Our research and expertise
We advance research, teaching, and community engagement to increase opportunities for all individuals to have a successful start in life and to foster healthy human development, and will provide programs that meet the demands of the 21st century.
For students, both current and future
Use this list (and filters) to find research topics relevant to your interests and passions. Find faculty working in your topic and connect with people invested in projects you'd like work on.
For members of the media
Find leading experts on specific topics for your upcoming stories and editorials. Contact Sarah Jergenson sarahj@umn.edu to request an interview with any one of our experts.
Recent publications
Visit EXPERTS@MINNESOTA for a list of recent CEHD publications. Search publications by topic, author, and year.
Find a research topic
Learning Technologies
Creating and adapting technology—both theory and tools—to enhance learning.
Loss and Trauma
Studying trauma and loss impacts on individuals, relationships, communities, and developing support for understanding and healing.
Math Education
Preparing educators to teach mathematics, and investigating new theories and methods in math education.
Mental Health
Incorporating research and practice concerning mental well-being into understanding development, relationships, and education.
Movement Science
Researching human movement control via psychological, biomechanical, and neurophysiological approaches.
Neuroimaging
Interpreting images of brain and neural system activity in connection to development and learning.
Neuroscience
Examining and addressing complex questions about how the nervous system and brain link to human behavior and development.
Opportunity Gap
Studying educational outcomes and disparities to improve how we reduce gaps, and improve equity and academic performance.
Organizational Systems
Examining how organizations are formed and change, and how people work with and within them.
Parenting
Understanding and guiding individual and societal involvement in the care for and raising of children.
Physical Activity
Investigating and exploring the contribution of physical activity to overall health and wellness.
Physical Disability
Severe orthopedic impairments that affect how people interact with their environment.
Policy
Studying the legal, regulatory, and enforcement practices broadly across education and human development.
Problem Solving
Analyzing problem solving methods, strategies, and skills in the context of cognitive development and learning.
Psychological Models
Understanding how cognitive processes function, interact with each other, and contribute to decision making.
Psychological Stress
Studying the positive and negative effects of stress on the physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing of people.
Psychopathology
Analyzing and studying mental disorders, and their effects on development and relationships.
Qualitative Research Methods
Research methods focusing on how and why decisions are made, often collected as word data.
Quantitative Research Methods
Research methods focusing on empirical investigation and measurement, often collected as numerical data.
Reading and Literacy
Studying and guiding reading and writing, skills critical to independence and educational success.
Retention / Dropout Prevention
Analyzing the factors that contribute to student persistence and designing programs to support success and degree completion.
School Psychology
Researching the practice of and preparing school psychologists.
Science Education
Promoting research and practice for science educators, with a focus on chemistry, earth science, life science, and physics.
Seniors / Aging / Gerontology
Examining the life stage of people over 65 years of age.
Social Development
Researching and analyzing how children form relationships, navigate conflict, and understand themselves within a community.
Social Justice
Addressing the distributions of the social common good through the lens of historical power structures and social norms.
Social Services
Researching how public services are provided to create more effective organizations and communities, and promote equality.
Social Studies Education
Preparing educators to teach a range of social studies topics (such as anthropology, geography, history, and political science).
Social Work
Advancing research for the welfare of society through social justice, diversity, human rights, and collective responsibility.
Special Education
Researching teacher education, leadership, and policy to uplift individuals needing specialized support for success.
Specific Cultures (African American)
Understanding and collaborating with people who have heritage in the African American and Black communities.