Internationally-recognized children's media expert, Dr. Ellen A. Wartella, has been named the first Senior Fellow of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at Saint Vincent College, according to an announcement by William Isler, Executive Director of the Center.
 
Dr. Wartella, Executive Vice Chancellor, Provost and Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), will work with Mr. Isler and the national Advisory Council of the Rogers Center to develop an agenda of cutting-edge research and program development in early learning and children's media.
 
Over the coming year, she will conduct her own project and will help to recruit additional Fellows who share a commitment to the child-centered approach exemplified by Fred Rogers. Through national roundtables, publications, and media placements, the Center will make the Fellows' work available to the research community, educators, media professionals, advocates, policymakers, and others. Under Dr. Wartella's leadership, Rogers Center Fellows will comprise a "virtual" community of collaborators. Electronic communications, including webinars, videoconferencing and online discussion groups will support much of the interaction among the Fellows, other experts and Center staff. All Fellows will have access to materials being compiled by the Rogers Center for the Fred Rogers Archive.
 
Ellen Wartella joined UCR on July 1, 2004 as the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost after serving as Dean of the College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. As Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Dr. Wartella serves as Acting Chancellor in the Chancellor’s absence; works closely with the Chancellor in formulation of the campus vision and implementation of academic and administrative policies; works closely with the Deans in recruitment and retention of faculty; has responsibility for managing the daily operations of the campus; and is principal liaison to the Academic Senate.
 
Dr. Wartella earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Minnesota in 1977 and completed her postdoctoral research in developmental psychology in 1981 at the University of Kansas.
 
Dr. Wartella is a leading scholar of the role of media in children’s development.   She was a co-principal Investigator for the National TV Violence Study (1995-1998) and is currently co-principal investigator for the Children’s Digital Media Center project funded by the National Science Foundation (2001-2006).  She serves on the Kraft Food Global Health and Wellness Advisory Council, the Decade of Behavior National Advisory, the Board of Trustees of Sesame Workshop, and the National Educational Advisory Board of the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the Better Business Bureaus.
 
Dr. Wartella is a member of the National Academy of Sciences Board on Children, Youth and Families and recently served on the Institute of Medicine’s Panel Study on Food Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth (2006).  She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Research in Child Development and is the past President of the International Communication Association.

The announcement was made in conjunction with the third annual meeting of the Fred Rogers Center Advisory Council at Saint Vincent and a Breakfast Briefing on Children and Media that discussed emerging issues and new agendas.

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