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Jennifer Vaughn Named A Junior Scholar by the Society for Research in Childhood Development

Initial Publication January 25, 2020/

Jennifer Vaughn, a PhD candidate in Fuller’s School of Psychology, has been named one of ten Junior Scholars selected by the Society for Research in Childhood Development (SRCD) as part of the Dissertation Research Funding Awards (DFAs). The DFAs were established in 2008 by the SRCD Student and Early Career Council (SECC) to recognize dissertation research proposals that are exceptionally noteworthy and display strong potential to contribute to the field of child development. Each recipient is awarded $2,000 to use for research costs or professional development related to the proposed dissertation project.

“I am honored to have been selected for this award and to have my research supported in such a meaningful way” said Jennifer. “I am extremely appreciative to my research advisor Dr. Rojas-Flores for her guidance, direction, and encouragement, as well as to my dissertation committee for their ongoing support. I am eager to share the results of my dissertation in the near future.”

Before coming to Fuller, she spent five years providing mental health counseling for high-risk children and adolescents as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As a doctoral student and research fellow, Jennifer’s research has focused on the impact of immigration enforcement on the determinants of health for children of immigrants and their families. Using the National Survey of Children’s Health, her dissertation project examines the mechanisms through which neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) impacts the behavior and flourishing of young children of immigrants. Specifically, her proposed model identifies neighborhood structural disadvantages and parenting stress and engagement as indirect pathways to explain the effects of neighborhood SES on the internalizing and externalizing behaviors and psychosocial flourishing of preschool aged children of immigrants. Jennifer hopes that her research will offer strategies for prevention and intervention for supporting children of immigrants in underresourced neighborhoods.

“Jennifer’s recognition by the Society for Research in Child Development, the premier research organization in the field of developmental science, is extremely impressive,” said Provost Mari Clements. “These awards are typically given to those studying at large, Tier 1 universities, and even in those settings, an award such as this is a very rare and prestigious honor. Both as provost and as a member of her dissertation committee, I am very proud of Jennifer’s accomplishments and look forward to the impact her work will have on immigrant and underresourced families.”

Jennifer will be recognized with the other Junior Scholar recipients at the 2021 SRCD Biennial Meeting in Minneapolis. Please join us in recognizing Jennifer for this incredible accomplishment.

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