The University of Delaware is committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and service. From its roots as a private academy in 1743, the institution today is a research-intensive, technologically advanced university with global impact.

University of Delaware

New Row

Contact expert @[Full Name](fullname), @[Job Title](job_title) at @[Organization](organization) for media, speaking, professional opportunities and more.

@[Full Name](fullname) at @[Organization](organization) | Contact Form

Expert Inquiry

Open Sans

Nomination for CEC-DR Early Career Publication Award

Awarded to a University of Delaware College of Education and Human Development assistant or associate
professor who has developed a strong program of research, received external funding to support
that research, published in top research journals and/or published a book with a leading academic
press.

2022 College of Education and Human Development’s Dean Research Award

Awarded to a early career researcher who has made significant contributions to the field of social and emotional learning.

2021 Joseph E. Zins Award for Social and Emotional Learning Action Research

Society for Research in Child Development

American Educational Research Association: Social Emotional Learning SIG

Council for Exceptional Children 

Sisters of the Academy

Text and Academic Authors Association

A scoping review of school-based sexuality education for children with disabilities

Unpacking the social‐emotional health of education support professionals during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Delaware Journal of Public HealthActions Against Racism:: Bringing Together Trauma-Informed Practices, Social-Emotional Learning, and Racial Socialization to Combat Racism in Schools

The observation of special education classrooms by school personnel

Cultivating effective teacher–paraprofessional collaboration in the self-contained classroom

Teacher views on storytelling-based cybersecurity education with social robots

Dr. Tia N. Barnes is an associate professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware. She teaches courses related to special education, guidance and behavior, disability and families, and social-emotional learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her research focuses on the social-emotional well-being of minoritized populations. To study this she focuses on the areas of social-emotional learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and special education.

Her previous projects include serving as the principal investigator for a Delaware Department of Health and Social Services -funded grant to examine the physical and mental health, social media use, and discrimination experiences of black girls ages 10-19 in the state of Delaware.  In addition, she served as a  co-PI of a National Science Foundation-funded grant to develop cybersecurity education for upper elementary-aged students by using storytelling and social robots. Currently, Dr. Barnes is the principal investigator for an Delaware CTR  Accelerating Clinical and Translational Research funded project that aims to develop a coaching program to support  teachers and paraeducators in building effective collaborative relationships through improvements in social and emotional competence.

Her research has been published in Prevention Science, International Journal of Educational Research, Aggression and Violent Behavior, Infant and Child Development, Journal of School Violence, and Developmental Review. . She is the creator of the Scholarly Self-Care podcast and is the 2021 recipient of the Joseph E. Zins Award for SEL Research from the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning.

Special Education

Social-Emotional Learning

Guidance and Behavior

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

University of Delaware Expert Profile

Personal Website

Scholarly Self-Care Podcast

Google Scholar Citations

ResearchGate Citations

Social robots teach cybersafety to elementary students

Bullying based on stigma has especially damaging effects

Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences

2021 Social and Emotional Learning Leaders of the Year

CASEL is honoring Dr. Tia Barnes at the University of Delaware as a recipient of the Joseph E. Zins Awards for Social and Emotional Learning Action Research. 

The virtual celebration (Nov. 8-12) offers daily conversations at 12 pm ET with recipients as they share their perspectives on SEL research, practice, and policy.  Learn more about the awards: https://casel.org/about-us/casel-awards/

Monday, November 8: Dr. Edmund Gordon
Tuesday, November 9: Eric Moore
Wednesday, November 10: R. Keeth Matheny
Thursday November 11: Dr. Tia Barnes
Friday, November 12: Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Linda Darling-Hammond

The 2021 SELLYs Awards, honoring Dr. Tia Barnes

Select Inquiry Type