Blind Children’s Center Awards 2025 Lisa D. Hansen Medical Research Grant to Cognitive Development Research

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Each year, the Blind Children’s Center (BCC) identifies and supports bold, forward-thinking research that can transform the lives of children with visual impairments. For more than two decades, BCC’s research grants, now named the Lisa D. Hansen Medical Research Grants, have fueled this initiative by funding studies that push the boundaries of pediatric vision science.

Named in honor of longtime board member, donor and friend, Lisa D. Hansen, the grants reflect her belief in the power of research to create lasting change. This year, BCC is proud to award the 2025 Research Grant to Dr. Rachel Pulverman of Delaware State University and her project, “Touch, Listen and Learn: Developing a New Method for Testing Blind Infants’ Cognitive Development.”

“This grant fuels groundbreaking research aimed at supporting children with visual impairments,” said BCC Research Committee Chair Sherwin J. Isenberg, M.D. “Dr. Pulverman’s innovative approach will deepen our understanding of how infants with blindness and visual impairments learn and develop, paving the way for improved interventions and services.”

Dr. Pulverman’s research focuses on how blind infants respond to tactical and auditory stimuli, an area that remains largely underexplored. “Infants learn and develop cognitively by exploring the world, but babies with visual impairments must explore differently,” said Dr. Pulverman. “This grant will allow us to take the first steps in developing a method that will allow researchers to explore a wide range of cognitive abilities in babies with visual impairments.”

Working alongside student researcher Asia Watson, Dr. Pulverman seeks to develop tools that can be used widely to assess a variety of cognitive abilities in children with visual impairments.

By supporting research like Dr. Pulverman’s, BCC continues its commitment to funding studies that not only advance scientific understanding but also translate into real-world solutions for early intervention. Through this work, BCC helps ensure that all children, regardless of visual ability, have the opportunity to thrive during the most critical stages of development.

For more information about BCC’s research committee and projects, visit blindchildrenscenter.org/medical-research/.