered the use of alternative longitudinal designs, including the co-sibial procedure (involving matched comparisons within families); short-term, overlapping cohorts; combined cross-sectional/longitudinal procedures; intergenerational longitudinal techniques; and cross-investigation comparisons. The most recent innovations include the integration of longitudinal and preventive intervention research designs. The goal of these procedures is to clarify the integration of biological and social factors in the lives of individuals. Over 40 longitudinal studies have been conducted by the Consortium faculty. These studies (a) ranges from short-term (e.g., 2 years) to long-term (e.g., 20 years), (b) covers a developmental period from prenatal to late-adulthood, (c) examines critical developmental and methodological issues (e.g., aggression, behavior problems, mental health problems, substance use, preterm infant development, day care and early development, memory skill development), and (d) involves various levels of developmental analyses and the integration across levels (e.g., physiological, biological, temperamental, behavioral, social, economical, and cultural).
In addition to these longitudinal programs with humans, other mentor faculty are involved in developmental studies of nonhuman behaviors. These include the pioneering studies of Gilbert Gottlieb and his colleagues on the development of sensory and perceptual processes, the investigations by Mark Lewis and Louis Gariépy on the development and microevolution of changes in brain chemistry associated with social behavior, and the neurohormonal investigations of Cort Pedersen and Gary Peterson on the role of oxytocin in behavioral development.
Postdoctoral Training Program
Postdoctoral training involves advanced course work and supervised research experiences. Because of the diversity of persons who enter the program, the nature of the course work and the level of research involvement will be individually tailored by the trainee's Advisory Committee and is designed for a 2-year appointment period. In unusual conditions a shorter training program may be planned. No additional advanced degrees will be offered by the Consortium, although it will be possible for trainees to become enrolled in the degree-granting programs of constituent departments. Such decisions will be made by the trainee in consultation with the Executive Committee of the faculty.
Postdoctoral Advisory Committee: All trainees establish an Advisory Committee upon entry into the program. The purpose of the Advisory Committee is to provide guidance and approval for the trainees' research plans and course of study. The Advisory Committee consists of three members of the faculty and/or Unit Directors, at least one from a disparate but complementary discipline. This Committee assists the trainee in designing the course of study, provides research supervision, and meets with the trainee at regular intervals to monitor progress.
Consortium Proseminar: The Consortium established an advanced proseminar designed to meet the need for advanced interdisciplinary training in human development. The meetings of the Developmental Proseminar constitute a foundation for all activities of the Carolina Consortium. Held weekly, the proseminar series has involved virtually every member of the mentor faculty of the Consortium in a teaching role. In keeping with the distinctive focus of the Consortium, the Proseminar has emphasized the primary themes of longitudinal study, life-course development, and interdisciplinary integration of health and behavioral research.
The goal of the proseminar has been to undertake a critical analysis of the central issues in developmental science. It has provided the basis for high level faculty exchanges and stimulated considerable interest across the discipline. Some of the primary contributors have made repeated visits to participate as speakers and/or discussants. It must be emphasized that a balance is maintained between members of our own faculty and outside visitors, and that the themes are established by the mentor faculty. The idea of the Consortium has been to stimulate discussion around specific issues of developmental theory and method. Accordingly, we have attempted to devote one semester each year to issues of basic science/theory and one semester to issues of implementation and application.
Research seminars and special workshops: The Consortium Fellows meet each week to discuss issues from their own research. These meetings are organized for and by the Fellows to share research evaluations, ideas, and solutions. For example, a special summer seminar series for Consortium Fellows was organized in 1990 by Mark Lewis who directed a special neurobiological seminar series. Also, to represent contemporary trends, distinguished national and international investigators are invited to conduct short-term research seminars on special issues and methodologies. For 1994-1995, a special seminar series focused on modern advances in statistical analysis. In Fall 1994 Lars Bergman (The University of Stockholm) conducted a workshop on the theory and use of person-oriented analysis. In Winter 1995, Steven Raudenbush (Michigan State University) conducted a workshop on hierarchical linear modeling.
Supervised Research: The other key to the success of the Consortium training program has been due to the high level of productivity in the research programs of the mentor faculty. Collectively, Consortium mentor faculty are at the leading edge of longitudinal research on development. These programs are open for trainee participation. Over the past fifteen years, we have found that postdoctoral fellows can fit very rapidly into the programs. This has been facilitated, in part, by an application procedure whereby potential candidates outline specific research plans in conjunction with one or more mentor faculty members. While it is expected that the plans may be modified, preparation of the proposal ensures that the applicants are aware of the several options that are available to them, and that they have experience in detailed preliminary planning with potential mentors.
Coursework: In addition to the proseminar course, other
advanced seminars are available to postdoctoral trainees, depending on
their perceived needs and interests. However, the mentor faculty is sensitive
to the fact that an overload of courses may preclude research involvement,
and thereby defeat the central goal of the program -- namely, to produce
highly qualified researchers in diverse areas of human development. In
this regard, it is anticipated that recent PhDs from behavioral, educational,
and sociological programs will have covered much of the material required
as prerequisites. However, it is also acknowledged that the training provided
by this program on the context of development and longitudinal study is
distinctive in its emphasis and scope. Accordingly, postdoctoral trainees
from non-health areas will be expected to complete both the substantive
and methodological requirements early in the program. Further, there is
a critical need to establish opportunities for interdisciplinary training
in human development for physicians who are in their fellowship year.
Accordingly, the Advisory Committee will work in cooperation with the
departments of psychiatry, pediatrics, internal medicine, and family medicine
in order to provide supplementary training for interested candidates.
In the past, fellowship training has been provided for physicians who
have specialized in pediatrics and internal medicine.
Links to CCHD and Affiliated Fellows
