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Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, contributed to the American Psychological Association's health advisory calling for guardrails and education to protect adolescent AI users.
At the start of the academic year, five Wellesley College students began internships through the Class of 1967 Internship Program at the Wellesley Centers for Women.
On April 2, 2025, WCW hosted the first Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Summit, a gathering of those who produce and support research and design projects related to the early childhood field in Massachusetts.
March 13, 2025
In this virtual parallel event of the 2025 UN Commission on the Status of Women, panelists highlight the importance of both research and innovation in the education of women and girls around the world.
WCW is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Women’s Foundation of Boston to conduct an in-depth analysis of the state of women and girls across Massachusetts, with a particular emphasis on their economic empowerment.
After more than 12 years as the Katherine Stone Kaufmann ’67 Executive Director of the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW), Layli Maparyan, Ph.D., will leave at the end of February to serve as president of the University of Liberia.
At the start of the academic year, six Wellesley College students began internships at WCW through the Class of 1967 Internship Program.
WCW Associate Research Scientist Katherine R. Buchholz, Ph.D., and her colleague, Associate Professor of Psychology at Pacific Lutheran University, Tiffany Artime, Ph.D., have been approved for a $2.5 million funding award by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to implement an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in university counseling centers (UCCs).
Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., co-authored this "Health advisory on social media use in adolescence", released by the American Psychological Association. The advisory examines potential beneficial and harmful effects of social media use on adolescents’ social, educational, psychological, and neurological development, and provides recommendations based on the scientific evidence to date.
April 13, 2023
NIOST director Georgia Hall, Ph.D., talks to Terrance Cauley, Senior Director in the Department of Youth, Family & Clinical Services at Better Family Life, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri.
March 16, 2023
In this collaboration with the Metrowest Women’s Fund, panelists share their insights and expertise in a discussion on middle school girls' mental health and social media use.
March 8, 2023
In this virtual parallel event of the 2023 UN Commission on the Status of Women, panelists share the innovative ways they are using technology to advance gender equality and human wellbeing.
March 2, 2023
Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., submitted this statement for the record in connection with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's February 14, 2023 hearing, "Protecting Our Children Online." In the statement, she notes some important policy directions and research findings that apply to youth, social media, and mental health, and urges the Committee to recognize that social media can have positive as well as negative effects on youth mental health.
February 27, 2023
NIOST director Georgia Hall, Ph.D., talks with Brittany Jacobs, Library Director at the Burlington Public Library in Iowa and Edward Franklin, President and CEO of Voice of Hope Ministries in Texas.
February 21, 2023
WCW will lead the design of a social inclusion strategy to empower women and young people in the Liberian forestry sector.
February 16, 2023
Many findings from the audit are relevant to police departments across the country, according to Senior Research Scientist Linda Williams, Ph.D.
February 13, 2023
Senior Research Scientist Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D., shares findings from interviews with fathers about how they talk to both their sons and daughters about consent.
January 25, 2023
In the second episode of the series, Amy Franks reads from her essay, "A Mirror for Black Boys," and Devan Blackwell reads from his essay, "Creating Windows Through Words." Both essays explore the ways in which youth development experiences can transform lives.
January 19, 2023
The interdisciplinary course is focused on social technologies and adolescent development.
January 5, 2023
In a summit hosted by Meta, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the latest research on youth social media use and wellbeing.
December 20, 2022
In a webinar hosted by Equimundo, Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D., shares findings from her research on family communication about dating, sex, and relationships.
December 1, 2022
Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of NIOST, talks to Marisela Montoya of Austin, TX, and Kourtney Andrada of Oakland, CA, about their experiences as youth development workers.
November 11, 2022
NIOST will continue its partnership with the Education Development Center, Inc. to guide the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment.
November 9, 2022
WCW and the League of Resident Theatres will investigate systemic barriers to leadership positions and influence in the American theater.
October 24, 2022
At the start of the academic year, five Wellesley College students began internships at WCW through the Class of 1967 Internship Program.
October 19, 2022
A virtual Social Change Dialogue explores one woman’s journey to investigate her history as a child sex trafficking survivor, with the help of a journalist.
September 26, 2022
Mood Check offers resources that increase the school community’s mental health awareness and literacy, which serves as a prevention tool for adolescent depression.
August 28, 2022
The five-day program allowed students to co-design an app to promote positive social media use and featured Wellesley College students and expert speakers on STEM.
July 10, 2022
In this video series, Visiting Fellow Pashtana Durrani interviews experts in girls’ education—in the U.S. and internationally—about their research findings and what drew them to the field.
July 1, 2022
In partnership with the Urban Institute and supported by a $1.1 million grant from ECMC Foundation, the Wellesley Centers for Women is launching the Data-to-Action Campaign for Pregnant and Parenting Student Success.
