Meet Dr. Morton

Education

I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.S. in Family Science. After completing my undergraduate degree, I began my graduate career at the University of Georgia. There I completed my M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science with a certificate in Quantitative Research Methods.

Research

During my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to engage in quantitative research as a research assistant in the Family Involvement Lab (FIL) in the University of Maryland College Park’s College of Education. Supporting the Baby Books 2 Project helping first time parents foster children’s language and reading development. As a doctoral student in Human Development and Family Science at the University of Georgia. I conducted research on the influence of the school, home, neighborhood, and sociopolitical factors on children’s academic, social, and emotional outcomes. As the lab manager of the Social Determinants of Child Development Lab, I was responsible for managing a wide range of research activities including data collection, coding observational data of parent-child interaction, data management, data analysis, and the development of peer-reviewed manuscripts. I also participated in the and the Biology, Early Experiences, and Development Lab, for which I played a key role in launching and managing the research lab.

Federal Child Policy

I have always been interested in the connection between research and policy. After completing my PhD, I was selected for a highly competitive post-doctoral fellowships by the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)/American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Fellow. As a U.S. Federal Executive Branch Fellow I was able to make these connections. While in the Office of Planning Research and Evaluation (OPRE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, my work spanned across Early Head Start/Head Start, child care, coordinated services, and workforce development.

Mentorship

I first became a mentor as an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland College Park through the America Reads*America Counts program. In this role, I mentored and taught elementary and middle school students. This experience has guided my passion for reducing educational disparities for marginalized students which is a large part of my research scholarship. Today, I continue my mentorship by helping graduate students navigate the challenges that may arise during their time in graduate school.

Public Scholarship

My work also extends into public scholarship through a podcast that I co-host, Woke and Witty. Each episode examines sociopolitical themes in media, bridging pop culture with deeper conversations about identity, representation, and social change. This season, my co-host and I take closer look at how the Barbie movie tackles feminism. With a mix of thoughtful analysis and humor, we’re unpacking what works, what’s missing, and why it matters.