Institute-Funded Research Tackles Wildfire Smoke in Boston Schools
Dr. Pilar Botana Martínez and Patricia Fabian, ScD, Lead Co-Design Initiative to Empower Teachers This summer, as wildfire smoke drifts into Boston, researchers at Boston University are conducting experiments to answer a critical question: How can schools protect students from severe outdoor air pollution? The Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being is supporting... More
2025-2026 Newsletter
As we all begin this fall semester, the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being reflects on its successful 2025-2026 academic year in this newsletter.
Dr. Dina Castro on The 9:30 Call: Bilingual Education in Early Childhood
On June 17, The 9:30 Call en español brought together early childhood educators and advocates to explore one of the most critical topics in our field: bilingual education and child development. The conversation was co-facilitated by Harold Blanco and Paula A. Echeverri Durango from ECCHO-Latino and Paula's Barn Child Care. More
Conversations with the Dean ft Dr. Dina Castro
Learning Starts with Connection: Protecting Young Children in Uncertain Times How can educators, families, and communities support the youngest learners during times of uncertainty? That's the question at the heart of the latest Conversations with the Dean webinar featuring Dr. Dina Castro, our director of the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being... More
Community Connections Luncheon
On May 7, 2026, the BU Wheelock Institute for Early Childhood Well‑Being (EC Institute) hosted its first Community Connections Luncheon, bringing together Boston University researchers and community organizations to share innovative collaborations, surface needs, and foster new partnerships supporting young children's well‑being. The event included a panel discussion with community... More
April 2026 Research in Progress
Join us on Wednesday, April 22 at 3:30 PM for our April Research in Progress event! 🌟 This month will feature doctoral students Yibin Yang, MSW, Alba Franco, MA, and Pratima Patil, MA, EdM as they present their ongoing research on young children and families. Hosted by the BU Institute... More
2026-2027 University-Community Partnership Research Awards (UCPRA)
The BU Wheelock Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being (EC Institute) is pleased to announce the awardees for its 2026-2027 University-Community Partnership Research Awards (UCPRA). This award supports convergent research addressing new approaches for sustaining young children’s overall health, education, and well-being locally and globally through collaborations among BU early childhood... More
Research on Tap: The Well-Being of Children in Immigrant Families
Sponsored by the Office of Research, This Research on Tap event brings together groups of BU researchers to deliver lightning talks on the critical "safety net" exclusions impacting immigrant families today. From mass deportations to housing support, learn about the innovative research driving policy and practice changes. View full event details... More
Dr. Dina Castro to Address UN Commission on Early Childhood and Social Protection
On February 5, 2026, Dr. Dina Castro, the Bahamdan Professor in Early Childhood Well-Being and Director of the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being at Boston University, will speak at an official side event of the 64th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD64). The event, titled "Giving Every... More
APA Monitor: BUSSW Professor Paris’ Work is Changing Mental Healthcare for Young Children
We are thrilled to see the work of Professor Ruth Paris and the Building Resilience Through Intervention: Growing Healthier Together (BRIGHT) program featured in the latest APA Monitor! As the Associate Director for Research within the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being (EC Institute) and Professor of Clinical Practice at the BU School... More