Born to Learn

Innovations in Early Childhood Studies

The University of Florida has an ambitious goal: to harness the power of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni to solve some of society’s most pressing problems and to become a resource for the state of Florida, the nation, and the world. The human brain’s largest and most important developmental phase takes place between birth and age five. These years form the foundation for future physical, emotional, cognitive, and social capabilities, yet they can often be an overlooked time in a child’s life. At the University of Florida’s Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, researchers are spearheading initiatives to support children’s health, development, learning, and well-being. Born to Learn gives readers an inside look at the bright minds housed in the Center and their collaborative pursuits to provide children with the best possible start in life. Together, these researchers are innovating the field of early childhood studies not only in the United States, but abroad. Find out how researchers in Zambia are striving to deliver quality education to rural children with disabilities. Learn about the challenges parents face when trying to find quality preschools in low-income areas, and how the Center is not only mapping barriers to access but also looking for ways to overcome them. Visit the CHILD Center, a model demonstration site in Gainesville, Florida, where children receive a high-quality education and teachers, researchers, and policymakers study and learn best practices. Through the tireless efforts of its staff, the Anita Zucker Center is enriching the lives of children and their families around the world to create a brighter future for all. The stories chronicled in GATORBYTES span all colleges and units across the UF campus. They detail the far-reaching impact of UF’s research, technologies, and innovations—and the UF faculty members dedicated to them. Gatorbytes describe how UF is continuing to build on its strengths and extend the reach of its efforts so that it can help even more people in even more places.