Welcome to the
Pediatric Development Research (PDR) lab!


PDR Lab

Pediatric Development Research Lab

PDR members at work

Grace Hitchcock at URCA 2019

Current
Projects

About the lab.....

Under the supervision of Dr. Hernandez-Reif students learn to design studies and participate in research activities.

Past undergraduate and graduate research include Emerging Scholar projects, McNair Scholar undergraduate theses, Master's theses, and/or Doctoral dissertations.

HDFS students present their research activities at the yearly Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Conference and graduate students present at National and/or International conferences.

Current Students

Nahide Gungordu (PhD candidate)
Julianne Heany (MS student)
Grace Hitchcock 
Amber McCranie
Elizabeth (Lily) Small
Kayla Stinson
Caroline Watson

UA Past  & Current Students

Graduate Students

Kelly Barton, MS
Lindsay Blocker
Julia Brown,MS
Lindy Carper, MS
Nahide Gungordu, MS
Jessica Granger, MS
Kara Gudmens, MS
Julianne Heany
Elicia Juarez, MS
April Kendrick, MS, PhD
Wanda Burton Martin, MS, PhD
Rebecca Montgomery,MS
Sherwood Burns-Nader, MS, PhD
Shamika Phipps, MS
Maggy Porter, MS
Colleen Posey, MS
Michele Rice, BS
Hunter Sartain, MS
Kelly Wilson Schaefers, MS

Undergraduates

Rebekah Denard (class of 2017)
Lucia di Prima (class of 2013)
Ashley Dobbins (McNair Scholar)
Kenya Donovan (class of 2017)
Sabrina Gerlich (class of 2017)
Taylor Harten
Grace Hitchcock (class of 2020)
Hayley Howard (class of 2017)
Caitlin Hudson (class of 2015)
Megan Ingram (class of 2015)
Julia Israel (class of 2011)
Phillip Jordan (McNair Scholar 2008)
Joseph Clark Ledford (2015)
Erin Lopez (2015)
Shannon Mysak (class of 2014)
Rachael Robbins (class of 2018)
Jayla Robinson (class or 2015)
Kaitlyn Robinson (Emerging Sc 2015)
Elizabeth Russell (class of 2015)
​Kayla Stinson (class of 2020)
Amanda Thompson (class of 2016)
Amanda Turner (class of 2015)
Amanda Whitaker
Emily Williamson (class of 2017)
D'Kota Wyatt

Longitudinal Studies

Family Interaction Project (FIP)

This longitudinal study is examining infant markers that might relate to overall development and school readiness at age 5.  Data are collected twice a year, including children's anthropometric measurements, saliva cortisol, teachers' reports on children's development and communicative skills and parents' reports on children's sleep, reading, leisure activities and social skills. 

Pre-K School Readiness

This study evaluated school readiness levels of 4-year-old children attending Pre-K in a public city school system.  This project was funded by the Malone Family Foundation.
The PDR is looking for undergraduate HDFS students with GPA > 3.3 and can commit to two consecutive terms (Fall-Spring 2020-2021) to assist with research (minimum 6 hour per week).  Please email Dr. Hernandez-Reif at mhernandez-reif@ches.ua.edu about your qualifications and interests.