Rick O. Gilmore, assistant professor of psychology in Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts, received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Award for his research involving spatial perception in early infancy.

Gilmore is the head of the Brain Development Laboratory in the Department of Psychology. He is prime principal investigator in his five-year project in spatial perception in early infancy and was awarded a monetary amount for his studies.

Through continued research, Gilmore will examine how spatial perception and action planning evolve in infants. In addition, he will study the effects that spatial perception has on development, information that is vital to the balance, walking and crawling of a child.

Gilmore's award is among one of the most prestigious awards for junior faculty. He has written several articles and books on his findings.