Kimberly Kelly

Education

  • M.A. (2005) and Ph.D. (2011)  in Human Development & Psychology from Graduate School of Education & Information Studies at UCLA

Research Interests

Dr. Kelly is a scholar, leader, and educator committed to advancing equity and inclusive excellence in higher education. Her research focuses on narrative and family informal learning, amplifying families’ everyday interactions that promote young children’s science learning. She has published widely in top journals, including Science Education, Computers in Human Behavior Reports, and Infant and Child Development. Dr. Kelly’s forthcoming edited volume, Narrative Story Completion Methodologies: Research Approaches Across the Lifespan (Oxford University Press), highlights innovative research techniques from top international scholars and across diverse contexts. Dr. Kelly is a dedicated mentor who prioritizes student engagement through research, professional development, and community outreach. She has mentored over 50 undergraduate researchers. Many of her mentees have received competitive research fellowships and university-wide awards, and they have gone on to prestigious graduate programs in fields such as psychology, social work, and education. Dr. Kelly’s strengths-based mentorship practices focus on empowering students, building confidence, and fostering a sense of belonging in academia and are published in the Journal of Diversity in High Education.

New Book by Dr. Kimberly R. Kelly

Book cover
Narrative Story Completion Methodologies: Research Approaches across the Lifespan (Oxford University Press, 2024)
This book explores story-based methods that offer powerful ways to explore both our inner experiences and the broader social narratives that shape us. The volume brings together cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative research from across disciplines and life stages, offering fresh insights and practical applications for researchers, educators, and practitioners.
Publisher link:

  • HDEV 180: Lifespan Human Development
  • HDEV 307: Approaches to Childhood
  • HDEV 331: STEP into Human Development: Skills, training experience, and purpose
  • HDEV 333: Professionals in Human Development
  • HDEV 335:  Community STEPs: HDEV training and experience
  • HDEV 337: STEPs to Graduate Study: Preparation for HDEV graduate study
  • HDEV 320:  Quantitative Methods in Human Development
  • HDEV 406: Personal Narrative & Storytelling; Emotion, Cognition, & Culture
  • HDEV 470: Seminar and Practicum
  • CLA 492: Liberal Arts Internship