Amanda Prokasky, PhD, an assistant professor in the MMI Department of Education and Child Development, was recognized this semester with the Folsom Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Dr. Prokasky was one of two people selected for the award, which recognizes the outstanding research and creative accomplishments of the university’s doctoral students. She said she was honored to be selected, noting that the competition is quite strong for the prestigious award.
Her dissertation, titled “A Longitudinal Examination of Bedtime Routines and Sleep in Toddlers,” grew out of a National Institutes of Health project she participated in.
“During my graduate studies, I was the project manager for an NIH-funded longitudinal study examining associations between sleep and self-regulation in toddlers,” Dr. Prokasky said. “One aspect of data collection involved observing bedtime routines in homes. After conducting several observations, I was surprised at how different toddler bedtime routines were across families.”
Dr. Prokasky found that some bedtime routines lasted 15 minutes and were very simple, while others might last for two hours and be quite complex.
“I soon realized that there was no such thing as a ‘normal bedtime routine,'” she said. “I wanted to investigate this variability across families in bedtime routines, how it impacted toddler sleep, and what, if any, toddler characteristics might influence bedtime routines.”
Dr. Prokasky’s MMI colleagues applauded her accomplishment.
“We are excited to have Dr. Prokasky as part of the department,” said Jolene Johnson, EdD, director of the department. “She brings excellent research skills and innovative thinking to our team. It’s not surprising that she has received this award.”