EduGator alumnus and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty member Brian Boyd’s career has been propelled by several serendipitous yet cultivated connections – not only within academia but throughout his community at large.
According to his peers, Boyd (Ph.D.,’05) is an exemplary researcher and mentor; however, possibly his finest quality is the deep care he holds for the children and families his research benefits. It came as no surprise that he was recently appointed director of the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG).
“One thing about Brian is he’s internationally famous, but his passion is not about being famous – it is about supporting children and families,” Maureen Conroy, Ph.D. explains. Conroy, co-director of the Anita Zucker Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, mentored Boyd as a special education doctoral candidate at UF. “His heart is an integral part of his work, and I think it shows through him as a leader in the field. You don’t always see that.”