Fairfield University's Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions continues a series of "Community Dialogues: Conversations in Education and Allied Professions" when noted psychologist and early childhood researcher Dr. Walter S. Gilliam speaks at Alumni House on Wednesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. The public is invited to this free lecture and dialogue and seating is limited. Gilliam's topic is "Great Beginnings: Reimagining Early Childhood - Education, Family and Community."

Gilliam is a respected international expert in early childhood development and study and is associate professor of psychiatry and psychology and director of the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine.

Gilliam's research involves early childhood education and intervention policy analysis - specifically how policies translate into effective services - which covers myriad ways to improve the quality of prekindergarten and child care services. His research delves into the impact of early childhood education programs on children's school readiness, and focuses on effective methods for reducing classroom behavior problems as well as on methods for reducing the incidence of preschool expulsion. Gilliam's scholarly writing addresses early childhood care and education programs, school readiness, and developmental assessment of young children. He has led national analyses of state-funded prekindergarten policies and mandates and his research has addressed how prekindergarten programs are being implemented across the range of policy context. He has studied the effectiveness of these prekindergarten programs at improving school readiness and educational achievement and he has examined experimental and quasi-experimental studies on methods to improve the quality of early education.

Gilliam is a member of the board of directors for the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and a fellow of the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families (Zero to Three) and the National Institute for Early Education Research. He served as senior advisor to the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is a co-recipient of the 2008 Grawemeyer Award in Education for the coauthored book A Vision for Universal Preschool Education .

Gilliam's work is often covered in major news outlets, including NPR, The New York Times , Wall Street Journal , CNN Headline News , FOX News, and ABC's World News Tonight . Gilliam actively provides consultation to state and federal decision-makers.

This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served. Seating is limited. For more information, call the Office of Alumni Relations at (203) 254-4280.

Posted On: 03-10-2011 11:03 AM

Volume: 43 Number: 232