Northwestern University

ABOUT US

The HBCD team at Northwestern University has over two decades of experience conducting research with infants, children, pregnant people, and families with varied lived experience. Our team’s approach to research is “families first!” Our goal is for our study families to always have a meaningful, comfortable, and enjoyable experience. Each time a family comes to an HBCD Study visit, we hope they will “learn right along with us” about what makes their child unique and how their development is progressing. Our child development offices on Michigan Avenue are designed specifically for families and young children. Our family lounge is filled with books and toys and has a view of the lake! We also have a lactation/wellness room, play areas, and comfortable and bright rooms where families complete the different parts of the HBCD Study. We love to learn about children’s development and are experts in studying how multiple influences affect the unique development of each child-including their brain, their behavior, the contexts in which they live, and the things that matter to their family.

We have a large and diverse team. Our HBCD team leaders are Dr. Laurie Wakschlag (developmental clinical psychologist) and Dr. Elizabeth Norton (developmental cognitive neuroscientist) together with Dr. Renee Edwards, (social work researcher) who is the scientific project director. Our research team comes from diverse backgrounds, experiences, communities, and areas of expertise, too. It includes scientific experts of many stripes, including experts in ethics, community engagement, family environment, the experience of pregnancy and how it influences children’s development, as well as the role of brain and behavioral development on how children learn, play, deal with challenges, and engage with their social world. Northwestern HBCD is excited to welcome you to become part of our HBCD family!