Nicole A.

Telfer

Education 

PhD: Applied Developmental Psychology - University of Maryland Baltimore County, Maryland, USA

MA: Applied Developmental Psychology - University of Maryland Baltimore County, Maryland, USA

BS: Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology - The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

Postdoctoral research fellow training

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Projects:

• Addressing equity gaps and challenges in the early childhood environment rating scale-third edition (ECERS-3). Advisors: Dr. Noreen Yazejian and Dr. Iheoma U. Iruka
• EMERGE: Early Markers of Expressive and Receptive (language) Growth in Ethnically Diverse Autistic Toddlers. Advisor: Dr. Brian Boyd

Certifications 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Research - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Early Childhood Intervention and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities - Georgetown University

Biography

Nicole A. Telfer (Dr. Nicky) is a trained applied developmental psychologist specializing in youth development, educational contexts of development, and community engagement. Dr. Nicky, a community-engaged research scholar, has collaborated with various community organizations and educational institutions across multiple states, such as Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington, DC, and New York. She is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth through her research and practical work. Dr. Nicky's research is rooted in African-centered psychology, intersectionality, and disability critical race theory, focusing on areas such as parents' ethnic-racial socialization practices, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility (DEIBA) initiatives in the educational outcomes of youth, early childhood intervention and neurodevelopmental disabilities, and the impact of socio-cultural factors on REM youth's development.

Dr. Nicky has been the recipient of grants from foundations, like the Brady Education Foundation and American Psychological Foundation, to continue her work focused on Black youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Prior to this, she gained experience as an intern at the pediatric unit of the University of Maryland Medical Center, a trainee in Georgetown University's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program, and a trainer and consultant for the Color of Autism foundation. Apart from her professional commitments, Dr. Nicky enjoys traveling, exploring new places, and reading new books. Her literary accomplishments include the authorship and co-authorship of four books, with her most recent works being "Our Doctoral Journey: A Collection of Black Women's Experiences" and an Amazon bestseller, "A Black Woman's Guide to Earning a PhD."

Research Interests

• Black youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities
• Educational and social-emotional outcomes of racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth
• African-centered education, practices, and curriculum development
• Early childhood education and early intervention
• Social determinants of health on REM youths' developmental outcomes

Publications and Presentations

Telfer, N. A., Iruka, I. U., Yazejian, N., Sideris, J., & Kaplan, R. (2024). Do ECERS-3 scores mean the same thing across racial groups? Measurement invariance testing by teacher and classroom race. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 69, 122-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.07.006

Telfer, N. A., & Else-Quest, N. M.(2022). An intersectional approach to parental ethnic/racial socialization practices and adolescent academic outcomes. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 68(4), 368400. https://10.1353/mpq.2022.a905090  

Iruka, I. U., Gardner-Neblett, N., Telfer, N. A., Ibekwe-Okafor, N., Curenton, S. M., Sims, J., Sansbury, A. B., & Neblett, E. W. (2022). Effects of racism on child development: Advancing ant-racist developmental science. Annual Review for Developmental Psychology.

https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121020-031339 

Davis, A.M., Telfer, N.A., Artis, J., Abubakare, O., Keller-Bell, Y., Caruthers, C., Pierce, N., &  Jones, D. (in press). Resilience and strengths in the Black autism community in the U.S.: A scoping review. Autism. 

Telfer, N.A., Iruka, I.U., Liy, A., & Mars, C. (2024, June). Investigating Equity and Quality in Early Childhood Educational Settings Through Measurements and Observational Tools. Paper symposium was presented at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC) in Arlington, VA

Telfer, N.A., Yazejian, N., Iruka, I. U., Sideris, J., & Kaplan, R. (2024, May). Examining the ECERS-3 with an equity lens: Findings from a mixed-methods study. Findings were presented at the International ECERS conference in Porto, Portugal

Davis, A.M., Telfer, N.A., Artis, J., Abubakare, O., Keller-Bell, Y., Caruthers, C., Pierce, N.., & Jones, D. (2024, May). Faith and the Black autism community: Scoping review. Findings were presented at the annual Society for Prevention Research conference in Washington, DC

Telfer, N.A. (2024, April). Education access, equity, and quality among Black students with disabilities. Poster presented at the 17th annual Health Disparities Conference at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) in New Orleans, LA

Professional Affiliations and Membership

• Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD)
• Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA)
• American Psychological Association (APA)