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WASHINGTON — ZERO TO THREE, the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, is proud to recognize Dr. Samuel Meisels with its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s LEARN Conference. The award recognizes individuals who have made remarkable contributions to improving the lives of infants, toddlers and their families.
For more than 50 years, Dr. Meisels has been one of the nation’s foremost authorities in early childhood development. His research helped transform the way young children are assessed and understood, while his leadership helped build and strengthen some of the field’s most influential institutions. Dr. Meisels also has a longstanding connection to ZERO TO THREE, with a decade of service on the board, including a term as president from 2001 to 2003.
“Sam Meisels helped change how our field sees young children—by looking closely at what they can do and using that understanding to support their growth,” said Matthew Melmed, executive director of ZERO TO THREE. “He brought research into everyday practice, giving professionals better ways to recognize children’s strengths and respond to their needs. His leadership helped shape ZERO TO THREE, and we are proud to celebrate the difference he has made for children and families.”
Dr. Meisels spent 21 years at the University of Michigan, where he conducted groundbreaking applied research focused on infants, young children and families in high-risk situations. He also developed observational assessments for children from birth through age eight that have been widely used in the United States and abroad. He later served for 12 years as president emeritus of the Erikson Institute, helping lead their work on early childhood development.
“Sam’s legacy lives in both the tools professionals use and the institutions that prepare them to do this work well,” said Walter Gilliam, president of ZERO TO THREE’s Board of Directors. “He understood that advancing knowledge is only part of the job—we also have to put it to work for children. Across five decades, he has helped our field do exactly that, building a foundation that future generations can carry forward.”
In 2013, Dr. Meisels founded the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, establishing a major center dedicated to improving the development and learning of young children. He served as its founding executive director and Richard D. Holland Presidential Chair in Early Childhood Development until his retirement in March 2023, when he was granted emeritus status.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Meisels authored more than 200 publications and served as senior advisor in early childhood development for the Developmental Evaluation Clinic at Boston Children’s Medical Center. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Roosevelt University.
