Rhonda Brown

Rhonda Douglas Brown, Ph.D. is currently a Professor of Early Childhood Education and Human Development and Cognitive Developmental Psychology. Dr. Brown co-founded and serves as Co-Director of the Developmental & Learning Sciences Research Laboratory, which strives to generate research, educational experiences, and applications using an emergent, interdisciplinary approach from the fields of developmental psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and education. Dr. Brown also serves as Co-Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Children, Youth and Environments. The Children, Youth and Environments network disseminates knowledge and stimulates discussion to support inclusive, sustainable, and healthy environments for children and youth everywhere. Dr. Brown conducts research examining neural correlates and cognitive mechanisms of mathematical and memory development using fMRI and behavioral measures with the aim of improving educational interventions for children with learning difficulties. Dr. Brown has also conducted research sponsored by the National Science Foundation (Co-PI, Award # 1516191) examining how intentionally designed PlayScapes serve as environments for promoting children's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning and executive function. Dr. Brown advises students in the Educational Studies Ph.D. program in the Developmental & Learning Sciences area of concentration. From 2020-2024, she will serve as a co-advisor to doctoral scholars participating in the National Early Childhood Intervention Doctoral Consortium (ECiDC), which is funded to prepare doctoral scholars across 10 universities in early childhood special education (birth-5) and related services (occupational therapy, social work and speech and language pathology) for positions as future faculty members who have expertise with infants and young children with high intensity needs and their families (U.S. OSEP, H325H190004, Project Director: Mary Beth Bruder).