Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler to deliver Distinguished Scholar lecture TODAY

Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Research and Global Engagement, will deliver the Distinguished Scholar lecture at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in LaRose Digital Theatre in the Love School of Business. 

Titled “I Wonder Why? Children’s thinking and learning across contexts,” Vandermaas-Peeler’s lecture will provide a look at her research examining how children learn in everyday contexts. She will focus on early childhood as a critical time for building knowledge and co-creating meaning through joint participation in engaging activities. In her lecture, she will and explore how sensitive adult guidance can facilitate inquiry. 

Vandermaas-Peeler was named the most recent recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award at Elon’s annual awards luncheon in May. Her research and scholarship in the area of early childhood development and high-impact practices in higher education has earned her acclaim and established her as a leader in the field of developmental psychology.

Since coming to Elon in 1995, she has published 33 peer-reviewed scholarly articles and has made 55 presentations at international and national conferences, with seven additional manuscripts now under review. Her edited book, “Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research,” will be published by the Council on Undergraduate Research in June. “Throughout my career, I have worked to understand learning in sociocultural contexts, and in particular, the developmental processes of inquiry in early childhood and in college student development,” Vandermaas-Peeler said.

Her career has seen her emerge as an internationally recognized expert in her field, with her research relied upon by her peers and providing the foundation for student learning in the classroom. A professor of psychology at Elon, she is also the director of the Center for Research and Global Engagement, which was created in fall 2015 to facilitate, support and promote scholarship on global engagement.

Vandermaas-Peeler is the 19th recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award, which recognizes a faculty member whose research has earned peer commendation and respect, and who has made significant contributions to his or her field of study.