Nagham Abouzeid

I am a doctoral candidate in Human Development and Family Science at the University of Tennessee and a Fulbright Scholar. I was born and raised on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Lebanon. My research focuses on how community violence shapes children’s developmental outcomes, particularly delinquency and externalizing behaviors. I apply Critical Race Theory and Quantitative Critical Methodologies to challenge deficit-based narratives and highlight strengths-based, anti-racist approaches in child and family research. Outside of academia, I work as a Family Development Specialist, supporting children who have experienced trauma through intensive, community-based services.

Shailey Curtis

Honorary Doctor of Specific Things, Spring 2022

Shailey Curtis came to UT, after receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University, to work with Dr. Heidi Stolz for her expertise on parenting. Currently, Shailey is working on their dissertation by investigating how parent and youth discrepant reports of parenting (i.e., parental involvement, positive parenting, etc.) relate to youth anxiety. Shailey hopes to answer questions such as “Do youth who report more positive parenting than their parent experience less anxiety than youth who report less positive parenting than their parent?” and “How is this different for youth with different personality characteristics (such as youth who care more about others and youth who are more fearless)?” Through research like this, Shailey hopes to promote adolescent well-being by understanding and improving the parent–adolescent relationship.

Cole Green

Their research aims to examine the effects of the US Criminal Legal System on families and explore restorative alternatives that prioritize healing over punishment. Their dissertation examines two contrasting conceptualizations of safety – carceral and community-based – across multiple contexts and methodologies. Specifically, they are interested in exploring the structural factors that influence policing at the state level, as well as the ways communities construct and interpret the meaning of safety at the local level for which they received the Yates Dissertation Fellowship 2024-2025!