Daniel F. Perkins, professor of family and youth resiliency and policy in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named a distinguished professor by Penn State’s Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
The title of distinguished professor at Penn State recognizes the academic contributions of current, full-time faculty members who hold the rank of professor. Distinguished professors are acknowledged leaders in their fields of research or creative activity; demonstrate significant leadership in raising the University’s standards in teaching, research or creative activity, and service; and exhibit excellent teaching skills.
“Dr. Perkins a is a scholar whose rigor in research is matched by his commitment to service and real‑world impact,” said Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “Through his pioneering work in family and youth resiliency, his work leading the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, and his focus on translating science into action, Danny has improved the lives of service members, veterans, their families and military-connected communities across Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world.”
Perkins, who has a 75% research and 25% Penn State Extension appointment and is the principal scientist and founder of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness and also a co-funded faculty member with the Social Science Research Institute, said that receiving the distinguished professorship is profoundly humbling, and credits the recognition as a reflection of the support of his family, and especially his wife, Tammy, as well as the many mentors, colleagues and partners who helped guide and encourage him over the years.
“I also want to express my deep gratitude to the military‑connected individuals and families who have entrusted me with their stories and challenges,” he added. “Their service, resilience and honesty inspire my work every day. This honor embodies the spirit of the Penn State WE ARE chant — that is, a reminder that meaningful scholarship and real‑world impact are always collective achievements, never individual ones.”
Perkins received his doctoral degree in family and child ecology from Michigan State University, and his master's in human development and family studies and bachelor's in developmental psychology from Penn State. He said that after earning all three of his degrees from land-grant universities and spending his entire career working within them, he wholeheartedly believes in their mission.
“I remain committed to conducting and translating science into action that genuinely benefits communities and improves lives,” he said.
Perkins’s work is concentrated in three focus areas, including (1) Healthy Family and Youth Development — increasing resiliency through evidence-based, strength-based educational programming; (2) Implementation Science — involving evaluations of preventions and interventions, implementation outcomes, and community-based delivery models, especially in military-connected contexts; and (3) Community Collaboration — promoting strategies for mobilizing communities in support of children, youth and families.
Through his role in the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, Perkins focuses on fostering the well-being of service members, veterans and their families as well as military-connected communities. He facilitates the translation of science into strategic action by providing comprehensive, science-based programs and technical assistance to professionals working with military and veterans’ families.
Perkins has published a total of 168 peer-reviewed journal articles, five edited books, and 37 book chapters. Perkins has been a part of teams that submitted 239 grant proposals totaling $282.2 million and secured $122.3 million in awards.
As lead PI, Perkins has secured $105 million from a variety of federal agencies and leading private foundations, including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, University of Arizona, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Wallace Foundation, Heinz Endowments, Pew Charitable Trust, Wounded Warrior Project, United States Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the United States Air Force, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.