On July 9, Nova SBE hosted the Rethinking Early Childhood: Policy in Motion workshop, organized by the Nova SBE Public Policy Institute and supported by EQUALNovaERA.
While public attention has traditionally focused on formal schooling, evidence shows that a child’s lifelong outcomes are largely determined by the care, stimulation, and environment experienced during the first years of life. Far too many children are left behind before even reaching toddlerhood. Departing from conventional academic conferences, this policy workshop focused directly on generating actionable, evidence-based public policy proposals.
The event brought together leading experts across economics, neuroscience, psychology, pediatrics, and law alongside frontline policymakers. Discussions addressed early language development, parental investments, brain and health development, and children’s rights, highlighted by keynote lectures from Elika Bergelson and Pedro Carneiro. Participants worked collaboratively to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world policy implementation.
A comprehensive policy report synthesizing these actionable recommendations will be released in Fall 2026, advancing EQUALNovaERA’s mission to foster equity and translate science into enduring societal impact.
Additionally, the keynote and speaker sessions will be released on the EQUALNovaERA Research Bites podcast in September.
