The SRCD Governing Council is pleased to announce the appointments of Drs. Shauna Cooper and Adam Winsler as the new co-editors of SRCD’s flagship journal, Child Development. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise, passion, and leadership to the journal, continuing its legacy of publishing the latest research on child development. Dr. Cooper, the journal’s current interim editor, will continue to serve as editor through December 31, 2031. Dr. Winsler’s term will begin on July 1, 2025, and he will serve alongside Dr. Cooper as co-editor through June 30, 2031.
Dr. Shauna Cooper is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where she directs the Strengths, Assets, and Resilience Lab, and is also a Faculty Fellow at UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. She is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC. Dr. Cooper’s research centers on how social and cultural contexts shape development and well-being. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches, her research highlights the individual and interactive influences of family, school, and community contexts and spans several key areas—1) parenting and family processes, 2) father involvement and engagement, 3) adolescent development and well-being; and 4) community-level risk and protective factors.
Her research has been funded by the Eunice K. Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Science Foundation, and published in a variety of scientific journals, such as Child Development, American Psychologist, Journal of Research on Adolescence, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, among many others. As a member of SRCD for over 20 years, Dr. Cooper credits many of her professional experiences and engagement within the organization for helping to cultivate her editorial voice. After serving as a long-time reviewer and Associate Editor, Dr. Cooper became the Interim Editor-in-Chief of Child Development in 2023. Her extensive peer-review experience spans developmental science, psychology, and multidisciplinary journals, holding several editorial appointments. Dr. Cooper has held several leadership roles and participated in national workgroups, including Co-Chair for the Society for Research on Adolescence’s Consensus Committee and Chair of SRCD’s Black Caucus. Dr. Cooper received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan.
She shared, “I am excited to partner with Dr. Adam Winsler and serve as the Co-Editors for Child Development. Child Development has long been one of the premier journals in our field. As the scientific and publishing landscape continues to rapidly evolve, I believe that we can continue to build upon this rich history and chart new pathways to further increase our scientific impact and reach. I am looking forward to the next iteration of the journal—bringing our collective vision to life and ensuring that Child Development is cross-cutting, representative, and responsive to the ever-changing and dynamic nature of the field of Developmental Science.”
Dr. Adam Winsler is a professor of applied developmental psychology and human development at George Mason University. His research spans bilingual language development, private speech and executive functioning, school readiness, the effects of the arts on development, and the longitudinal effects of preschool programs, with a strong focus on marginalized populations. A former editor-in-chief of Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Dr. Winsler brings extensive experience in scientific editing and has been on editorial boards of numerous journals, including Social Development, Educational Issues and Early Education and Development.
He is a fellow of both the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and has mentored several SRCD policy fellows. His vision for Child Development emphasizes SRCD's support of opportunities for growth, innovation, and inclusivity.
He shared, "I am truly honored and excited about partnering with Dr. Shauna Cooper to co-edit Child Development and serve both SRCD and the field in this important way. Although these are challenging times for journals and editors, with rapid changes in open science, artificial intelligence, publication models, and peer review processes, this brings exciting opportunities for change, growth, diversification, and decolonization. Shauna and I are up to the task! More on our vision for the journal coming soon! (P.S. CD has always been my favorite journal!)”
SRCD President, Dr. Vonnie C. McLoyd remarks, “Since 1930, Child Development has been the leader in groundbreaking research in child development ranging from prenatal development to adolescence. As the journal’s first co-editorial team, Drs. Cooper and Winsler will continue to feature exemplary groundbreaking research from across the globe, providing knowledge and guidance for psychiatrists and psychologists, educators, and social workers across the field.”
We are confident that their combined expertise and leadership will steer Child Development into an exciting future, supporting innovative research and advancing the field of developmental science. Please join us in congratulating Drs. Cooper and Winsler on their new roles. Stay tuned for more updates on their vision and initiatives for the journal. For questions or information for submitting a manuscript to Child Development, please contact cdev@srcd.org.