PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] – The Brown University TRI-Lab (Teaching, Research, and Impact Lab) program is "Helping Students Pursue Research With A Purpose." Professor of Epidemiology Stephen Buka served as the faculty co-chair of TRI-Lab's pilot program on early childhood development with a focus on the health and well-being of Rhode Island’s children. He helped to guide the focus of the pilot year to address executive functions, a "topic in child development that was of interest to both researchers and practitioners. Executive functions was a natural fit, as it has received a great deal of attention in both the academic and education worlds in recent years."

The innovative TRI-Lab program brings together "students, faculty, and community practitioners to engage with complex social issues and collaboratively develop, refine, and test solutions to these issues." In addition to the TRI-Lab on childhood development, other topics addressed through the program include climate change and environmental justice, healthy food access, and education for incarcerated individuals.