Robert N. Emde, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry, Emeritus, after a University of Colorado Medical School career of more than 40 years. Dr. Emde’s career has involved research on early socio-emotional development and, more recently, the evaluation of early childhood intervention programs. Concerning his work in infant mental health, he chaired an international task group that revised the diagnostic classification system for mental problems of children under age four (DC: 0-3R, Zero to Three Press) that was published in 2005. He also helped write the national guidelines for Early Head Start and subsequently served as Principal Investigator for two university partnerships with Colorado programs, Clayton Mile High-Family Futures and Family Star. Both of these programs were part of the national randomized trial of 17 Early Head Start sites.
Dr. Emde was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences task force that produced the policy-oriented book, From Neurons to Neighborhoods. He is currently participating in early childhood research as part of the Colorado-based American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Center. His international work was recognized in Paris in July 2006 when he was voted Honorary President of the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH) and was awarded the Rene Spitz Award by WAIMH that is given in recognition of significant lifetime contributions to the field of infant mental health.