Jessica Mercer Young, Ph.D.

Jessica Mercer Young, Ph.D., is a Principal Research Scientist at Education Development Center (EDC) with more than 25 years of experience in early   childhood education and research. An Emmy Award–winning producer, she leads initiatives focused on advancing young children’s early STEM learning through
play, exploration, and everyday experiences. Dr. Young works with teachers, families, media producers, museum educators, and technologists to design and study a wide range of early STEM learning tools—from hands-on games and interactive digital apps to classroom materials and community-based partnership programs. Her research focuses on helping young children build strong foundations in problem-solving, reasoning, and early computational thinking while also sparking interest and curiosity in STEM. She has presented her work nationally and internationally and authored numerous publications on early math and science learning.