The Brain Architects

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

On The Brain Architects from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, we explore emerging science in early childhood development and strategies and policy solutions for supporting young children and their caregivers. We examine how the conditions where children live, grow, play, and learn shape their development, lifelong physical and mental health, and well-being. This includes a child’s environment of relationships and influences from their broader environment, such as access to clean air, safe drinking water, the availability of safe, stable housing, and more. Recognizing these influences are not distributed equally or fairly, our expert panelists consider strategies for working towards fairness across places, so all children have developmental environments that support their health and well-being. Subscribe now!

  1. Connecting Early Childhood Development to Climate Change

    2025. 11. 17.

    Connecting Early Childhood Development to Climate Change

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO of the FrameWorks Institute, Lindsey Burghardt, our Chief Science Officer; Margot Brown, Senior Vice President of Justice & Equity at the Environmental Defense Fund; and Jaclyn Roessel, President and CEO of Grownup Navajo, dive into the findings and recommendations from this report as well as their own experience and expertise. This conversation explores a new report from the Center, created in collaboration with the Frameworks Institute and the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment--or C-CHANGE--at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The new report shows that, despite the risk of long-term harm for children, children are not a major focus of climate-related policy or media coverage. The report also provides evidence-based strategies for bringing children into the conversation to help ensure they can thrive in a changing climate.

    40분
  2. Communicating the Relationship Between Place, Racism, and Early Childhood Development

    2025. 11. 17.

    Communicating the Relationship Between Place, Racism, and Early Childhood Development

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, Dr. Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO of the FrameWorks Institute, Dr. Lindsey Burghardt, our Chief Science Officer, and Dr. Leah Austin, President and CEO of the National Black Child Development Institute, dive into the findings and recommendations from the latest report, created in collaboration with the Frameworks Institute. This conversation explores research-based messaging strategies for talking about the connections between place, racism, and early childhood development. It includes actionable recommendations that communicators can use and adapt in their own work to help strengthen public understanding, shift outdated narratives, and help mobilize support for systems and policies that ensure children and their caregivers have what they need to thrive.

    37분
  3. Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation for Life

    2025. 11. 03.

    Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation for Life

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, the Center’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Lindsey Burghardt, talked with Jennifer B. Wallace, award-winning journalist, and founder of the Mattering Institute who has written extensively on the topic of mattering. The Center on the Developing Child recently collaborated with Jennifer on a new working paper: "Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation for Life." You'll learn more about the science we explore in the new paper, including what mattering means, the powerful effects of mattering in early childhood, and strategies for building a sense of mattering in our children. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

    43분
  4. Protecting Young Children From the Impacts of Wildfires

    2025. 09. 29.

    Protecting Young Children From the Impacts of Wildfires

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, Lindsey Burghardt, MD, MPH, FAAP, moderates a conversation with Joseph G. Allen, DSc, MPH, associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Program, and Sujeet Rao, Director of the Health and Wellbeing practice for USC’s Public Exchange, on how wildfire smoke is affecting children’s health and development. The discussion explores why wildfire smoke has become a growing concern for children across the US—not just in fire zones—and highlights what communities can do to reduce exposure and support healthy development in the face of this increasing environmental challenge.

    54분
  5. How Air Quality Affects Early Childhood Development and Health

    2025. 08. 11.

    How Air Quality Affects Early Childhood Development and Health

    In this episode of The Brain Architects, Lindsey Burghardt, MD, MPH, FAAP, moderates a conversation with Alison Lee, MD, MS, and Joseph Allen, DSc, MPH, on how air quality during pregnancy and early childhood impacts lifelong health and development. The discussion has a special focus on indoor air, where we spend more than 90% of our time. They cover science-informed, practical strategies to improve indoor air, from adopting pollutant-free products and ventilation systems to advancing policy changes and building designs that prioritize health. They also offer resources for taking action in your community to ensure children and their caregivers have cleaner air to breathe.

    53분
  6. Addressing the Impact of Extreme Heat on Young Children

    2025. 08. 04.

    Addressing the Impact of Extreme Heat on Young Children

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, Lindsey Burghardt, MD, MPH, FAAP, moderates a conversation with Michelle Kang, CEO of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Jennifer Vanos, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Sustainability and the College of Global Futures at Arizona State University, on how climate change is affecting the experiences and exposures that shape early childhood development. Building on this understanding, the episode explores practical, community-led solutions that are already helping to reduce harm and build resilience, from increasing access to shade and green space to implementing policy changes that support young children and their caregivers. Related Resources: Webinar: How Communities Are Addressing the Impact of Extreme Heat on Young Children At a Glance: Extreme Heat and Early Childhood Development Policy Q&A: How Boston Is Implementing Solutions to Protect Young Children from Extreme Heat A Guide to Extreme Heat and Early Childhood Development

    55분
  7. Why Sleep Matters in Early Childhood Development

    2025. 07. 28.

    Why Sleep Matters in Early Childhood Development

    In this episode of the Brain Architects, Lindsey Burghardt, MD, MPH, FAAP, talks with Rebecca Spencer, PhD, a researcher on the science of sleep, about why sleep is so essential during early childhood. From brain architecture and emotional regulation to the role of naps and the importance of creating cool sleeping spaces in our warming world, Dr. Spencer explains how sleep shapes early childhood health and lifelong well-being. With information for caregivers, educators, and policymakers, this conversation offers a deeper understanding of how creating environments that promote good sleep supports children’s learning, health, and resilience.

    35분
  8. Solutions Spotlight: How Communities Are Leading Efforts to Ensure Clean Water Access

    2025. 03. 31.

    Solutions Spotlight: How Communities Are Leading Efforts to Ensure Clean Water Access

    Access to clean water is too often determined by where we live and the political and economic influence we have to demand it. Yet water is a critical part of a child’s environment, and disruptions in its availability and quality can impact young children’s development and health, both in the moment and throughout their lives. We explore how communities are mobilizing to address disparities in water access and climate-related threats like flooding. Hear from our panelists, Kealoha Fox, PhD, Climate Change Commissioner for the City and County of Honolulu, and Dana Eness, Executive Director of the Urban Conservancy, as they share practical, community-driven solutions to support children’s development, health, and well-being.

    56분
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소개

On The Brain Architects from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, we explore emerging science in early childhood development and strategies and policy solutions for supporting young children and their caregivers. We examine how the conditions where children live, grow, play, and learn shape their development, lifelong physical and mental health, and well-being. This includes a child’s environment of relationships and influences from their broader environment, such as access to clean air, safe drinking water, the availability of safe, stable housing, and more. Recognizing these influences are not distributed equally or fairly, our expert panelists consider strategies for working towards fairness across places, so all children have developmental environments that support their health and well-being. Subscribe now!

정보

  • 제작진
    The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
  • 방송 연도
    2019년 - 2025년
  • 에피소드
    30
  • 등급
    전체 연령 사용가
  • 저작권
    © 2025 The President and Fellows of Harvard College
  • 웹사이트 보기
    The Brain Architects

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