Nicole Edwards

Nicole Edwards

Nicole Edwards, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Nicole Edwards, Ph.D.
Wellness & Inclusive Services in Education (WISE)

Contact Info
(856) 256-4500 x53797
Herman D. James Hall 3041

Biography

Dr. Nicole Megan Edwards is a tenured Associate Professor in the College of Education at Rowan University. Aligned with bio-ecological systems theory, she explores the direct and indirect role of vested stakeholders in ​​nurturing early emotional development proactively and post-abuse and/or neglect in birth-5 and in satisfying the federal Child Find mandate for earlier referral of eligible infants and toddlers to Part C Early Intervention (EI). Dr. Edwards also looks at roadblocks to implementing multi-tiered Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports across P-12. She seeks to build capacity and promote meaningful collaboration among cross-disciplinary professionals and diverse family units to optimize use of tailored supports for families of all young children, including those at risk for and with diagnosed delays and disabilities.

Dr. Edwards has a BA in Psychology with an Elementary Education certification from State University of New York at Geneseo, an MA in Early Childhood Special Education from New York University, and a PhD in Special Education from University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to joining Rowan University in 2013, she was Associate Director of Project SCEIs (Skilled Credentialed Early Interventionists), a state-funded initiative at Georgia State University that provided and monitored comprehensive statewide professional development for EI providers and Service Coordinators. Nicole credits a diverse range of opportunities to meaningfully connect with, teach, and learn from individuals across ages and programs to the holistic, strengths-based, family-centered perspective she applies towards her teaching and research.

Graduate Program Coordinator:

Service Roles:

  • Governor-appointed member of the NJ State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC), advising the NJ Department of Health on issues related to the NJ EI system.
    • Chair, Family Support Committee of the SICC (2021 – Present)
    • Invited member, stakeholder subcommittees framing NJEIS State Systemic Improvement Plan (Indicator 11) & setting NJ’s targets for Family Outcomes (Indicator 4). 
  • International Division for Early Childhood (DEC): Dr. Edwards was co-leader of the DEC Early Intervention Community of Practice, served a two-year term on the DEC Research Committee, and is now serving a two-year term (2024-2026) as Chair of the DEC Community of Practice Development Committee. 
  • American Educational Research Association (AERA): Dr. Edwards has served a two-year term as program co-chair (2018-2020) and a two-year term (2022-2024) as co-chair of AERA’s Family-School-Community Partnerships Special Interest Group. 
  • Journal Editorial Boards
    • Associate Editor, Journal of Child and Family Studies (2022 – Present)
    • Peer Reviewer, Early Education and Development, Journal of Early Intervention, and Teaching Exceptional Children.   

Recent Scholarship:

  • Lead PI (2024-2025): Bolstering Community Stakeholders’ Awareness, Self-Efficacy, and Outreach to Strengthen Partnerships with and Supports for Immigrant Families of Young Children (Birth-5) (Funded by the NJ Health Foundation Community Health, Social Services, and Education Grants Program)
  • co-PI (2023): Factors Associated with Incarcerated Parents’ Self-Efficacy and Perceived Readiness to Reunify with their Child(ren) on Reentry (Funded by a CED Research Fellowship)
  • co-PI (2019-2022): Understanding the Ecology of Immigrant Families and their Integration into Camden City: Multiple Systems for Health and Well-Being of Young Children, Birth to Age 5 (Funded by the Camden Health Research Initiative Grant)