Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research | | | |
Hello,
Welcome to another semester! We’re glad you’re part of the Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research and look forward to working with you.
Through NAECR, we want to support early childhood researchers across the University of Nebraska system by fostering meaningful connections, encouraging collaboration, and providing resources that strengthen research.
As we finalize our 2026–27 programming, we'd love your input. What topics will help you advance your research?
Please take a few minutes to complete this brief poll.
Your feedback will help shape this year's events, including:
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NAECR Knowledge – Offered twice each year, these sessions highlight new tools, methods, and resources relevant to early childhood research.
- NAECR Networking – Held twice annually, these events connect researchers with colleagues and community partners while showcasing early childhood research taking place across the University of Nebraska.
- NAECR Spark Series – A small-group learning community where researchers come together for informal conversations to explore emerging topics, exchange ideas, and spark new collaborations.
In addition to our events and NAECR News, your NAECR affiliation gives you access to a variety of resources and opportunities, including:
Finally, if you know of colleagues at any University of Nebraska campus who would benefit from connecting with NAECR, we'd appreciate your help in expanding our network. Simply send their information to project manager Sommer Fousek (sfousek2@unl.edu), and we'll be happy to invite them to join.
We look forward to another year of learning, collaboration and advancing early childhood research together.
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Lisa Knoche, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Director, Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research
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Nebraska Child Care Campaign launches today
A steering committee representing early childhood partners in Nebraska will introduce a new statewide campaign designed to bring together business leaders, community organizations, providers, parents, educators, chambers of commerce, nonprofits and civic leaders around a shared vision for childcare in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Child Care Campaign launches today, Monday, Aug. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th St.
This event will unveil the details of the campaign, while inviting organizations from across the state to help build a movement focused on strengthening Nebraska through affordable, quality childcare.
Learn more.
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NU Collaboration Initiative Annual Meeting Oct. 16
Save the date for the Collaboration Initiative internal grant program annual meeting on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln.
The primary purpose of the Collaboration Initiative is to enhance the competitiveness of the University of Nebraska faculty for federal grant funding by fully leveraging the intellectual capacity and research resources across the NU campuses. The Fiscal Year 2028 request for applications focuses on a single, flexible grant type.
This single-year seed grant is designed to facilitate research collaborations among faculty in any discipline that will help them to compete for federal extramural funding.
Additional information and the RFA will be shared soon.
Learn more.
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Here are recent publications from NAECR researchers:
Lessons Learned from a Pilot Intergenerational Dance Program for Middle-Aged and Older Hispanic/Latino Adults and Children
John P. Rech*, Kinesiology & Sport Sciences, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Danae Dinkel*, Health & Kinesiology, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Gerontology, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Maria Valadez, Latino Center of the Midlands
Viridiana Almanza, Latino Center of the Midlands
Marcela Carvajal-Suarez, Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
David Marquez, Kinesiology & Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago
Athena Ramos, Health Promotion, University of Nebraska Medical Center
The Relation between Attention, Inhibitory Control and Spatial Working Memory in 3- and 4-Year-Olds
Yinbo Wu, Psychology, Florida International University
Anne Schutte*, Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
* Denotes NAECR Researcher
** Denotes NAECR Student Researcher
| | Would you like to see your work featured here? Contact us at naecr@unl.edu | | |
NAECR can assist you in finding research partners for your funding applications and staff in CYFS are available to assist with your proposal development for these or other funding opportunities.
Please contact Lisa Knoche if you are interested in building a collaborative team, need assistance with proposal development or would like to discuss funding opportunities for your research.
Internal funding opportunities by campus:
UNK
UNL
UNMC
UNO
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Administration for Children and Families OPRE: Reflective Supervision in Home Visiting Research Awards
The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is soliciting applications for Reflective Supervision in Home Visiting Research Awards. This funding opportunity will support projects that use the Supervisory Practices in Reflective Supervision-Home Visiting measure to research and evaluate reflective supervision in early childhood home visiting.
These awards will support partnerships with home visiting programs to do one or more of the following: 1) Further how reflective supervision is measured; 2) Use SuPRS-HV to understand how reflective supervision practices may affect outcomes; 3) Develop tools to help home visiting programs use SuPRS-HV to improve practice; and/or 4) Use SuPRS-HV to describe how reflective supervision practices vary.
Proposal due date: Today, Aug. 24, 2026
Learn more.
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Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood
The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood is an incubator of promising research and development projects that appear likely to improve the welfare of young children, from infancy through 7 years, in the United States.
Funding is provided in the areas of early childhood welfare, early childhood education and play and parenting education.
