Dev recognized by NIFA for early career achievement

23 Mar 2018    

Dipti Dev, the Betti and Richard Robinson Assistant Professor of Child, Youth and Family Studies and Extension Specialist, received a 2017 Early Career Achievement Award from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. NIFA is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the award was announced March 22 during the Federal Update and Family Life Specialists’ Awards webinar.

“To get recognized at the national level definitely feels like what we are doing is worthy,” said Dev. “I’m absolutely grateful for my colleagues at Nebraska Extension and supportive leadership. Without the collaboration of extension educators, national mentors and peers, this award would not have been possible.”

NIFA’s announcement recognized Dev for her collaborative development of the research-based, online Ecological Approach to Family Style dining program to improve the childcare mealtime environment and children’s dietary intake. Her work has secured significant external funding and includes program evaluation that is shaping policy as well as practice.

Dev’s efforts to strengthen social media best practices for Extension has resulted in a published tool kit on eXtension. Dev regularly publishes and presents her work within the state, region and nationally. She was invited by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to be co-chair of the National Early Childhood Learning Collaborative, “How to Better Use Research to Change Policy & Practice.” Dev is described by her peers as someone whose programs “increase state-wide access” and “address the needs and challenges of providers, families and Extension professionals.”