ISLAND Lab

Lab writing retreat. Reconnected and reaffirmed what really matters. Not gonna let anyone dictate the kind of science (or scientists) allowed

In light of all the chaos and uncertainty around us, I wanted to take a moment to share some ✨good news✨

I am thrilled to announce that this Fall I will be joining the University of Massachusetts Boston as an Assistant Professor of Psychology!

Congratulations to our grad student extraordinaire, Maggie Zhang, on being awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship!! 🥳💜🙌🍾🎉

Two scientists holding up sign at rally

#StandUpForScience
@britobabylab.bsky.social

Scientists holding up signs at rally in Washington square park

Scientist holding up sign at protest rally

Research in our lab would not be possible without government funding from the NIH - we must defend our science

#StandUpForScience #standupforscience2025

Toddler next to a science conference poster

Toddler next to a science conference poster

“Early Measures of Infant Attention as Predictors of Toddler Socio-Emotional Skills” explained by a toddler 😊

Let’s make sure there’s a future for our next generation of scientists - #StandUpForScience today at noon!

Lab members presenting at the Eastern Psychological Association annual conference this morning - great job everyone!!

Today’s the day. Let’s go.

Philly I’ll see you at city hall.

Everybody else, find your closest rally and turn out.

Time to flood the streets for science 🧪

Stand up for science flyer. Event happening Friday March 7th at 12pm in Washington square park

@britobabylab.bsky.social will be there - see you tomorrow!

Amazing talk by Bea Luna on E/I balance and critical period plasticity during adolescence. The optimal outcome obviously being @dylanggee.bsky.social

2024 Annual Impact Report — Social Creatures

2024 had some twists and turns but finishing out the year with feelings of immense gratitude ✨

My involvement with an amazing non-profit, Social Creatures, is one of many things I’m grateful for. Check out some of our achievements this year: www.thesocialcreatures.org/2024-annual-...

Happy New Year!! So thrilled to share this preprint (Kara Weisman, Lucy King, and I worked on this for 8+ yrs): "Beliefs about the development of mental life"

Read to find an interesting story on how people perceive different domains of capacities changing from birth to age 5 yrs.

osf.io/kq4j7

The Neuroscience of Risk and Development Laboratory loves postdocs!!! Please see the attached ad and email me if you have an interest in developing a T32 project alongside the work going on in the lab. Focus is developmental psychopathology, neuroimaging, and sleep!

Does anyone have an assignment they enjoy grading for developmental psych that has students engage with a (or multiple) scientific article(s)? I have tried many iterations of different assignments and want one I look forward to grading. Right now... not enjoying grading AI-written policy letters.

Brilliant scholar, but more importantly one of the nicest humans in academia. I am so grateful to have been his colleague - Clancy was instrumental to my success at NYU. He was genuinely excited to chat about new ideas and never missed an opportunity to provide support. He will be missed greatly

Our parents love tote bags!

We have plenty of evidence of how malnourishment impacts learning and cognitive development in children. No children should go to school hungry. Period. In some places, this sounds as radical leftist agenda. I wish it was just common sense.

TV screen with Robin Hood Heroes Breakfast on it

Page from a program describing the social creatures nonprofit

Picture of a speaker with a tv screen showing a baby

Group picture of social creatures staff and board members

Exciting morning attending the 35th Annual Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Breakfast! @robinhoodnyc.bsky.social

Social Creatures was honored for our Bonded by Baby program - a community driven, clinically integrated program embedding mental & social health into the standard of care for new parents

I loved being a mentor for this program! Great benefits all around

GitHub - profandyfield/discovr: discovr package for R to accompany Discovering Statistics Using R and RStudio discovr package for R to accompany Discovering Statistics Using R and RStudio - profandyfield/discovr

Want to learn/teach R? I'm still actively developing my package of learnr tutorials at github.com/profandyfiel... Just added a tutorial on multilevel models and repeated measures.

Developmental Psychology Starter Pack

go.bsky.app/9kHQS7i

We've started a new series where we chat with seminal figures in dev psych. Check out this episode with Jenny Saffran (@jennysaffran.bsky.social).

Panelists sitting in front of an audience

Image of the panel topic designing for empathy

Logo for the center for architecture / AIA

Designing for empathy book

Was delighted to take part in a panel on how architecture and design could elicit more empathy and social connections #AIANY

Much needed after the events of this past week. Really love my job sometimes 😊

Aybars Aşçi’s book beautifully blends design and developmental psychology - great read!

Loved working on this truly collaborative and interdisciplinary paper with Suzanne Dikker & @introspection.bsky.social

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Interested in fetal, infant, toddler neuroimaging (also parental mental health focused studies), neurodevelopment, and mental health? My lab at OHSU is hiring a Research Data Analyst !(#Portland, Oregon) #job social.icims.com/viewjob/pt17...
Also reach out to me at dufford@ohsu.edu!

📣 Paper published! 📣 Now out in JEP:G with @ldm-nyu.bsky.social postdoc Yi Lin: "We are Wanderers: Abstract geometry reflects spatial navigation"! 📐🌎 Since antiquity, geometry has been a model of human abstract thought. Where do our ideas about geometry come from? psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-...

Who We Are — Social Creatures

It has been so wonderful to witness the incredible growth of Social Creatures - from Rose Perry’s initial ideas/ambitions, to the collective of scientists & activists working together to create community via sustainable solutions

Donate or join us!

www.thesocialcreatures.org/who-we-are

Your donations fund:

- Programs that address deep-rooted effects of loneliness on mental & physical health

- Community building efforts so individuals can connect & experience improved health as a result

- Implementation of solutions that are grounded in science & evidence

Donate — Social Creatures

This #GivingTuesday - consider donating to Social Creatures!

This amazing community-based nonprofit is working tirelessly to support those most impacted by loneliness, social isolation & exclusion - new parents, older adults, & individuals w/disabilities

www.thesocialcreatures.org/donate