How can we enable vulnerable youth, particularly those in out-of-home placements, to connect to their aspirations, thereby creating and sustaining a sense of hopefulness for the future? How can we empower youth to reach their full potential and thrive? Unlocking the answer to these questions is my North Star. I work at the intersection of research and practice by focusing on inquiry-driven innovation aimed at developing a healthy support ecosystem for youth from high-adversity backgrounds to empower them to thrive and promote upward mobility. As a seasoned social development professional, with almost a decade of experience in designing, managing, and evaluating after-school and skill development interventions for youth living in adversity, I am dedicated to closing the divide between research and practice in this field, with a focus on enhancing evidence-based policy and programming in child protection, alternative care, and youth services. Over the last decade, I have worked towards understanding the challenges institutionalized youth face. Going forward, I intend to investigate the efficacy of different interventions and understand the criteria for designing new approaches to empowering marginalized youth. I am currently exploring answers to the questions: What skills will young people who have faced adversity need to cope with crises and successfully navigate life and career pathways (i.e. Building blocks of Thriving)? What kind of experiences will support them in developing these skills and capacities? How can we design developmentally relevant interventions taking into account protective and risk factors that shape the adolescent's vulnerability and coping capacity? What role can the community, and especially the caregivers and educators, play to support them? How can we strengthen community and family systems to foster an environment conducive to healthy development?  In pursuance of those answers, I intend to work on action-led projects to design and test developmentally appropriate interventions responsive to challenges faced by vulnerable children and youth, measure the efficacy of the solutions, and identify program models which can be replicated at scale. I am currently pursuing my Ed.M in Human Development and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I continue to build my skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods while exploring the connection between the theory of developmental psychology and practice. Blog: https://interventionsinchildhood.com/ Website: https://muskaanmaharia.wixsite.com/portfolio