Dr. Sarah Enos Watamura is professor of psychology within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. She is part of the Developmental and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Areas within the Psychology department. She joined the department in 2005 after receiving her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University. In 2014, she was instrumental in creating the Stress, Early Experiences and Development (SEED) Research Center and has served as co-Director since its creation. She is currently Chair of the Department of Psychology. She has longstanding interests in children’s physiologic regulation, their development within caregiving contexts, and in understanding mechanisms and trajectories from early life stress to later physical, mental health, cognitive/educational, and socio-emotional outcomes. Her work examines the unique stressors and buffers in families experiencing poverty and among newly immigrated families, and includes testing promising intervention approaches.

Stories featuring Sarah Watamura

The Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community Phase II sought to find and foster the most effective and innovative strategies to accelerate social and economic mobility for working families with low incomes. To do so, we elevated the voices and expertise of families with lived experience, were guided by 14 advisors, and we brought together 20 …

Innovations Abound to Advance Family Prosperity Read More »

Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation CommunityMay 3, 2023
Infant and parent brains and bodies undergo rapid growth and transformation during the transition to parenting, presenting a unique opportunity to positively impact two generations. In the 2015 report Two Open Windows: Infant and Parent Biologic Change, Drs. Pilyoung Kim and Sarah Watamura (also an Ascend Fellow) of the University of Denver highlighted research supporting …

New Research Shows Parenting Brain Changes in All Caregivers Read More »

BlogSeptember 29, 2020
Smiling Family With Parents Giving Children Piggyback Rides In Garden At Home
Contact: Lindsay Broyhill Ascend at the Aspen Institute lindsay.broyhill@aspeninstitute.org  Bold Leaders to Advance Innovative Strategies for Families’ Health and Economic Prosperity  Aspen Institute Launches New Partners and Advisors in Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community  Washington, DC – Ascend at the Aspen Institute is proud to announce the new partners and advisors the Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community, Ascend’s initiative for breakthrough innovations and collaborations that position families to reach educational …

Bold Leaders to Advance Innovative Strategies for Families’ Health and Economic Prosperity Read More »

BlogJuly 22, 2020
Anne Mosle, vice president at the Aspen Institute and executive director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute, delivered a keynote address to the City Club of Cleveland in Ohio about the two-generation approach on Thursday, February 27. Following her lecture, she also participated in a question and answer session with present and online guests who viewed the conversation via livestream. The City Club is a non-partisan free speech forum that has convened world …

Shifting Mindsets: The Promise of a Two-Generation Approach Read More »

BlogMarch 24, 2020
As state and federal lawmakers prepare for the year ahead, more than 350 practice and community leaders, policymakers, researchers, and philanthropists - including Ascend Fellows, Family Prosperity Innovators, and Ascend Network Partners - joined us at the 2019 Aspen Forum on Children and Families to harness this momentum for investing in the full potential of children and families, two generations at a time.
BlogMarch 13, 2019
We are so grateful to all of the people who offered so much wisdom over the course of our two days together for the Aspen Forum on Children and Families. From parents and neuroscientists to presidential appointees and social workers–it felt like they all pushed further into the complex and deeply worthwhile questions of how …

Great Quotes on Slaying Poverty Read More »

BlogFebruary 28, 2019
According to Ascend fellow Dr. Sarah Watamura, and the research of some of her colleagues at Stress Early Experience & Development Research Center, it’s not just your life that is permanently changed by parenthood, but also your brain. We partnered with her on this easy-to-read report on it. Meanwhile, check out some of the surprises …

3 Surprises About How Parenting Affects Your Brain Read More »

BlogFebruary 26, 2019
Ascend Fellows are visionary leaders who come from a variety of backgrounds and bring expertise from different sectors and disciplines to the Fellowship. Here is a selection of their publications and case studies. Publications: Two Open Windows: Infant and Parent Neurobiologic Change: by Ascend Fellow Dr. Sarah Enos Watamura explores new research on parent brain …

Ascend Fellows: A Diversity of 2Gen Expertise Read More »

BlogApril 12, 2018
For Immediate Release Contact: Lindsay Broyhill Ascend at the Aspen Institute Tel: 202.721.5596 lindsay.broyhill@aspeninstitute.org Bold Leaders To Collaborate for New Family Economic Security Strategies Aspen Institute Names Inaugural Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community Washington, DC – The Aspen Institute announced the selection of six of the boldest organizations leading the family economic security field as …

Bold Leaders To Collaborate for New Family Economic Security Strategies Read More »

Press ReleasesFebruary 21, 2018
The opinions expressed in this piece are those of the undersigned members of the 2015 class of Ascend Fellows and don’t necessarily represent the views of the Aspen Institute. Ascend Fellows are entrepreneurial leaders with the vision to advance the educational success, economic security, and health and well-being of children and families. It is with …

Statement on Immigration Executive Order: Leaders Warn it Will Hurt Low-Income Families Read More »

BlogFebruary 8, 2017

Convenings Featuring Sarah Watamura

Location: Virtual & In-Person in Washington, DC
Over the course of two days, our discussions focused on bold, equitable, and pragmatic strategies for building prosperity and well-being for all families. Sessions include insights from the latest two-generation (2Gen) family data, examples of...
ConveningApril 11, 2023 – April 12, 2023
Location: Washington, DC & Virtual
More people than ever before are aware and willing to share their experiences when it comes to mental health and well-being. At the same time, powerful innovations are emerging around the country to build on new insights from brain science and...
ConveningApril 11, 2023