Education

Ph.D. 1981, Iowa State University, Child Development

Specialization

Infancy and childhood development (birth to age 12); child development in out-of-home child care and communication between child care providers and parents to promote child development;school readiness and school preparation in out-of-home care; child development in poor, rural areas of developing countries.

Child and Family Focus, Child Care Resource and Referral

 As part of this project we collect data on factors associated with child care quality and child development in child care.  We are funded by federal pass-through funds as part of the ABC Block Grant.  We have one graduate assistantship working with providers on child care quality and early literacy.

CCAMPIS

This is a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education.  The purpose is to provide quality child care for undergraduate student parents and to investigate child care components that correlate with lower parent stress.  We have several graduate assistantships with this grant.

Aggie CARE

 This project is aimed at improving the quality of child care throughout Cache Valley and providing quality child care for USU faculty.  It is funded by the office of the Provost, USU.  I one doctoral assistantship with this project.

Child care provider-parent communication to enhance school readiness 

I have funding for this project from the USU Agricultural Experiment Station and have funding for one MS student.

Child Development in Rural Paraguay

This project is funded through Pastoral del Nino, a children's relief organization in Paraguay.  I have been working in Paraguay for 7 years and have helped Pastoral conduct a country-wide assessment of child development from birth to age 36 months.  I have also helped Pastoral and the Paraguayan Departments of Health and Education set up a country-wide parent-child stimulation project.

Faculty Development and Diversity

50% of my time is spent in Old Main where I serve as Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity. 

Something about me personally

Skiing is my ultimate passion!  This includes borth downhill and cross-country skiing.  I love to hike and camp, and have recently started exploring the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.  I enjoy all kinds of music and especially opera. I play the violin in the Cache Valley Chamber Orchestra. I also play the piano and organ.  I love to read and this summer enjoyed 1491, Three Cups of Tea, and, of course, HARRY POTTER.

Recent Publications 

Austin, A.M.B., Blevins-Knabe, B., de Aquino, C.N., de Burro, E.U., Park, K.E., Bayley, B., Christensen, M., Leavitt, S., Merrill, J., Taylor, D., & George, A.T.  Parent socialization, family economic well-being, and toddlers' cognitive development in rural Paraguay.  Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 20, 255-274.

 Chang, C-Y., Austin, A.M.B., & Piercy, K.  Provider management of child stress behavior in family daycare homes:  Scaffolding for learning and development by developmentally appropriate practice.  Journal of Genetic Psychology, 167(2), 159-177.