Stephen Smith, Ph.D.
 swsmith@coe.ufl.edu Phone: 352-273-4263 Fax: 352-392-2655 1424 Norman Hall Special Education Gainesville, FL 32611 |
Stephen W. Smith is a Professor and the Irving & Rose Fein Endowed Professor in the Special Education program at the University of Florida (UF). Dr. Smith teaches graduate level courses in special education research, emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), and principles of prevention science in education. His research focuses on effective behavioral prevention strategies in educational settings, executive function and the self-regulation of behavior (effortful control of thought, action, emotion), issues related to aggression and violence in schools, and understanding verbal aggression of students with EBD.During his time at UF, Dr. Smith and colleagues have received over $8.5 million dollars to conduct research and development projects related to the prevention of and effective interventions for maladaptive student behavior in school settings. Dr. Smith has also obtained over $1.5 million dollars to train pre-service students to work in special education. He is currently serving as a Principal Investigator of a three-year, federally-funded research and development grant to create an extensive and theoretically based curriculum to improve self-regulatory functions of students with EBD. He is the author of 14 professional books and book chapters, and he has presented his findings and recommendations at numerous state, regional, national, and international professional conferences.While at UF, Dr. Smith has received three teaching awards, a University Research Award, and has served twice as a UF Distinguished Research Professor. He is a Panel Scientist for the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education and is on the Editorial Board of numerous professional journals in education and special education. Prior to receiving his Ph.D. in special education from the University of Kansas, he was a teacher of special education students for eight years. |
Ann Daunic, Ph.D.
 adaunic@coe.ufl.edu Phone: 352-273-4270 Fax: 352-392-2655 1341A Norman Hall PO Box 117050 Gainesville, FL 32611 |
Ann P. Daunic, Ph.D. in special education, University of Florida; M.S. in experimental psychology, Tufts University.As a Scholar in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies at UF, my research for the past 18 years has focused on cognitive-behavioral approaches to the prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders. My current interest is in strengthening executive function and language-based self-regulation among children and adolescents. I was recently Principal Investigator of Project SELF, a research and development grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, to develop and evaluate a social-emotional learning and literacy intervention for primary grade students at risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders. I am currently Co-PI on I Control, funded by IES to develop a theoretically based curriculum to improve self-regulatory functions of middle school students with EBD. I have worked with colleagues on numerous other federally funded grants over the years, primarily concerned with social problem solving and conflict resolution and the relation between language and behavior in young children. Prior doctoral work in experimental psychology and more recently in special education, an abiding interest in human behavior, academic counseling experience at the high school and college levels, and a dissertation focus on culturally responsive teaching have all contributed to my continued investment in research that is relevant to improving the lives of children at risk. |
Nancy Corbett, Ph.D.
 ncorbett@coe.ufl.edu Phone: 352-273-4286 Fax: 352-392-2655 1414 Norman Hall Special Education Gainesville, FL 32611 |
During my tenure at the University of Florida in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, I’ve concentrated my research on literacy-related interventions for students at risk of school failure and the professional development of teachers who work with struggling learners.I have served as Co-Principal Investigator and project director on numerous federally funded projects and am currently Co-PI and project director on an IES funded project, SELF: Social-Emotional Learning Foundations. In the SELF project, we are developing a social emotional learning curriculum employing vocabulary and storybook reading strategies using children’s literature to promote emotional and behavioral self-regulation for students in grades K-1 and evaluating the feasibility of implementing SELF during supplementary, small-group reading instruction. Also, I recently concluded another IES project, Literacy Learning Cohorts, in which we designed a professional development innovation to foster grades 3-5 special education teachers’ use of evidence-based practices for teaching decoding and fluency.Through all of my research, I am continuously reminded that we cannot develop effective interventions without addressing the professional development needs of the teachers we ask to implement these practices. In order to improve the academic and behavior outcomes of students, we must also provide sufficient and supportive learning opportunities for the teachers who are ultimately expected to develop the expertise to ameliorate their students’ difficulties. |