June 24, 2022
In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, we at the Wellesley Centers for Women stand with women and all pregnant people’s personal decisions about their reproductive health and their bodies.
May 23, 2022
Adolescents’ relationships with their pets can be very important, since adolescents are at a developmental stage when they’re relying less on their families and more on other relationships in their lives—both human and animal.
May 1, 2022
New funding will support clubs in Pennsylvania's Venango and Clarion Counties, particularly in Franklin, Oil City, and Knox.
April 26, 2022
The white paper from the Justice and Gender-Based Violence Research Initiative offers policy and practice recommendations to achieve justice for victims, families, and communities.
April 21, 2022
Researchers are looking for middle school girls to participate in a free workshop on designing healthier social media experiences.
April 1, 2022
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab recently created a Youth Advisory Board to inform the development of its virtual digital wellbeing workshops.
March 29, 2022
Experts on human rights and gender politics in Afghanistan discussed the current state of women's rights in the country.
March 10, 2022
To celebrate International Women's Day, WCW partnered with Slater International Center at Wellesley College for an event with a keynote address by Afghan human rights activist Pashtana Durrani.
February 3, 2022
Panelists discuss their personal experiences as parenting students and share insights from their books.
January 17, 2022
Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and sharing insights from a recent trip to Liberia, Executive Director Layli Maparyan, Ph.D., urges us to embrace humanity’s interdependence and usher in a new future in which we all thrive.
November 8, 2021
Panelists discuss their personal and professional experiences speaking out against labor abuse and their hopes for a more equitable workplace for women.
November 2, 2021
Wendy Robeson, Ed.D., shares findings from a study on child care access in Massachusetts during the pandemic.
October 27, 2021
Educators and practitioners discuss the ways school communities can support tween and teen mental health in the midst of the pandemic.
October 27, 2021
A new study finds that limiting access lessens some negative effects of social media use among younger users.
October 13, 2021
Jacqueline Brinkhaus ’22 discusses her experience as an intern with our Family, Sexuality, and Communication Research Initiative.
September 23, 2021
Layli Maparyan, Ph.D., and Sheron Fraser-Burgess, Ph.D., converse about the evolution of womanism and the importance of the African/African-descended worldview in higher education and global problem solving today.
September 22, 2021
At the start of the academic year, five Wellesley College students began internships at WCW through the Class of 1967 Internship Program.
September 8, 2021
Together with academic, NGO, and private sector partners, WCW will hold two workshops to address human trafficking in Liberia.
September 3, 2021
Kathryn Wheeler, Ed.D., is among 70 individuals and groups being recognized by Big Sister Boston for their enduring commitment to believing in girls.
September 1, 2021
Middle school students learned about STEM concepts and healthy social media use during a workshop hosted by the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab.
May 26, 2021
Peggy McIntosh, Ph.D., was honored for her decades of work naming and breaking down systems of privilege and oppression.
May 20, 2021
Students from the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab share findings from ongoing studies during a Wellesley College Ruhlman Conference presentation.
May 20, 2021
Students in the 2020-21 Class of 1967 Internship Program at WCW discuss what they learned during their internships.
May 7, 2021
Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., and Catherine Grevet Delcourt, Ph.D., share findings from a workshop on digital wellbeing, identity exploration, and computational concepts related to social computing.
April 26, 2021
We are looking for middle school girls to participate in a free virtual summer learning program that begins on July 19, 2021.
April 20, 2021
Panelists discussed how employers and lawmakers can support women in the workforce during the pandemic and beyond.
April 8, 2021
A statement about the future of Open Circle, our social and emotional learning program.
March 30, 2021
Panelists discussed how the Biden-Harris administration can support the child care industry.
March 25, 2021
This study found that young adolescents who reported greater negative attitudes toward their body image checked their social media more frequently.
March 17, 2021
Our statement on the senseless killings of eight people in Atlanta.
March 9, 2021
Panelists discussed what the Biden-Harris administration has done so far and what still needs to be done to support educators and students.
March 8, 2021
Research Scientist Autumn Green, M.Ed., Ph.D., spoke at a hearing of the Oregon State Senate Committee on Education about a proposed bill to collect and report data on college students who are parents.
February 24, 2021
A recently published journal article explores social media’s role in influencing adolescents' attitudes toward body image.
February 9, 2021
Nora Pearce, a Wellesley College student in the class of 2022, discusses research findings from a journal article she co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Grossman.
December 15, 2020
Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., has been appointed as Forbes Ignite’s new Scientific Advisor.
December 2, 2020
Senior Research Scientist and Associate Director Nancy L. Marshall, Ed.D., who is retiring after 35 years at the Wellesley Centers for Women, took a moment to reflect on her experiences.
November 11, 2020
Our Work, Families & Children Research Group will examine how nonstandard and/or unpredictable work schedules make it difficult for low-income parents to access quality child care.
