Prof. Pica-Smith’s Research on Child Relationships Featured on The Academic Minute 

Cinzia Pica-Smith, Ed.D., associate professor in the Department of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies, was recently featured on The Academic Minute during which she discussed an essay examining the relationships between Italian and non-Italian children.

During her Sept. 9 appearance, Prof. Pica-Smith explored an essay she wrote regarding a research study on intergroup friendships in Italian multiethnic schools that was conducted in Italy. “Because of migration patterns, Italian schools are increasingly diverse spaces in which children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, and cultural-linguistic practices interact daily,” she said. “These spaces provide fertile ground for a continuum of interpersonal experiences from intergroup friendships to incidents of discrimination and marginalization.” 

The Academic Minute is a national program designed to showcase the research of faculty across the country and the world while keeping “listeners abreast of what’s new and exciting in the academy,” according to the website.  Hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, president of The Association of American Colleges and Universities, The Academic Minute features a different professor each day for a two-and-a-half-minute module, in which the featured expert, often from top international research institutions, discusses a pressing issue facing the world of education. 

The Academic Minute airs on 70 stations throughout the U.S. and Canada and is supported by The Association of American Colleges & Universities. Listen to Prof. Pica-Smith’s segment.