The new center, with capacity for 200 children ages 6 months to 12 years, opened in September and replaces a temporary facility on Whaley Street.

“The word to faculty is come on down and see what we’ve got,” said Nancy Freeman, an associate professor in the Department of Instruction and Teacher Education. “It’s worth a visit to see what we’re doing at the new center and what’s available for research.”

The second floor of the 28,000-square-foot Child Development and Research Center includes observation rooms, interview rooms, and other space that readily lends itself to child research.

Wendy Valerio, a music professor who directs the Children’s Music Development Center in the School of Music, is planning to document the process of music acquisition among young children and examine the relationship of music acquisition with other types of early childhood development at the center. Tara Pearsall, a Ph.D. student in music, is teaching 12 music classes every week in the new center.

Pat Feehan, a library and information science professor, is on the advisory committee for the center’s second floor and is planning to “fill every nook and cranny with bookshelves, books, literature toys, and stuffed animals. I want to create a model for what other child development centers can do in their space.”

Feehan also plans to use the center’s TV classroom to provide training to 21 public libraries around the state that have satellite receivers. Library and information science faculty could provide training for child care providers in the fundamentals of selecting and reading children’s literature.

Elaine Frank, chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, plans to do research on early childhood speech and language development and on infant swallowing.

“We’re pursuing federal funding, but will use departmental funds to initiate pilot studies on the infant swallowing project, which has implications for swallowing disorders and nutritional function in the first year,” Frank said. “The new center represents and outstanding opportunity for child development research, and we’re excited about opportunities for working with a diverse population, including multilingual children.”

Other faculty members who plan to make use of the center’s second floor for research projects include Harry Wright, neuropsychiatry and behavioral science; and Harriett Williams, exercise science.

For more information about the center and research guidelines, go to http://www.sc.edu/uscgatewaycdrc/about.shtml

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