Brian Boyd, Ph.D., William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education at the UNC School of Education, was announced as director of the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute on Monday, April 22. Boyd has served at the Institute’s interim director since February 2023. The following memorandum was shared with campus leaders by Penny Gordon-Larsen, Ph.D., UNC-Chapel Hill vice chancellor for research:
To: Deans, Directors and Department Chairs
From: Penny Gordon-Larsen, Vice Chancellor for Research
Subject: Brian Boyd Appointed Director of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
We are delighted to announce that Brian Boyd has been appointed permanent director of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG), effective today, April 22nd. Since February 2023, he has served as FPG’s interim director, leading through a time of transition, including increasing state engagement, renewing community connections, and developing a new strategic plan and has implemented initiatives that have improved overall effectiveness of research conducted by the institute’s fellows, staff, and students and in conjunction with community partners.
In addition to his role as FPG director, Boyd is the William C. Friday Distinguished Professor in the UNC School of Education. His research career at Carolina began in 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow. This led to a position as an early career scientist at FPG before he secured a tenured-track faculty position in the Department of Health Sciences. After directing the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project at the University of Kansas, Boyd returned to Carolina as a faculty member.
A special educator by training, Boyd’s research focuses on developing and evaluating evidence-based practices for school and home settings. His work focuses on improving the outcomes of autistic persons and children from historically underserved communities with and without disabilities. He has particular expertise in developing and evaluating evidence-based practices that can be implemented within school and home contexts.
As FPG director, Boyd provides administrative oversight and collaborates with the institute’s leadership team, research groups, and staff to advance its research agenda. He also offers technical assistance, consultation, and facilitates community outreach. The institute is one of the nation’s oldest and largest multidisciplinary centers dedicated to studying young children and their families. It is world-renowned not only for its research, but also for its efficiency in translating this knowledge into practical applications.
We are grateful for Brian’s interim leadership and excited to continue working with him in this critical role.
This message is sponsored by: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
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Brian Boyd, Ph.D., joined the UNC School of Education as the William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education in July 2022.
He was previously the director of the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project at the University of Kansas.
Boyd is engaged in research that involves the most vulnerable, and often marginalized, populations. As a special educator by training, much of his research has involved the development and evaluation of evidence-based practices that could be implemented within school and home contexts.
His more recent work has focused on how issues of implicit bias and race affect the outcomes of children with and without disabilities. Boyd’s research has been continuously funded by federal agencies such as the Institute of Education Sciences and National Institutes of Health.
He is past vice president of the International Society for Autism Research. He also serves on multiple national boards that are dedicated to improving the outcomes of autistic persons and those from historically underserved communities.