Astha Patel is a senior research assistant in the early childhood program area at Child Trends. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a dual degree in Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies. During her undergraduate years, Astha worked in Dr. Christia Brown’s lab, Social Inequality in Development Research Group, where she helped with recruitment, literature reviews, data collection, coding qualitative data, and data analysis. During her senior year, she conceptualized and facilitated an independent project titled Reducing Bias Against Muslims Through Media Framing: An Integrated Threat Theory Analysis. Prior to joining Child Trends, she worked with University of Michigan Medicine on a longitudinal study designed to reduce risky drinking and violent behavior among adolescents. She also served as a health coach on this study, conducting motivational interviewing interventions with participants. Broadly, Astha is interested in investigating racial and economic disparities in child care and development.