LaRen Morton
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science | Family Science | University of Maryland, College Park | 2019 |
Research
My research interests encompass minoritized children’s educational outcomes and understanding what factors promote or inhibit their academic success. More specifically, I am interested in examining gender differences in educational contexts and the effects of the school environment on minoritized children's social, emotional, and academic development.
Prior Professional Positions
| Organization | Title | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, Early Experiences, and Development Lab, University of Georgia | Graduate Research Assistant | 1 |
Awards
| Award Name | Awarded By | Year Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Black Caucus Student Poster Presentation, 2nd Place | Society for Research on Child Development | 2021 |
| Virginia Wilbanks Kilgore Scholarship | Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia | 2021 |
| FACS Fund for Excellence | Family and Consumer Sciences | 2021 |
| Eleonora M. Costa Graduate Support Fund | Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia | 2019 |
Service
| Organization | Title | Year(s) | Service Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta Gamma Chapter of Alpa Alpha Alpha | 2022-2023 | President | |
| Graduate Student Organization (GSO) | 2020-2021 | President | |
| Society for Research in Human Development (SRHD) | 2019 | Conference Abstract Reviewer |
Advisory Committee
Dr. Margaret Caughy - Major Professor
Dr. Kalsea Koss
Dr. Steven Kogan
Conference Presentations
Sansbury, A.B., & Morton, L. (2022 April). “Haunting “Dee” Freemans: The Invisible Monsters shaping school inequality and experiences for Black girls. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference, Virtual.
Morton, L, Anderson, L.A., Caughy, M.O., Osborne, K., Suma, K., & Little, T.D. (2021 November). Changes in ethnic identity in middle childhood: Family and neighborhood determinants. Paper presented at the National Council of Family Relations (NCFR) Annual Conference, Virtual.
Morton, L., & Caughy, M. (2021 April). The effects of a school’s ethnic-racial composition on Black girl’s academic engagement and academic motivation. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Conference, Virtual.
Morton, L., Anderson, L., Suma, K., Osborne, K., Walsdorf, A., Owen, M., & Caughy, M. (2021 April). Examining the influence of contextual factors on parent’s cultural socialization and Black and Latinx children’s ethnic identity development. Poster presented in the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Conference, Virtual.
Trejo, A., Morton, L., & Osborne, K. (2021 April). Experiences of the sociopolitical climate among Black and Latinx parents. Flash Talk Paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Conference, Virtual.
Morton, L., Anderson, L.A., Suma, K., Osborne, K., Walsdorf, A., Owen, M., & Caughy, M. (2020 November). Examining the moderating effects of racial socialization on the relationship between neighborhoods and identity development in Black and Latinx youth. Poster presented at the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), Virtual.
Professional Affiliations
National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)
Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD)
Gamma Zeta Chapter of Delta Omega, Public Health Honorary Society
Beta Gamma Chapter Alpha Alpha Alpha, National Honorary Society
Current Research
Currently, I am a graduate research assistant working with Dr. Margaret Caughy and the team for the Dallas Project on Education Pathways (formally known as DPReP — the Dallas Preschool Readiness Project). The goal of this project is to understand the various cultural, familial, and contextual factors that impact the academic achievement and development of self-regulation in African American and Latinx children as they transition into middle school.
Job Description
I am the lab manager for the Social Determinants of Child Development (SDCD) Lab. In this position, I manage lab tasks and goals, oversee undergraduate research assistants, and facilitate communication with the team at the University of Texas at Dallas to maintain and advance the goals of the Dallas Project on Education Pathways (DPrEP).
Working Papers
Morton, L, Anderson, L.A., Caughy, M.O., Osborne, K., Suma, K., & Little, T.D. (under revision). Changes in ethnic identity in middle childhood: Family and neighborhood determinants.
Morton, L., & Curtis, M.G. (under review). Who can I become? Black girls’ possible selves, schools, and misogynoir.
Sansbury, A.B., & Morton, L. (under revision). “Haunting “Dee” Freemans: The Invisible Monsters shaping school inequality and experiences for Black girls.
Anderson, L.A., Morton, L., & Trejo, A. (under revision). The cumulative witnessing of racial violence for Black youth and families.