Welcome back to the Social Development Lab!
This year, we are starting strong with new members in attendance at our first meeting. Even with these early additions, we have space for a few more. Please feel free to contact either Dr. Cipra (acipra@govst.edu) or the lab coordinator, Kelly Rosenthal (krosenthal2@govst.edu), for further information.
In line with the core vision of the SDL, we are eager to see the interdisciplinary and collaborative research of our new and current members. Ongoing projects include topics such as social-emotional learning, adolescent life skills/career preparation opportunities and adulthood outcomes, and faculty self-care.
The Research Associate Development Program (RAD) will continue this academic year! Director of the SDL, Dr. Cipra, has been the leader of the program and faculty mentor since its inception in Fall 2023. Applications are accepted through September 11th, and the first meeting will be held September 18th. Similar to the SDL, RAD is designed to provide students with an advanced understanding of research. However, RAD offers a 1-on-1 research mentorship with a participating faculty member. The RAD program has had a significant impact on our research-driven GovState students. Student feedback has highlighted its value in enhancing their research skills and academic profile. It is a fantastic opportunity for faculty-student connection and student development that extends beyond their undergraduate experience and into the field and graduate school.
The spotlight is on Alyssa Voss and Ian Telschow! Alyssa has been a member of the lab for two years, and Ian joined us in the summer. Alyssa and Ian have a collaborative project focused on the impact of life skill building and career preparation opportunities in adolescence. They are interested in how early skill development can impact mental health, identity, and other outcomes in adulthood. Over the summer, they worked on crafting their literature reviews, creating a mixed-methods survey, and submitted to the Institutional Review Board. They have made tremendous progress over the summer and have hit the ground running this fall! They are actively distributing and collecting data from the survey. Outside of the dedication and focus on research, Alyssa and Ian share a passion for the creative arts. Alyssa loves painting in her free time and describes it as an imaginative and relaxing practice. Ian plays a variety of musical instruments, and his downtime is spent reading and working with different fiber arts.
The Journal of Applied Disciplines (JAD) will be publishing a new issue in the coming months. Currently, the JAD is looking to add more editors and manuscript reviewers. Interested faculty and practicing professionals are encouraged to reach out to the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Cipra (acipra@govst.edu). For more information about the JAD, visit https://opus.govst.edu/jad/.
Lab Recommended Reads:
• Balter, A., Bertrand, J., & Katz, E. (2025). “Once upon a time there was an autonomic response”: Developing a praxis for integrating polyvagal theory into early childhood education to improve children’s emotion regulation. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 6, Article 100127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100127
• Salamon, M. (2024). Co-regulation: Helping children and teens navigate big emotions. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/co-regulation-helping-children-and-teens-navigate-big-emotions-202404033030