Nora Newcombe interviews Kelly Fisher, who received her Ph.D. from the Developmental area of our Psychology doctoral program. Dr. Fisher is currently working as the Director for Policy at the Society for Research in Child Development.

Hi Kelly! Tell me about your current position and what it involves.

I am the Director for Policy at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). SRCD is the leading professional society for the field of developmental science. Its mission is to advance developmental science and promote its use to improve human lives. As Director for Policy, I lead SRCD's policy team efforts in building meaningful bridges between developmental science and social policy for children and families. I oversee SRCD's U.S. Federal and State Policy Fellowship Programs, which place researchers in congressional or executive branch offices for year-long immersive experiences. During their placements, researchers learn about policy development, implementation, and evaluation; how to use developmental science to inform public policy; and how policy questions can directly inform research. I also work with publication editors and team members to produce policy products that communicate federal policy developments to SRCD members and translate developmental research into actionable, useful policy recommendations to policymakers (e.g., Policy Newsletter, Child Evidence Brief, Social Policy Report Brief). Another integral component of my job is to work with the SRCD leadership, committees, and task forces to implement SRCD's strategic plan. For instance, one particular strategic goal involves enhancing our capacity to translate research to policy and practice and to communicate the needs of policymakers and practitioners to scientists to inform research initiatives and agendas. To do so, I identify opportunities and challenges for translation, build SRCD's capacity and programmatic initiatives to maximize success, and evaluate performance metrics to inform our future goals and strategic plan. 

What path led you to this particular line of work? And how did your experience at Temple influence that path?

I have always been interested in using research and data-driven decision-making to address real-world issues, with a particular emphasis on education and human services. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure how to pursue this interest, particularly as a first-generation college student. Looking back, I greatly appreciate my circuitous path to where I am today. I developed an extraordinary tapestry of knowledge and skills that allow me to see the world through multiple lenses, synthesize literature and methodologies from a variety of domains, and utilize this knowledge to develop strategic approaches to addressing societal needs on the ground.  

My interest was initially sparked during my undergraduate studies at Missouri State University. Missouri State's public affairs mission focuses on providing educational experiences that foster ethical leadership, cultural competence, and community engagement through coursework, community-based projects, and other civic experiences.  I also pursued a Master's in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, where I developed a systems-view of organizational functioning at the meso-level. I developed expertise in program evaluation, job analysis, measurement and survey development, group dynamics, and culture change. I also applied these skills in a variety of community-based projects, including work with the Office of Judicial Programs and Juvenile Court services for children and families. Such experiences further sparked my interests in evidence-informed education and social policy.

My doctoral training in Developmental Psychology at Temple focused on exploring how personal (e.g., motivation orientation, error-monitoring) and contextual factors (e.g., pedagogical approaches, spatial features of learning materials) influence children's learning at the micro-level. I was also encouraged to disseminate my work to nonscientific audiences in novel ways. For instance, I led teacher professional development training sessions on how to enhance spatial thinking and playful learning in early childhood and I co-developed the first "Ultimate Block Party" aimed at promoting caregivers' understanding and engagement in evidence-informed playful learning experiences. Through my work with Drs. Peter Marshall, Nora Newcombe, and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, I honed my developmental science expertise and science dissemination skills in truly transformative ways. 

After graduate school, I served as an Executive Branch Policy Fellow in Washington, DC, a fellowship sponsored by the SRCD and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). I worked in the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children in Families. During this time, I drew upon my cross-disciplinary expertise to (1) inform meetings/working groups aimed at reviewing cutting-edge research, identifying gaps in the evidence base, and identifying potential research priorities to inform policy and programmatic practice, (2) initiate new federal research initiatives to improve organizational capacity and data-driven decision-making, and (3) facilitate research dissemination. Through this work, I developed a macro perspective on how policy influences children's learning experiences and the inherent need for bidirectional communication between science and policy. Moreover, I learned that "one size does not fit all" in dissemination--the most effective dissemination efforts result in markedly different products for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and parents. 

Prior to my current position, I served as Executive Director of the Science of Learning Institute at Johns Hopkins University. I was responsible for developing and implementing the Institute's strategic plan, with the goal of fostering innovative, interdisciplinary science of learning research and building meaningful connections between research, practice, and policy. Working with Drs. Barbara Landau and Kristin Gagnier, we implemented a successful grant program, fellowship training program, and established new research-practice partnerships with a variety of educational entities in our community. 

Do you have any advice for undergraduates interested in careers connecting child development research to policy and practice?  

Explore career options through informational interviews. You can learn a wealth of knowledge from informational interviews. Contact individuals who do work that interests you and request a meeting to learn more about their work and career paths. I recommend reaching out to faculty who do policy- and practice-relevant applied research and those in nonacademic research positions (e.g., research scientists, research analysts, policy specialists, policy associates, program officers) from different industries/settings (e.g., federal agencies and offices, think tanks, research firms, advocacy organizations, technical assistance providers). Be sure to ask about what graduate training is necessary to pursue their careers (e.g., master's, doctorate degree?) and what specific skills and experiences you need to be competitive on the job market.

Do your homework. Search for graduate programs that will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and experiences through coursework and practicum experiences. Look for faculty advisors who do work in your areas of interest and will support your career aspirations. 

Be prepared to pave your own path. There are not a lot of graduate programs with an explicit emphasis in applied developmental science. To make sure you gain relevant expertise for your ideal career options, you may need to identify courses, practicum experiences, or fellowship experiences outside of the traditional graduate program offerings. Discuss your career interests, training needs, and possible opportunities to pursue external training with potential graduate program advisors.

Breadth and depth matter. If you are interested in nonacademic research careers, individuals with diverse areas of expertise are more competitive on the job market. Pursue interdisciplinary coursework and research experiences that will provide you with micro-, meso-, and macro lenses and diverse methodological and statistical skills. Depending on your interests, I recommend pursuing training in implementation science, program development and evaluation, organizational systems and group dynamics, communication, and public policy.

Interested in Policy? Apply for the fellowship! It was an incredible experience!