Academic and Research Partnerships

Tânia Boavida Silva studies at the Institute for three months 
Our lead researcher, Dr. Robin McWilliam advises doctoral student from the Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA) in Portugal

Why are you studying at Siskin Children’s Institute? What do you hope to learn here?
I’m at the Institute as a pre-doctoral fellow from the country of Portugal. I just started my doctoral studies, and Dr. McWilliam is my advisor here in the states. My advisor at ISPA in Portugal, Cecilia Aguiar, introduced me to him. I’m here to review my project and learn as much as I can from him and the research team here at the institute. I’m really lucky to have this opportunity and hope I can gain a lot from it.

So far, I’m learning about Routines-Based Interviews, classroom interventions, engagement promotion and so much more. I also hope to learn more about your early intervention practices.

What exactly are you doing at the Institute?
Since coming to the Institute in September, I have been working on two papers, observing a classroom and attended the workshop series here in the Institute. I’m also traveling and conducting home visits. Most importantly, I’m improving my project with Dr. McWilliam’s great help. He is a really fabulous advisor.

After you finish at the Institute, what will you do? What are your career goals?
In December, I will return to Portugal and begin my research. I plan on assessing whether a training plus follow up is effective for improving the quality of individualized education program (IEP) objectives written by teachers of preschoolers with disabilities. We assessed the quality of IEP goals and objectives in Lisbon. As I will discuss during my presentation at the Institute on December 3, the quality of the objectives was low.

I worked as an early interventionist for the last seven years, and my perception is that there is a gap between research and actual practices, with the practice far behind research evidence. So, my main career goal is to contribute to research and applied practice.

What are your impressions of the Institute so far?
I felt very welcomed here. People in the Institute are amazing and quickly integrated me!

Other than that, I think the Institute is doing an amazing job from the learning centers to the outreach center. I also think that is wonderful that you can have such a high quality research team here.

How is Portugal different than the U.S.?
There are always big differences within different cultures!!! Here everything is much more broadened.  You drive to do everything and have “drive-thru” access to everything - then you go to the gym to exercise!!!!

What do you miss most about Portugal?
I miss my friends and family, as well as the sea and our coffee!

What are your impressions of Chattanooga and the U.S. so far? What’s been your biggest surprise living here?
I like Chattanooga very much! It’s a live city, where you can always find something to do and you can walk to do most of it!

I can’t forget to thank to Azusa (the Institute’s research manager). Since I have been here, she has being very proactive keeping me occupied, and she always take me to the best places. I’m having a really great time.

What are your hobbies?
I love to travel and meet new people and cultures. Being able to do that at the same time as I’m working in what I love and learning with someone like Dr. McWilliam is amazing. There are no words to describe it.

I also like reading, movies, walking, going out to dinner and enjoying the evening at different venues and doing nothing.

Tânia is pursuing her doctorate degree with a grant (SFRH/BD/44286/2008) from the the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.