Amy Shelton named interim director at Center for Talented Youth

Amy Shelton, a cognitive psychology expert who has been a member of the Johns Hopkins University faculty since 2002, will serve as interim director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth beginning next month, the university announced today.

Image caption: Amy Shelton

Shelton has been director of research at CTY since 2013 and is also a professor and associate dean for research in the School of Education. She will assume the role currently held by Elaine Tuttle Hansen, who will step down at the end of the year after more than seven years at CTY.

"As we enter Elaine's final month as CTY's leader, I once again want to express my deep appreciation for her unwavering commitment to improving educational opportunities for young people and for strengthening and growing CTY's impact around the world," JHU Provost Sunil Kumar wrote in a message to the CTY community today.

Shelton was on the faculty in JHU's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences from 2002 to 2013 before assuming the joint position with CTY and Education. She also holds joint appointments in the School of Medicine and the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and serves on the steering committee for the universitywide Science of Learning Institute.

Shelton earned master's and doctoral degrees in cognitive psychology from Vanderbilt University.

"Her steadfast commitment to the mission of CTY, extensive administrative experience as associate dean, and proven ability to collaborate with colleagues across the university make her ideally suited for this position," Kumar wrote.

Shelton is also co-leading the search for CTY's next executive director along with David Savitt, professor and chair of the university's Department of Mathematics. Kumar said the search is "well under way" and added that the university hopes to announce a new director early next year.

The next director will work together with university leadership and CTY's staff to continue the center's transformative work with young advanced learners.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, founded in 1979 by a Johns Hopkins psychology professor, identifies top students in grades K through 12 and provides challenging summer residential programs, distance education, international programs, and family academic programs. At CTY, these students have the chance to participate in educational opportunities they would not experience anywhere else and to find a safe, welcoming circle of peers, as well as mentors and teachers who understand advanced students.