Note: Abbreviated CV Listed below

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology. Carnegie Mellon University, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2005-2011.
Advised by: David Klahr (chair), Sharon Carver, Marsha Lovett, Robert Siegler
B.A. with Departmental Honors in Psychology, Minor in Business Administration. University of Miami, College of Arts & Science. 2001-2005. Honors Thesis advisor: Daryl Greenfield.
 
APPOINTMENTS & AFFILIATIONS
Associate Professor of Education, School of Education & Human Development, University of Virginia. 2016-present
Affiliated Faculty, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia. 2019-present
Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Rhodes College. 2014-2016
Postdoctoral Fellow, Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center, Temple University. 2011-2014.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS
Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)
Cognitive Development Society (CDS)
American Education Research Association (AERA)
International Mind, Brain and Education Society (IMBES)
European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)

SCHOLARSHIP

GRANTS
  • Jirout, J. (PI) (2022-2027). CAREER: Promoting science motivation and learning through instructional support of curiosity. National Science Foundation. ($865,251) 
  • Jirout, J., Opila, E. J., Wylie, C. D. (2021-2022). Curiosity out of the classroom: The impact of research experience on undergraduate students. 3 Cavaliers, Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Virginia. ($60,000)
  • Vitiello, V., Jirout, J., Evans, T. (2021-2022). IDEA: Bringing the Project Approach to Public Pre-K Programs: A Pilot Study. UVA School of Education and Human Development. ($10,000) Role: Co-I
  • Jirout, J. (PI). (2021-2023). Curiosity in the classroom: The science and application of curiosity-driven learning. Jacobs Foundation. (CHF 165’000)
  • Jirout, J. (PI). (2020-2023). Curiosity and Classrooms: An exploration of curiosity and the development of intellectual virtues in schools. John F. Templeton Foundation. ($799,935)
  • Jirout, J. (PI). (2017-2019). Motivating preschool students: Promotion of curiosity, growth mindset, and mastery goal orientation in teacher language in science and math. Spencer Foundation. ($49,880)
  • Jirout, J. (PI). (2017-2018). Motivating students: Promotion of curiosity, growth mindset, and mastery goal orientation in teacher language. Center for Curriculum Redesign. ($69,661)
  • Jirout, J. (2016). Curious about curiosity: The influence of young children’s achievement motivation on their curiosity. Faculty Development Endowment Grant, Rhodes College. ($5,000; declined- left institution)
  • Grissmer, D. (2013-2019). Developmental skills linked to math and science achievement: An interdisciplinary data-intensive approach to identification and improvement through experimental intervention. National Science Foundation. Role: 2017-2018 Contributor, curriculum development lead for coding and motivation. ($2.5M)
  • Jirout, J. (2010-2011). Curious about questions: A study of children’s curiosity and inquiry. Research Assistance for Graduate Students Grant, Carnegie Mellon University. ($4,000)
  • Jirout, J. (2008-2009). Children’s scientific curiosity: In search of an operational definition of an elusive concept. Research Assistance for Graduate Students Grant, Carnegie Mellon University. ($2,000)
  • Jirout, J. (2004). Psychology Research Initiatives Mentorship Experience, University of Miami. ($2,000).
  • Jirout, J. (2003). Psychology Research Initiatives Mentorship Experience, University of Miami. ($2,000).

