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.
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, located within the College of Arts and Sciences 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.
“The goal of the center is to help families and educators understand how the increased use of technology shapes children,” said Jim Winston, a director of the Winston Family Foundation. The Winston Family Foundation’s generous gift was critical in providing UNC researchers with the funds necessary to establish the Winston Center.
“It is critical that we continue to explore the influence of technology devices and social media on mental health and brain development. Carolina researchers are leading the way in this emerging field at the Winston Center.” Jim White, Dean, UNC College of Arts & Sciences