Skip to main content

News

Welcome to the team, Kristin Moilanen

Name: Kristin Moilanen

Title: Proposal Development Coordinator

Hometown: Fenton, Michigan

Where did you work prior to joining CYFS? What was your role there, and what did it entail?

“After completing my Ph.D. in developmental psychology at UNL in 2005, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh prior to stepping into a faculty role as an assistant (and later associate) professor in Child Development and Family Studies at West Virginia University. I was also an associate editor, then later became the editor-in-chief, of the “Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.” I left WVU in 2022 for a remote visiting research specialist position in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois–Chicago. I wore many hats in this role, in which I was the project manager and lead data analyst for a NIH-funded study on health in middle adulthood. Full Article

Brain imaging offers insights into cochlear implant success

For someone with hearing loss, a successful cochlear implant can be life-changing. But because outcomes vary, determining candidates most likely to benefit from the procedure is crucial.

A cochlear implant (CI) is a complex electronic device that can improve hearing in individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. While the implant does not restore normal hearing and differs from hearing aids, which amplify sounds, it does provide a useful representation of sounds by stimulating the auditory nerve. The device’s success depends on how well the auditory nerve functions. Full Article

Researchers explore ways to identify, enhance resilience among youth

As many as three-quarters of the nearly 25,000 American youth in residential care have experienced significant trauma, including maltreatment, poverty and, for many, systemic racism and discrimination.

Research suggests that such trauma increases risk for mental and behavioral health problems. However, some youth in residential care with trauma still display steadfast resilience, functioning well even in the presence of significant risk. Full Article

CYFS invites proposals for 2026 Signature Research Impact Program

For more than 20 years, the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools has worked to make a positive difference in people’s lives through research in the social, behavioral and educational sciences.

Building on this foundation, the center is launching the second round of its Signature Research Impact Program — a funding opportunity designed to support high-impact research that benefits Nebraska’s children, families, schools and communities. Full Article

MAP Academy selects two faculty to receive AADI Catalyst awards

The Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics (MAP Academy) is awarding $10,000 through a competitive funding opportunity created to enhance the rigor of field-based human subjects research at the University of Nebraska.

These awards were made possible by a grant from the Nebraska Research Initiative. Full Article

Video available for MAP Academy presentation featuring Juan-Paulo Ramírez

Juan-Paulo Ramírez, founder of GIS and Human Dimensions, LLC, led the fall presentation of the 2025-26 Methodology Applications Series Nov. 21 at the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

Video is now available of Ramírez’s presentation, titled, “GIS: Case Studies for Winning Grants, Changing Lives & Empowering Communities.” Full Article

‘Nurture Nebraska’ builds support for children’s social, emotional growth

This holiday season, a new statewide campaign is reminding Nebraskans that the smallest moments of connection can have the biggest impact on children’s lives.

Nurture Nebraska aims to boost awareness around the importance of children’s social and emotional development from birth to age 5. The campaign highlights how everyday interactions — a warm greeting, a kind response or a little extra patience to work through big feelings — help children develop confidence and skills that will benefit them throughout life. Full Article