JESSICA S. PIERCE, PhD, is a research scientist in the Nemours Center for Healthcare Delivery Science and an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando, FL. She is a clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric psychology. Her research program investigates innovative ways for improving the care of very young children and young adults living with type 1 diabetes—two understudied populations. Among young adults, she is particularly interested in identifying intervention targets to improve their transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care. She has received research support for these efforts from the National Institutes of Health, the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP), and Nemours Biomedical Research Institute.
Dr. Pierce currently serves on the American Diabetes Association’s Behavioral Medicine and Psychology Interest Group Leadership Committee and on its Membership Advisory Group. She is also the 2021–2022 co-president of BRIDGE (the Behavioral Research and Diabetes Group Exchange), a professional society of behavioral diabetes researchers. She is also a past chair of the SPP Diabetes Special Interest Group. Dr. Pierce’s experience of living with type 1 diabetes for almost 32 years inspires her research, clinical care, leadership roles, and community service in diabetes.
Diabetes Spectrum associate editor Susana R. Patton, PhD, CDCES, coordinated this From Research to Practice section.
