Erin O'Connor, Ed.D, is the Director of New York University's Early Childhood Education Program and a tenured professor. She holds a Doctorate (Ed.D) in Human Development and Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a Master's in Teaching from Fordham University, and a Master's in School Psychology from Columbia University. Erin teaches human development and education classes to pre- and in-service teachers in New York City schools. She also co-directs a community partnership working with families and caregivers.
In addition, Erin leads a research program examining relationships with mothers and teachers and the impacts of these relationships on children's development in early and middle childhood. She also conducts randomized control trials of relationship-building interventions on the language and social development of pre-kindergarten children from low-income families and neighborhoods.
Erin has published in educational and psychology journals including the American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Applied Psychology. Her work is supported by grants from several institutions including the Institute for Education Sciences. She is a member of the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and the Society for Research in Child Development.
She is also the founder of Scientific Mommy, which works to make research about child development more accessible.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why did you go the teaching route & get a master's after undergrad?
- What did you learn through being a teacher? And why did you not want to continue teaching?
- Why did you want a school psychology master's?
- Why did you move away from clinical work?
- What went into your decision to get a doctorate? Why an EdD over a PhD? Why in human development?
- The ups and downs of grad school
- Starting a family in grad school
- Pros and cons of an academic career & tenure track
- How to assess your fit with a faculty advisor before grad school
- Issues with the education system & our classrooms: from a psychologist's perspective
- Scientific Mommy
- What it means to be a program director
- How has your research changed how you parent?
- What is your favorite part of your job?
- What is one skill, quality, or general factor that has served you no matter where you went in life?
Resources mentioned:
- Alison Gopnik (distinguished developmental psychologist)
- Emily Oster (distinguished economist focusing on parenting & pregnancy)
- Parenting Understood podcast with Erin O'Connor and Michelle Tangeman
Visit psychmic.com to sign up for the newsletter, where you'll get career tips, grad school resources, and job opportunities straight to your inbox! Follow @psych_mic on Instagram to submit questions for speakers and stay in the loop.
Music by: Adam Fine
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.