Like many who are curious about how people grow, learn and develop as they age, Marilyn Thompson “found” the field of human development and family sciences along her educational and career journey, which began as a high school science teacher interested in educational psychology and her students’ developmental paths.
She’s not alone.
“People come to HDFS through one of many doors; it may not be something that you grow up knowing about as a field,” she says. “I think sometimes it gets a bit pigeonholed in terms of not taking a lifespan perspective and thinking of it as only focused on early childhood.
“Early childhood is indeed critical, as it sets the stage for lifelong development. But HDFS is expansive and encompasses the whole lifespan.
“We study not only how people grow and develop individually and in diverse family structures, but also in social environments such as schools, workplaces and communities. There isn’t a single person who doesn’t grow up in some kind of structural and cultural environment that is central to their lives, and that is one of the most interesting things about the field.”
Like HDFS covers the life course, the skills learned from studying in the field benefit students their entire lives, she says, both personally and professionally, regardless of career path.
A versatile and applicable field of study
“HDFS is a vibrant, rapidly evolving discipline integrating theories and rigorous methodologies from many fields. HDFS is a highly applicable and versatile major at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”
For example, an HDFS degree can be applied to a variety of career paths, including teaching, research or evaluation in settings from early childhood through all stages of adulthood; program administration in government or non-profit agencies; pediatrics or other medical professions; working with marginalized populations, such as those who are unhoused or underrepresented; policy development and implementation for child, adult and family services; counseling and mental health professions; and even applying human development to AI models and applications.
The impact of technology is just one example of a quickly transforming domain in which Marilyn thinks the HDFS field could offer new and impactful insights.
“What are the implications — both positive and negative — of having multimedia devices at our fingertips that we utilize to learn, communicate, find entertainment and socialize? The HDFS emphasis on understanding development in context aligns well with these and many other emerging questions.”
A vision for the School of HDFS
“I’m very excited to have this school situated in the College of Health,” Marilyn says. “Ultimately, HDFS is about centering health and well-being in promoting healthy development through the lifespan. HDFS is fundamental to understanding and supporting positive growth, learning and development in the context of families and our multifaceted social structures.
“And when you look at studies of longevity and healthy aging, for example, being socially connected is a key promoting factor. Developing skills for forming and nurturing healthy pro-social relationships begins in early childhood and develops through the lifespan.
“In HDFS, we also study social connectivity among families, schools, the workplace and other social networks. Looking through this lens, HDFS serves a key role in a college of health.”
Research excellence in human development and family sciences
She’s also impressed by the college’s HDFS faculty and their world-class research, including research centers.
“Our HDFS program is very strong and is recognized nationwide as a highly ranked program. I also think the faculty collectively are very successful and dedicated in translational efforts and are visible in the community and across the state, nationally and internationally.
“The Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families and the Center for Healthy Aging Research are led by HDFS faculty and are important vehicles for research and promoting evidence-based practices that support health and well-being across the lifespan,” she says.
“As we develop a vision of where we want to be five years from now, we need to look at the key issues that are emerging today. Visioning should be a constantly evolving process and also a collective one. I want to understand the perspectives of faculty, students and other stakeholders regarding how we want to grow existing strengths or build in new directions so we’re well-positioned for the future. At this point, I don’t have a prescriptive vision, but I have a process in mind for creating that vision.”
A commitment to relationships
Marilyn’s educational path includes earning a chemistry degree from Carleton College in Minnesota, an MA in curriculum and instruction and a PhD in educational psychology and research from the University of Kansas.
In 1999, she joined the faculty at Arizona State University, where she taught quantitative methods, conducted research in applied methodology and children’s academic and socioemotional development, and enjoyed various leadership and administrative responsibilities.
Her most recent roles have included professor, interim director, associate director of the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, and director of ASU’s family and human development program.
As a leader, she says she values relationships and is passionate about working with graduate and undergraduate students. She also likes to be playful and have fun and values a good sense of humor.
“A positive sense of collegiality is really important in an academic setting, or any setting,” she says. “It’s important that you want to come to work, feel supported and have opportunities for rewarding collaborations. For students, I want to ensure their experience is as enriching as it can possibly be.”
Marilyn values and enjoys both teaching and research and sees the relationship between them as symbiotic. She also values mentoring and is committed to it at all levels.
“I want to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to grow and benefit from mentoring relationships,” she says.
On the personal front, Marilyn loves being outdoors, is a passionate hiker and biker, enjoys camping and is looking forward to exploring Oregon.
Most of all, she loves spending time with her family. Her daughter is a junior at the University of Michigan, and she is also fortunate to share a larger blended family that includes stepdaughters and grandchildren.