Biography
Kimberly Kopko received her Ph.D. in Child Development from the Department of Human Development at Cornell University and joined the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) in the College of Human Ecology. Her research and Extension work examines child development and parenting and family processes. Current research and outreach projects include: parenting and child learning, parenting education in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), teens being raised by custodial grandparents, and the use of research and evidence-based parent education programs to promote positive parenting behaviors and strengthen families. Ongoing academic and research interests incorporate an international dimension with a focus on comparative parenting and child and family social policies in Scandinavian countries and global early childhood education and care.
Current research examines parenting and infant and child learning, parenting education in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), and teens being raised by custodial grandparents.
Parenting and child learning research explores the relation among parental beliefs about child learning, their toy preferences, and their education and socioeconomic status (SES). Specifically, this line of research investigates the ways in which parental beliefs about early child learning shapes toy choices and opportunities that children aged 6 months to 4 years have at home to develop their cognitive skills through play. A related area of research examines the ways in which infants’ play enhances learning with a focus on parental choice of infant play materials, how toy marketing may shape these choices, and whether parents view play as more effective for learning in infants than preschoolers.
Parenting Education in SBHCs research-extension work explores the feasibility and impact of expanding existing services provided by SBHCs in rural New York to enhance sustainability of families and communities. The extension component entails community-based intervention to provide parent education in SBHCs; the research component examines impact of SBHCs and parent education.
Teens being raised by custodial grandparents research explores parenting behaviors of custodial grandparent caregivers who are raising teenage grandchildren (aged 12-18). Specifically, this line of research investigates the nature and quality of the relationship between youth and their custodial grandparents, with a focus on family processes, family communication, and grandparent-grandchild interactions related to discipline, rules and expectations for adolescent behavior. A related area of research examines nonresidential parental involvement in custodial grandparent families with a focus on the involvement of nonresident mothers and the impact of this involvement on grandparents and grandchildren.
Practicum: Population & Family Policy Practicum
Child Development: Theory and Practice
Kopko, K. & Oliveira, P. (2023). Push pause: The pressing case for play. Journal of Social and Emotional Learning, 4(4), 14-18. https://www.crslearn.org/publication/sel-at-home/push-pause-the-pressing-case-for-play/
Chapman, J., & Kopko, K. (2022). Outcomes of Participants in Cornell Cooperative Extension Parent Education Programs: 2021-2022
Kopko, K. (2022, September 15). Ask Amy: I yell at my teenage daughter almost daily. How can I change? The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/advice/2022/09/15/ask-amy-mom-yells-daughter/
Kopko, K. (2022, March 14). Listen, validate, guide: How to best talk to children about the war in Ukraine (Joe Salzone, Interviewer) [Video clip]. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/whcuradio/kimberly-kopko-cornell?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Kopko, K. (Interviewee), Baildon, K. & Treadwell, P. (Hosts) (2021). Leading Through Extension: Supporting Families [Audio podcast].
Kopko, K. (2021, September 7). Teachers, experts weigh in on the pandemic and early childhood development (Jack Cooper, Interviewer) [Video clip]. Retrieved from http://jeffersoncountyalerts.com/2021/09/07/teachers-experts-weigh-in-on-the-pandemic-and-early-childhood-development/
Cañas, A.M., Kopko, K. & Casasola, M. (2020). Parenting and Child Learning: The Role of Parental Beliefs about Child Learning and Language Development
Kopko, K. (2019, February 14). Special Report: Disconnect to reconnect (Christina L. Episcopo, Interviewer) [Video clip].
Kopko, K. (interviewee), Whitlock, J. (Host) (2018). Give all children a chance (Episode 23) [Audio podcast].
Dunifon, R., Kopko, K., Chase-Lansdale, P.L. and Wakschlag, L. (2016). Multigenerational relationships in families with custodial grandparents. In M. H. Meyer & Y. Adbul-Malak (Eds.), Grandparenting in the United States. New York: Baywood Publishing.
1. Directing the Parenting Project: Healthy Children, Families & Communities and advancing the goals of this Initiative including translating parenting research for Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) parent educators to use in their work with families, organizing professional development opportunities for CCE parent educators and advancing parent education programming efforts statewide
2. Conducting original research on parenting and child learning, parenting education in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), teens being raised by custodial grandparents, and the role of the biological mother in custodial grandparent families
3. Participating in parenting and 2Gen projects as an Affiliate in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR)
4. Developing international collaborations in the College of Human Ecology
Promoting the work of The Parenting Project: Healthy Children, Families & Communities including developing translational materials for parent educators and the families with whom they work, producing parent education reports at the county, program and statewide levels, organizing professional development opportunities for parent educators and promoting the expansion of research and evidence-based programs for parents and families across New York State.
Representing the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) at the United Nations by defending and promoting the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and supporting activities that improve accessibility to high quality education and care.
Integrating parenting education efforts with Project 2Gen, an initiative in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) that focuses on addressing the needs of vulnerable children and their parents together to capitalize on the strong connection between parents’ well-being and children’s healthy development, in an effort to expand the reach and impact of parenting education across New York State.
Incorporating research and extension activities in the areas of of parenting and child learning, parenting education in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), and relative care, specifically, grandparents raising their teenaged grandchildren.
Producing a series of Research Briefs and Parent Pages for parent educators and parents and caregivers on topics related to these research areas.
Participating in Parent Education Program Work Team (PWT) efforts.
Associate Director , Cornell Cooperative Extension
Associate Director, Extension and Outreach in the College of Human Ecology
Director, The Parenting Project: Healthy Children, Families & Communities
Senator-At-Large , RTE (Research, Teaching, Extension)
RTE Task Force Co-Chair, University
SUNY Faculty Senate representative, College of Human Ecology
Community-engaged learning (CEL) Advisory Board, College of Human Ecology (CHE)
Dean’s Fellowship, History of Home Economics Committee
Ph.D., Child Development, Cornell University Department of Human Development
M.Ed., Human Development and Psychology , Harvard University Graduate School of Education
B.A. Magna Cum Laude, With Honors, Psychology, Brown University