Psychology Professor Appointed to National Board

February 10, 2014

Psychology Professor Appointed to National Board

Stephen Petrill, professor of psychology, was appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to a four-year term on the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development (NACHHD) Council of the National Institutes of Health. Of the 18 member council, Petrill is one of 12 individuals selected from the leading representatives of the health and scientific disciplines in the United States relevant to child development and well-being.

The NACHHD Council is charged with advising, consulting with, and making recommendations to the director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) on matters relating to the research and research support activities and functions of the institute.

Petrill is considered one of the nation’s leading experts on the study of genetic and environmental contributions to the development of cognitive skills related to reading and mathematics. He uses a wide range of studies and methods involving twin and adoption designs, molecular genetics, brain imaging, and EEG, as well as careful study of the environments associated with the development of language, reading and math skills.

Petrill directs of one of four Learning Disabilities Innovation Hubs in the United States. Funded by NICHD in 2012, the hub conducts research at the intersection of neuroimaging, behavioral genetics and learning.

In June, Petrill was awarded a 2013-2014 Fulbright Grant to conduct research on “International Twin Studies Examining Gene - Environment Processes in Mathematics Achievement.” His research, a portion of which will be conducted in Tomsk, Russia, has two objectives: to integrate existing data collected from U.S., U.K. and Russian twin samples in order to examine the genetic and environmental underpinnings of math achievement from an international perspective and to plan pilot studies in U.S., UK and Russian twin samples to examine the genetic and environmental etiology of brain-based measures of mathematical ability.

Petrill has over 140 peer reviewed papers and has been continuously federally-funded since 1999. He is associate editor of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

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