ECI network member Mary Young is a pediatrician and a specialist in global health and child development. She is a Senior Advisor at the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child and a Senior Fellow at the China Development Research Foundation. She also serves as an Advisory Board Member for Open Society Foundation's Early Childhood Program. Young worked for many years at the World Bank, guiding efforts in international public health, child health, and development. Young is certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics and by the American Academy of Preventive Medicine.

Describe your area of study and how it relates to current policy discussions surrounding inequality. 

I work on early child development policy and programs in developing countries. Studies on inequality of children’s wellbeing and long-term implications as a result of early adversities are useful to garner policy makers’ attention to increase their support.

What areas in the study of inequality are most in need of new research? 

Data on inequality of different population groups are needed to illustrate differences of access to early interventions and child development outcomes to particular countries and regions. Often policy makers want to see data on their own country to give attention to develop policy and programs. 

What advice do you have for emerging scholars in your field? 

Continue to generate evidence on what works under what circumstances in terms of early interventions to address the needs of young children exposed to adversities and poverty.