Jessica Kilday, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Missouri

Welcome! I earned my PhD in education and psychology from the University of Michigan. Currently, I am a postdoctoral research fellow in the Prosocial Development and Education Research Lab. 

My research is related to two urgent national challenges: helping students feel socially connected and emotionally supported at school — both by teachers and peers — and giving educators the tools and support they need to build positive learning environments where students help one another and have opportunities to thrive. 

As a former middle school teacher, I experienced first-hand how students’ interactions with their teacher, and with each other, plays a powerful role in how they feel about themselves, their learning, and school. In recent years, teacher burnout has surged¹, student behavior concerns are rising², and nearly half of educators say it’s a struggle to keep students interested in learning³. These conditions can strain social relationships at school. 

Ultimately, the goal of my work is to improve educational outcomes by enhancing school social support networks. I am especially interested in middle school, and transitional periods, when students face new challenges and opportunities that can have lasting future impacts. 

On this website, you can find more information about me, including research, teaching, and CV.

• Research
• Teaching
• Curriculum Vitae

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