Vonda Jump, Research Scientist

Contact Information

Phone:797-3579
Email: Send Email
Office:HSRC 213
Address:
Center for Persons with Disabilities
Research and Evaluation
6580 Old Main Hill
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-6580

Research Scientist,

Dr. Jump is a Research Scientist in the Research and Evaluation Division of the Center for Persons with Disabilities, with an emphasis on systems of care affecting infants in orphanages as well as parent-child relationships during the first several years of a child's life. Dr. Jump is the Principal Investigator of the "Strengthening Early Childhood Education in Jordan" project, focusing on improving  undergraduate teacher preparation programs at two universities in the Kingdom of Jordan.  Dr. Jump is also Co-Principal Investigator of the local Cache County National Children's Study, which is under subcontract from the University of Utah.  Dr. Jump has also investigated the effects of infant massage on illness expression in vulnerable infants in Ecuadorian and Haitian orphanages. Dr. Jump has developed an intensive 4 day training program for use in collaboration with orphanage staff members, to augment their expertise and knowledge in a partnership relationship, to optimize outcomes for infants and young children living in orphanages and implemented a train the trainer model in orphanages in partnership with Hands to Hearts International. Dr. Jump has conducted training and/or research in orphanages in Ecuador, Haiti, India, and Russia.

Dr. Jump is interested in the intersection of physical and mental health in parents and their young children.  As part of this, Dr. Jump is interested in the physical health and emotional effects of infant massage as well as the effects of training on parent and orphanage caregiver behavior and resulting child outcomes and she is currently seeking funding for several new projects to further these avenues of research. Dr. Jump has worked extensively with ZERO TO THREE on their initiative to improve outcomes for military families with young children experiencing extensive and chronic stress by training personnel working at over 15 installations and National Guard states to help parents meet the needs of their young children.  In addition, Dr. Jump teaches undergraduate and graduate child development classes in the Department of Family and Human Development as well as the Psychology Departments at Utah State University.

Roles at the CPD