Cicchetti Wins 2012 Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize

APS Fellow Dante Cicchetti

APS Fellow Dante Cicchetti, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, was awarded the 2012 Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize for his research on the consequences of child maltreatment and neglect.

For over 30 years, Cicchetti has studied the consequences of child maltreatment and neglect, as well as the conditions that lead to resilience. His work looks at psychosocial aspects, such as a child’s family situation, and neurobiological and genetic factors. “To see the positive and not just the problems — this is crucial when studying the development and resilience of maltreated children. It’s a dynamic process. There are things that can be done to promote resilience — even when children have had terrible experiences at a very early age,” Cicchetti told the Jacobs Foundation.

Since 2009, the Jacobs Foundation has presented two awards each year for outstanding achievements in research and practice in the field of child and youth development. The award also comes with 200,000 Swiss francs, which Cicchetti intends to use to expand his interdisciplinary research.