Professor Dearing is a leading researcher on equity in education. He has been particularly focused on the development and life chances of children growing up in poverty and minority children. He has made significant contributions to understanding the role of education, the family, and the wider context for a wide variety of educational and developmental outcomes.
Since 2009, Dearing has been heavily involved in research on effects of early education in Norway. In particular, this work has demonstrated causal effects of the universal early education program in Norway on early language development and on school achievement for children from low income families and families with low parental education.
Dearing has served a mentoring role for many of the Norwegian researchers he has collaborated with.
UiO's honorary doctoral degrees
Honorary doctoral degrees of UiO (Doctor Honoris Causa) are given to prominent academics. The degrees are awarded without a thesis defence/disputation.
UiO has been entitled to appoint honorary doctorates since 1824, and appointments usually occur every three years.
The honorary doctors are conferred at UiO's Annual Celebration on 2 September.