WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa J. Berlin, Ph.D., as Editor of Social Policy Report.
Dr. Berlin is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, and brings expertise in infant-caregiver attachment and programs and policies for families with young children such as Early Head Start and the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program to this editor role. She has published widely in top journals such as Child Development, Prevention Science, and Development and Psychopathology, and she has made invited contributions to numerous edited volumes. Her previous work with policymakers has included convening research colloquia for North Carolina state legislators and agency officials. A longstanding member of the editorial board of Attachment and Human Development, Dr. Berlin has also co-edited several volumes and journal special issues pertaining to attachment and family development. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Barnard College/Columbia University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University.
“Dr. Berlin’s impressive portfolio includes vast experience with policy research, state policymakers, and programs and policies to support parenting during the early years,” said Dawn Witherspoon, Ph.D., co-chair of SRCD’s publications committee and McCourtney Family Early Career Professor in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University. “Additionally, her knowledge of the academic journal publication process makes her the perfect candidate to lead the charge on SRCD’s publication efforts surrounding the impact of policy on children.”
“With over 20 years of experiences linking research, policy, and practice in the areas of human development, psychology, social work, and public health, Dr. Berlin is poised to position SRCD’s Social Policy Report as a leading policy journal in the field to help policymakers engage with research and improve evidence-based policies to support today’s children and families,” said Nancy E. Hill, Ph.D., SRCD President and the Charles Bigelow Professor of Education, Harvard University. “I wish to thank Lead Editor Ellen Wartella and Assistant Editor, Fashina Aladé for their expert leadership. The Social Policy Report is stronger and more impactful because of their efforts. I am grateful for their service and commitment to SRCD.”
The Social Policy Report (SPR) is a quarterly publication of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). Its purpose is twofold: (1) to provide policymakers with comprehensive, non-partisan reviews of research findings on topics of current national interest, and (2) to inform the SRCD membership about current policy issues relating to children and about the state of relevant research.
“The SRCD Social Policy Report plays a crucial role in advancing SRCD’s mission, especially its goal to promote the use of research to improve human lives,” said Berlin. “My vision for the SPR centers on broadening its reach by expediting the dialogue between researchers and policymakers while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of the publication.”