She earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Hilliard’s research takes an applied developmental approach to helping children navigate difficult topics. Specifically, she focuses on how children process and respond to information about social groups (e.g., gender and race) as well as the potential for programs aimed at promoting prosocial development via conversations through media and technology. She was a principal investigator on the AIM study described in this blog and is currently leading the Quandary Project, which is designed to help educators facilitate challenging conversations about ethical decisions through digital game play.