Education

Ph.D., M.S., Human Development and Family Studies (Specialization in Early Childhood Education; Minor Specialization in Early Childhood Special Education), Iowa State University

B.A., Family Sciences (Specialization in Child and Family Development; Minor in Psychology), Truman State University

Selected Publications

Baum, A. C. & Schnake, K.L. (2024). Early childhood teacher well-being. Teachers College Press.

Moon, A. M., Baum, A. C., & McMurray-Schwarz, P. (2025). Reading, understanding, and evaluating research. In O. Saracho (Ed.), Research methods for studying young children (pp. 315-334).  Information Age Publishing.

Baum, A. C., Schnake, K. L., & Moreland, A. (2022). For teachers to care well, they must be well. In A. L. Betts & K. P. Thai (Eds.), Handbook of research on innovative approaches to early childhood development and school readiness (pp. 516-535). IGI Global.

Baum, A. C., Schnake, K., & Stegelin, D. (2020, February). Infant and early childhood mental health: Supporting healthy social-emotional development. [Policy brief]. Institute for Child Success.
https://www.instituteforchildsuccess.org/publication/infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health-supporting-healthy-social-emotional-development/

Hodges, T., & Baum, A. C. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of research on field-based teacher education. IGI Global.

Selected Presentations

International and National Presentations

Baum, A. C., & Sharp, J. (2025, October). Why early childhood? The science and the economic case. Panel discussion presented at the Hunt State Policy Fellows meeting, Charleston, SC.

Schnake, K. L., Ward, J., & Baum, A. C., (2025, October). Well-being for caring professionals: Practices, programs, and investments. Zero to Three Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.

Baum, A. C., & Schnake, K. L. (2024, November). Including teacher well-being content in early childhood teacher preparation programs. National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA.

Moon, A. H., Baum, A. C., Schnake, K. L. (2019, August). The relationship between teacher wellbeing, child outcomes and program quality: An exploration of early childhood teacher educators’ beliefs and current practices in teacher education programs. European Early Childhood Research Association, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Kempe, K., Harrill, M., Baum, A. C., & De Hoyos-O’Connor, A. (2019, June). Power to the profession and revised standards and competencies: Shaping a game plan for change in the higher education community. National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Professional Learning Institute, Long Beach, CA.

Selected Awards

SEC Academic Leadership Development Fellow
(2025-2026)

Leonard F. Maiden Spirit of Service Award
University of South Carolina, College of Education
2022

Early Career Award in Teaching
University of South Carolina, College of Education
2012

Mortar Board Excellence in Teaching Award
University of South Carolina
2011