Jessica Dykstra Steinbrenner

Jessica Dykstra Steinbrenner, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an advanced research scientist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds an appointment as adjunct assistant professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences in the UNC School of Medicine. Steinbrenner received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences in 2013 and is a certified speech-language pathologist. Her career trajectory at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute includes positions as research scientist and investigator, and she was named a faculty fellow in 2021. Her work centers on child development interventions, particularly for autism spectrum disorder.

Steinbrenner's research specializations include evidence-based practices and school-based interventions for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, emphasizing social communication, classroom engagement, peer relationships, and transition-related skills. She contributed to the Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (CSESA), an Institute of Education Sciences-funded multi-site project that developed and evaluated a comprehensive program for high school students with autism across 60 schools in three states. As principal investigator, she led efforts to adapt the Advancing Social-Communication and Play intervention for elementary classrooms, demonstrating improved social-communication and engagement outcomes. She authored a seminal review of 30 years of autism educational research, highlighting trends and best practices. Steinbrenner has obtained significant funding, including a 2020 Institute of Education Sciences grant to refine professional development models for preschool teams supporting students with autism. Key publications include "Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism" (2020) and "Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism: Third generation review" (2021, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders), alongside works on technology-aided interventions (2015, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders) and peer support efficacy (2017, Remedial and Special Education). Her scholarship has garnered over 4,700 citations, influencing autism intervention and education fields.

Professional Email: jessica.dykstra@unc.edu