Experts in the field of adoption, as well as practitioners and families, came together on April 11th and 12^th at the 5^th annual New Worlds of Adoption  conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to explore the theme of “Contact between Adoptive and Birth Parents: What Works.” Over 200 people attended this two day forum, which offered workshops and lectures by over 20 presenters from across the country and England.

Dr. Lorraine Cordeiro, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, has received the College Outstanding Teacher Award for the School of Public Health and Health Sciences. The award is sponsored by the UMass Amherst Provost’s Office and the Center for Teaching & Faculty Development, and given annually to honor individual faculty members for their teaching accomplishments. The recipients will be recognized at Undergraduate Commencement and at the School’s Senior Recognition Ceremony.

The Center for Research on Families was thrilled to host Judith Crowell, MD this past March where she presented first findings of a longitudinal study entitled, "Influences of Childhood Adversity on Health in Midlife.” Crowell is from Northampton, MA and Professor and Director of Training/ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stony Brook University. She is also affiliated with Judge Baker Children’s Center and Harvard Medical School.

M.V. Lee Badgett, past CRF Scholar (’04-‘05), Professor of Economics, and Director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration, discusses the economic impact of allowing same-sex marriage. She says federal tax implications for couples can add up to millions of dollars over the lifetime of the two people. In addition, Badgett says, legalizing same-sex couples right to marry does have economic consequences related to