July 15, 2024 – Jorge Cuartas is a shining talent in the realm of applied developmental psychology. Jorge’s achievements have led him to obtain a position as an Assistant Professor in Applied Psychology at New York University. He will start his new role in September 2024. After completing his fellowship with ECDAN in 2022, Jorge earned his PhD in Education and Human Development from Harvard University, demonstrating his dedication and expertise in his field. This is just the beginning of what promises to be a truly productive career for Jorge. He possesses a wide breadth of knowledge in developmental psychology, economics, implementation science, and public health. His passion lies in understanding the profound impact of violence against children, addressing structural inequities in early childhood programs, and designing effective violence prevention and early childhood programs. His work is truly inspiring.
Jorge is driven, passionate, and hardworking, traits which have contributed to his success. But he also credits being a Knowledge Fellow with the Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) as an influential experience on his journey. The fellowship introduced him to influential thought leaders in the industry and offered him guidance and support. Jorge was paired with Professor Helen Henningham, at Bangor University, as his mentor, and she positively impacted Jorge’s research on parenting programs and violence prevention. He said, “Helen’s influence ignited a fire within me to dedicate myself to parenting programs. Her exceptional mentorship empowered me to cultivate the necessary skills to create, assess, and execute violence prevention programs on a larger scale.”
Jorge’s experience with the Knowledge Fellows program equipped him with valuable new skills and provided him with a platform to connect with like-minded professionals. Through this program, Jorge was able to broaden his horizons and take his career to new heights. He collaborated with his mentor and published a piece detailing how existing evidence can be used to design and scale effective violence prevention parenting programs, such as the nonprofit Apapacho that Jorge founded in Colombia. He applied his learning in practice.
This fellowship experience not only distinguished me in the field, but it also opened doors for me to work at the World Bank, where I have the privilege of supporting teams who are passionate about implementing similar programs.
As his fellowship project, Jorge authored a brief that shed light on the prevalence, consequences, and prevention of physical punishment against children worldwide. His work has the power to inspire change and make a lasting impact. Both ECDAN and End Violence Against Children have widely shared this knowledge product with partners around the globe.
Jorge’s contribution as a Knowledge Fellow and career path since is impressive. His unwavering dedication to improving the lives of children, combined with the network he has built, will no doubt continue to take him far. Be sure to watch out for Jorge Cuartas, as he continues to have a positive impact on the lives of children all over the world.
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This is the first entry in the “From Learning to Leading” blog series profiling former Knowledge Fellows to discover where their journey has taken them.