Fuhua Zhai, PhD, is reticent to discuss his personal journey from rural China to Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service. But he said the journey was integral to his interests and research in early childhood education, early interventions, child welfare, and child rearing.
“I didn’t have that many opportunities myself, so I know firsthand that if we provide education and opportunities for disadvantaged kids, it will make a difference in their lives,” he said.
Whether the cohort is underserved communities of New York City or rural-to-urban migrant families in China, Zhai provides quantitative analysis of survey data in the hopes of affecting policy.
Most of his research has focused on disadvantaged children in the United States. However, the native of China has begun to delve into childcare and education issues in his home country with a focus on migrant workers in Beijing.
He has been working with researchers from five universities in Beijing to collect data on family resources, migration experiences, and parents’ views on traditional values, child rearing, and education practices. He is also gathering data on children’s school experiences and developmental outcomes.
Read the rest of the story in Inside Fordham.
