Summer Braun joined the faculty from the University of Virginia, where she was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School of Education and Human Development. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at The Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Braun’s research is motivated by ecological systems models, which emphasize the importance of understanding development in context. Her research centers on schools as a particularly salient context for children’s development. Her program of research focuses on understanding the associations between teachers’ occupational health and well-being and their students’ social, emotional, and behavioral development using a variety of methodological approaches. Her work bridges research and practice by studying interventions designed to support the well-being of teachers and students, such as mindfulness-based wellness programs.