The Winston Center is the nation’s leading authority in this emerging field, and one of the only centers dedicated to studying the impact of social media on the developing mind and brain.
Meet the Funder
“The Winston Center’s mission is to provide families, educators, and researchers with evidence-based insights into how technology use affects adolescent development—and to use that knowledge to support healthier outcomes.” – James “Jim” Winston, Jr., Ph.D.
A psychologist and philanthropic leader with over 30 years of experience in addiction research and clinical practice, Dr. Winston brings both professional expertise and insight into adolescent mental health and the effects of digital technology.
Mission + History
Our mission is to create and disseminate knowledge regarding the use of technology and social media on the developing mind and brain. We study positive and detrimental uses of technology on neural, social, behavioral, and psychological outcomes.
The Winston Center, housed within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was established with a $10 million gift from the Winston Family Foundation in 2022. This philanthropic gift followed an initial gift of $3 million from the Winston Family Foundation which provided the seed funding for the initial research and launched the initiative.