November 5, 2020
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab shares findings from a study of middle school students' social media use.
November 2, 2020
A new study finds that the quantity of social technology use, type of content viewed, and social context is significantly related to later bedtimes and less sleep for early adolescents.
October 28, 2020
Panelists discussed how they advance racial justice in their work at WCW and shared ways that participants can take steps in their own lives to dismantle systemic racism.
October 27, 2020
The written testimony of Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, M.A., CAGS, presented to the Boston City Council Committee on Education.
October 22, 2020
Layli Maparyan, Ph.D., moderated a discussion panel on women's suffrage.
October 19, 2020
Experts from WCW discussed the unique ways COVID-19 is impacting women's work-life balance, economic opportunities, and mental wellbeing during this virtual panel.
October 8, 2020
The Path 2 Purpose campaign aims to help teens cope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 6, 2020
The Jacob Bluestein Foundation awarded a $15,000 gift to the Wellesley Centers for Women to support the Higher Education Access for Parenting Students Research Initiative.
August 13, 2020
Georgia Hall, Ph.D., of WCW was part of a virtual panel composed of three leading national organizations in the out-of-school time quality improvement, coaching, and measurement space that facilitated discussion about virtual summer and afterschool programs.
September 29, 2020
Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D., received a grant from the NIH to study whether fathers’ communication with their teenage children can protect teens from risky sexual behavior.
September 24, 2020
Six Wellesley College students recently began internships through the Class of 1967 Internship Program at the Wellesley Centers for Women.
August 25, 2020
WCW Visiting Scholar Karen Craddock, Ph.D., spoke on a virtual panel hosted by Six Seconds on the topic of emotional complexity as it relates to oppression.
August 20, 2020
The Wellesley Centers for Women teamed up with the Wellesley College Computer Science Department to host a virtual workshop that helped adolescents explore their identities, introduced them to STEM concepts, and taught them about healthy social media use.
July 31, 2020
Two programs of the Wellesley Centers for Women collaborated to host a webinar that explored the roles of social technology and SEL in remote learning.
July 21, 2020
Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, M.A., CAGS, of Open Circle discussed equity in education during a webinar hosted by Six Seconds.
July 14, 2020
At a time when teens are particularly vulnerable to anxiety and depression, the new funding will allow an additional group of teens to participate in an ongoing prevention study.
July 13, 2020
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab is looking for middle school students to participate in a free summer learning program that begins July 27.
July 6, 2020
Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., presented on a virtual panel hosted by Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development.
June 2, 2020
Our statement on the anti-racism protests in response to the killing of George Floyd.
May 29, 2020
During the 2019-2020 academic year, Dhanya Nageswaran, a Wellesley College student in the class of 2021, worked with mentor Linda M. Williams, Ph.D., to study the ways colleges and universities respond to sexual assault on campus.
May 28, 2020
Jessica Abowitz, a Wellesley College student in the class of 2022, studied student activist movements against sexual harassment in K-12 schools with mentor Nan Stein, Ed.D., during the 2019-2020 academic year.
May 27, 2020
Ninotska Love, a Wellesley College student and Davis Scholar in the class of 2020, reflects on her internship with Wendy Robeson, Ed.D., during the 2019-2020 academic year.
May 26, 2020
A report on campus sexual assault by our Justice and Gender-Based Violence Research Initiative was published days before new Title IX rules were issued by the Department of Education.
May 26, 2020
Nora Pearce, a Wellesley College student in the class of 2022, reflects on her internship with Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D., during the 2019-2020 academic year.
May 14, 2020
Undergraduate student research assistant Katie Du reflects on her work with our Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, and her experience as an international student at Wellesley during a pandemic.
March 16, 2020
Our Work, Families, & Children Research Group assisted with a report on child care accessibility and affordability in Boston.
March 5, 2020
Hauwa Ibrahim, J.D., S.J.D., M.L., gave a keynote address during a celebration of International Women's Day at Wellesley College.
March 1, 2020
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we look back on the very first Women’s Review of Books.
February 26, 2020
During Black History Month, LaShawnda Lindsay, Ph.D., reflects on the Black women who have influenced her research and her life.
January 29, 2020
Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., served as a guest editor for a special issue of the Journal of Adolescent Research focused on adolescent and emerging adult development in an age of social media.
December 6, 2019
Members of the WCW community gathered at the Wellesley College Club in November 2019 to celebrate the publication of a new book by activist and changemaker Peggy McIntosh, Ph.D.
November 26, 2019
The Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley Club of Atlanta, and The Lola, a women-focused coworking space, joined together in Atlanta, GA, in November 2019 to discuss women's entrepreneurship, the gender pay gap, and work-life balance.
November 14, 2019
Karen Craddock, Ph.D., shares findings from a case study centering the voices of women with Black-Indigenous American ancestry.
