Julie C. Smith Named Bridging the Word Gap Emerging Scholar

Communication Sciences and Disorders doctoral student, Julie C. Smith, was named a Bridging the Word Gap (BWG) Emerging Scholar for 2022-2023. She is one of four emerging scholars selected to engage with BWG Research Network Leadership and participate in their national initiative to advance the science of early childhood language development and language-promoting interventions. As BWG Emerging Scholar, Julie will receive mentorship from Dr. Anne Larson in preparing for a career focused on dual language development research.

The BWG Emerging Scholars Program is a mentorship program aimed at improving doctoral students' abilities to establish careers in research that focuses on understanding inequities in child language development and identifying effective interventions for promoting language development, enriching children's language learning environments, and improving child language outcomes.

The Bridging the Word Gap (BWG) Research Network is a national consortium of leading researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and funders supported by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA)/Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The primary goal of the BWG Research Network is to coordinate national research efforts across stakeholder groups to support the academic readiness and outcomes of all children. A key component of the Network is to provide mentorship to promising, early-career scholars who are interested in developing a research agenda centered on ameliorating disparities in child language development.