Fuller chosen as Acting HDFS Department Head

Dr. Heather Fuller has been appointed the Acting Department Head for the Department of Human Development and Family Science. As a member of NDSU faculty since 2009, Dr. Heather Fuller brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service. She currently serves as Professor of Human Development and Family Science and Graduate Coordinator of the Developmental Science PhD program.

She earned her MS and PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan and is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Fuller directs the Linked Lives Research Lab at NDSU where her research broadly focuses on socioemotional development and successful aging, with an emphasis on interpersonal relationships and well-being.

Her ongoing research collaborations, including with Extension and across the College of Health and Human Sciences, focus on better understanding social engagement and isolation among older adults, and identifying the supports needed for aging in place, particularly within rural communities. A nationally recognized scholar in aging and lifespan development, she has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to advancing student success, research excellence, and the land-grant mission.