Nikki Aikens, PHD

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Nikki Aikens, a principal researcher at Mathematica, is an expert in early care and education (ECE) programs focused on young children and their families. She specializes in descriptive and evaluation studies in ECE settings, and has informed decisions regarding instrumentation, analysis, and reporting for national and local studies of Head Start, Early Head Start, and other child care settings. Her work also includes evaluations of place-based initiatives and studies focused on supports for systems change. She is interested in advancing equity in access, services, and outcomes in ECE programs, especially for children of color, dual language learners, and children from households experiencing poverty. Aikens, who joined Mathematica in 2006, holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.