We are pleased to announce that the Center for Family Policy and Research (CFPR) within the Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) at the University of Missouri will be welcoming three new post-doctoral fellows this year. Each fellow will contribute to our team science infrastructure by building multidisciplinary collaborations with faculty members who have active research funding through the CFPR. They will play a crucial role in:
– Collaborating with faculty teams on peer-reviewed research publications.
– Assisting faculty with seeking and writing federal grants.
– Pursuing training grants and larger research projects.
– Supporting the translational aspects of their research via white papers and policy briefs.
We are excited to welcome these talented post-doctoral fellows to the CFPR team.
Dr. Jeenkyoung “JK” Lee leverages strong theoretical foundations and advanced methodological skills to delve into the multifaceted contexts and longitudinal mechanisms shaping family relationships across the lifespan and how they relate to individual and family well-being. Her current research focuses on 1) parent-adult child and sibling relationship trajectories over time and their implications for relational, psychological, and physical well-being; 2) early life family and resilience processes affecting health outcomes in adulthood; and 3) changes and dynamics of interpersonal relationships using big data and machine learning techniques.
Dr. Lee’s work is published in notable outlets such as the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and the Journal of Family Psychology. Her work has been recognized by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) with a Student Poster Award from the Families and Health Section and the Best Student Paper Award from the Family Financial Wellbeing focus group. Dr. Lee received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Gerontology from Iowa State University in 2024.
As a family gerontologist, Dr. Hanamori Skoblow’s research examines the biopsychosocial connections that shape healthy aging across the life course, with a particular focus on social ties, psychosocial resources, and economic circumstances. Her research interests include views of aging, early-life antecedents of cognitive functioning, and family caregiving.
Her research has been published in top-tier academic journals, including Developmental Review, The Gerontologist, and The Journals of Gerontology. In 2022, Dr. Skoblow was selected as a Policy Intern with the Gerontological Society of America. In 2023, she was awarded a competitive P.E.O. Scholar Award to support her dissertation research. Dr. Skoblow earned her Ph.D. in Human Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Missouri in 2024.
Dr. Matthew Ogan roots his scholarship in family stress and resilience perspectives. Dr. Ogan’s overarching aim is to promote resilience and wellbeing for families experiencing stress, especially those with low incomes and families experiencing divorce. His research provides insight into the individual behaviors, family processes, and structural factors that contribute to the health of families and romantic relationships. To this end, his research addresses social-structural factors and policy design that helps or inhibits the functioning of romantic relationships. His work is also methodologically oriented; he aims promote a strong field of family science by addressing common issues related to measurement.
His work has been published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Family Psychology, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Social and Personality Psychology Compass. His recent research is supported through the Behavioral Interventions Scholars program from the U.S. Administration for Children and Families, and his research is recognized with several awards, including the Feldman Outstanding Research Proposal for Research in Family Policy Award from NCFR. Dr. Ogan earned his Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science and a Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Research from the University of Missouri in 2024.