Letter of inquiry due date: Sept. 30, 2026
Learn more.
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New! Minority Health Disparities Initiative Health Equity Conference
Call for Proposals
Feb. 19, 2027
Lincoln, Nebraska
The Minority Health Disparities Initiative is accepting proposals for the 2027 Health Equity Conference poster session.
Proposals from research and/or practice-oriented projects or presentations that provide theoretical frameworks from undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, government organizations and community members or organizations are welcome.
Topics should ideally relate to health disparities and health equity among minoritized, marginalized and vulnerable populations. Abstracts with a particular focus on thriving, resilience and coping as they relate to experiences of discrimination and/or life stressors are strongly encouraged.
Proposal due date: Dec. 4, 2026
Learn more.
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New! Nebraska Maternal Child Health Summit
Nov. 19, 2026
Lincoln, Nebraska
Save the date for the 2026 Nebraska Maternal Health Summit, which will bring together people from all over the state working in many sectors of maternal child health — physicians, community health workers, maternal health advocates, lawmakers and mental health professionals — to discuss ways to improve perinatal outcomes in Nebraska.
Learn more.
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2026 Child Care Professionals Renewal Summit
This Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28-29, 2026
Camp Comeca – Cozad, Nebraska
If you work with childcare professionals in Nebraska, please let them know about the 2026 Child Care Professionals Renewal Summit.
The summit is designed to give childcare professionals an opportunity to focus on their own well-being while gaining practical tools and strategies to strengthen the care and learning environments they create for children and families. Participants will receive 8 licensing hours. Space is intentionally limited to create an interactive, workshop-style experience with meaningful opportunities to learn, connect and recharge.
This year's presenters include:
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Josh Arias, who will lead an interactive, art-based experience focused on creativity, collaboration, and shared vision-building; and
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Hayley Jackson Perez, who will facilitate engaging sessions on building positive workplace and school cultures and navigating challenging professional dynamics.
Contact Danae Dinkel with questions at dmdinkel@unomaha.edu
Register for the event.
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Society for Research in Child Development
2027 Biennial Meeting
Call for Proposals
April 8-10, 2027
Atlanta, Georgia
SRCD's primary goal is to promote the understanding of child development through research and dissemination. The theme for the 2027 biennial meeting is "Prioritizing Children: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact in Developmental Science."
Meeting attendees include professionals and graduate students in psychology, human development, family studies, education, public policy, sociology, social work, psychiatry, pediatrics and public health.
Proposal due date: Sept. 3, 2026
Learn more.
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UNK-Community Early Childhood Conference
Sept. 18-19, 2026
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, Nebraska
Registration is now open for the 2026 UNK-Community Early Childhood Conference. Conference presenters will share knowledge, resources and teaching strategies related to social emotional development, high-quality interactions and outdoor play.
Learn more.
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Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference
Sept. 22, 2026
Kearney, Nebraska
Join partners from across Nebraska for a full day of connection, collaboration and problem-solving focused on Nebraska’s most pressing early childhood challenges.
Learn more.
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Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
2027 Annual Conference
Call for Proposals
March 6-9, 2027
Washington, D.C.
The AMCHP Annual Conference aims to highlight the impacts of maternal and child health programs on women, children and families, and to provide participants with tools and resources to develop, enhance and sustain programs and services.
Presenters will have the opportunity to showcase their work on a prominent stage through various session formats, including Workshops, Lightning Talks, Student and Early Career Professional Grand Rounds, and Discussions.
Proposal due date: Sept. 30, 2026
Learn more.
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Nebraska Child Care Campaign Launch
Today: Aug. 24, 2026
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel
333 S. 13th St.
Lincoln, Nebraska
A steering committee representing early childhood partners in Nebraska will introduce a new statewide campaign designed to bring together business leaders, community organizations, providers, parents, educators, chambers of commerce, nonprofits and civic leaders around a shared vision for childcare in Nebraska.
This event will unveil the details of the campaign, while inviting organizations from across the state to help build a movement focused on strengthening Nebraska through affordable, quality childcare.
Learn more.
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Miss some events you would like to check out?
Visit the NAECR website to find recordings and summaries of past events, such as NAECR Knowledge, NAECR Networking, Early Childhood Summits and more.
| | Is there an upcoming conference you want to publicize? A new publication you would like to share? Let us know! | | |
NAECR News archives available
Access past issues of NAECR News.
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NAECR News will be shared twice a month to inform the early childhood research community across the NU system.
If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to be added to the mailing list, please email us using the button above.
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