Dr. Iverson’s keynote, “Developmental Cascades in Infancy: The Promise of Supported Mobility for Infants with Motor Delays,” will explore how early advances in motor development can shape infants’ communication, language, and broader learning environments. Drawing on a robust body of research, she will highlight how the onset of independent mobility represents a transformational moment in infancy, creating new multimodal opportunities that influence not only the child but also their social partners and communicative contexts.

The talk will examine how the acquisition of new motor skills can trigger cascading developmental effects across domains and how these processes may differ for infants with early motor delays. Dr. Iverson will also discuss how viewing mobility as a catalyst for learning reshapes intervention approaches for infants and toddlers with motor delays and disabilities, emphasizing the dynamic and reciprocal relationships between children and their environments.

Dr. Iverson is the Christopher A. Moore Professor of Pediatric Rehabilitation and Associate Dean for Research at Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences at Boston University. Her research, supported by funding from NICHD, NIDCD, and Autism Speaks, focuses on the intersection of early motor development with the emergence of communication and language in both neurotypical infants and those at risk for neurodevelopmental conditions. She has co-edited a book and published more than 100 scholarly articles and book chapters. Dr. Iverson serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Child Language and Language Learning and Development and is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.

The Zeigler Research Forum brings together scholars, students, and practitioners to highlight innovative research and interdisciplinary dialogue. Dr. Iverson’s keynote will anchor the morning program and set the stage for poster sessions, data blitz presentations, and awards.