Mary Benson McMullenMary Benson McMullen, PhD, is a professor of early childhood education at Indiana University (IU), where she has been on faculty since 1993. After graduating from Michigan State University with her bachelor's degree, marriage, and the birth of her fist son, Mary began studying child development at Florida State University where she earned MS and PhD degrees. During and shortly after her graduate education, she also worked as a caregiver and teacher of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and then as an early childhood program director, before accepting her position at IU. At IU, she teaches courses to preservice and in-service early childhood teaching professionals, as well as to doctoral students who plan to become teacher education scholars. Mary's primary research interests involve factors that influence quality early care and education for infants and toddlers; healthy overall growth, development, learning, and well-being of young children (birth through age 5); teaching beliefs and practices across cultures and contexts; and looking at factors that influence and ensure the well-being of professionals who care for young children. She has published dozens of articles for both research and teaching journals, as well as numerous book chapters. She is coeditor of the 2019 book, The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Care and Education. Mary lives in Bloomington, Indiana, where she and her husband of 37 years raised their three sons. Read More Read Less