About

Herman T. Knopf, PhD joined the faculty at the University of Florida in 2016 as a Research Scientist at the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. Immediately preceding his position at the University of Florida, Dr. Knopf served as the Director of the Yvonne & Schuyler Moore Child Development Research Center and an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Knopf has conducted research supported by the US Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning Research and Evaluation; Florida Department of Education, Office of Early Learning; The South Carolina State Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs; the South Carolina Center for Child Care Career Development; and the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Throughout his career Dr. Knopf has focused to strengthen systems to 1) coordinate efforts to leverage existing administrative data to build infrastructure to support data-informed policy decision making, 2) transform professional development for early care and education practitioners, 3) measure and support child and family access to quality child care services, and 4) facilitate transdisciplinary partnerships among practitioners, policymakers and researchers to improve outcomes for young children and their families.

Research Interests

Adult Education, Early Childhood, Early Childhood Studies, Family Engagement, Leadership Development, Policy Development, Professional Development in Early Childhood, Research / Program Evaluation, Young Children at Risk

Education

• Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida, 2004
• M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, University of Florida, 1998
• B.A. in Special Education, University of Florida, 1997

Professional Appointments

• Southeastern Conference Visiting Scholar, University of Florida, 2016
• Leonard Maiden Spirit of Service Award, College of Education, University of South Carolina, 2009
• Two Thumbs Up Award, Office of Student Disability Services, University of South Carolina, 2005

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

• Parsons, A. A., Walsemann, K. M., Jones, S. J., Knopf, H., & Blake, C. E. (2016). Parental involvement: Rhetoric of inclusion in an environment of exclusion. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 47(1), 113-139. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241616676874
• Parsons, A. A., Walsemann, K. M, Jones, S. J., Knopf, H., & Blake, C. E. (2016). The influence of dominant obesity discourse on child health narratives: A qualitative study. Critical Public Health, 26(5), 602-614. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2016.1164298

Selected Links

• Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies