Shelley MacDermid

The Military Family Research Institute was created in 2000 with funding from the Department of Defense. The institute conducts basic and applied research on the quality of life of military families and its implications for job satisfaction, performance, and retention. Current projects include:

• The U.S. military operates more than 800 child care centers, 95 percent of which are NAEYC-accredited. Research is currently underway to assess the affordability of child care for military parents, and the staffing of child care centers.

• A research program is being designed to track the quality of life for military personnel and their families. This program will include cross-sectional, longitudinal, and time-use methods.

• As part of a Department of Defense "Reconnecting with America" initiative, the Military Family Research Institute is conducting research on the ways that employers support military families.

• The ability of military spouses to pursue careers is a key factor in the retention of military personnel. The institute will study the issues and options surrounding spousal employment.

The institute is led by principal investigators from three departments: Shelley MacDermid from Child Development and Family Studies, Howard Weiss from Psychology, and Steve Green from Management. Graduate students from all three areas hold assistantships in the institute.

Funding: U.S. Department of Defense

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