HONORS AND AWARDS 
  • 2021-2023 Jacobs Foundation Research Fellow (With monetary award of CHF 165’000)
  • 2020-2021 Science of Teaching and Learning Scholar, Center for Teaching Excellence, UVA
  • 2019 Lasting Legacy honoree, Curry Education Council, UVA School of Education and Human Development              
  • 2016 Mellon Innovation Fellowship, Rhodes College. Declined; left institution. (With monetary award of $7,500)

PUBLICATIONS
*Indicates student author
Peer-Reviewed Articles
  • Jirout, J., Ruzek, E., Vitiello, V., Whittaker, J.V., & Pianta, R. (Accepted pending minor revisions). School enjoyment and the relation to the development of general knowledge. Child Development. 
  • Jirout, J., Zumbrunn, S., Evans, N., & Vitiello, V. (2022). Development and testing of the Curiosity in Classrooms Framework coding protocol. Frontiers in Psychology.
  • Evans*, N., Jirout, J., Scoville*, J., Wylie, C., & Opila, E. (In Press). “Where could this take me and what kind of interesting stuff could I do with that?”: The role of curiosity in undergraduate learning. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education.
  • Jirout, J., *Little, O., & *Carrol, M. (2022). Creating authentic engagement in online study participation for children. SAGE Research Methods.
  • *Hasan, F., Jirout, J., *Garzione, S., & Kranz, S. (2021). Changes in Learning Outcomes after Dietary Intervention in Preschoolers: A Pilot Study. Nutrients, 13(6), 1797.  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061797.
  • *Eisen, S., *Matthews, S., & Jirout, J. (2021). Parents’ and Children’s Gendered Beliefs About Toys and Screen Media. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 74, 101276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101276.
  • Jirout, J. & Klahr, D. (2020) Questions – and some answers – about young children’s question asking. Journal of Cognition and Development, 20(5), 729-753. doi:10.1080/15248372.2020.1832492.
  • Jirout, J. (2020). Supporting early scientific thinking through curiosity and question asking. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1717. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01717.
  • Ruzek, E., Jirout, J., Schenke, K., Vitiello, V., Whittaker, J. V., & Pianta, R. (2020). Using self-report surveys to measure PreK children’s academic orientations: A psychometric evaluation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 50, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.10.012.
  • Jirout, J., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Turnbull, K., *Gu, Y., *Cubides, M., *Garzione, S., Evans, T., Weltman, A., & Kranz, S. (2019). How Lifestyle Factors Affect Cognitive and Executive Function and the Ability to Learn in Children. Nutrients, 11(8), 1952. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081953.
  • Jirout, J., Holmes, C., *Ramsook, K. A., & Newcombe, N. (2018). Scaling up spatial development: A closer look at children’s scaling ability and its relation to number knowledge. Mind, Brain, and Education, 12(3), 110-119. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12182.
  • Jirout, J. & Newcombe, N. (2015). Building blocks for developing spatial skills: Evidence from a large representative U.S. sample. Psychological Science, 26(3), 303-310.
  • Jirout, J. J., & Newcombe, N. S. (2014). Mazes and Maps: Can Young Children Find Their Way? Mind, Brain, and Education, 8(2), 89-96.
  • Jirout, J. & Klahr, D. (2012). Children’s scientific curiosity: In search of an operational definition of an elusive concept. Developmental Review, 32 (2), 125-160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2012.04.002.
  • Klahr, D., Zimmerman, C. & Jirout, J. (2011). Educational interventions to enhance, enrich, and encourage children’s scientific thinking. Science, 333 (6045), 971-975. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1204528.
  • Jirout, J. (2011). Curiosity and the development of question generation skills. Proceedings of the AAAI 2011 Fall Symposium on Question Generation. Menlo Park, CA: Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Press.
  • Greenfield, D. B., Jirout, J., Dominguez, X., Greenberg, A. Maier, M., Fuccillo, J. (2009). Science in the preschool classroom: A programmatic research agenda to improve science readiness. Early Education and Development, 20(2), 238-264.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10409280802595441.
 
Chapters in Edited Volumes
  • Jirout, J. and *Matthews, S. (Publication date of June, 2022). Developing intellectual character: An educational perspective on how uncertainty-driven curiosity can support learning. In R. Beghetto and G. Jaegger (Eds.) Uncertainty: A catalyst for creativity, learning and development. New York, NY: Springer.
  • Jirout, J. and Newcombe, N. S. (2018). Relative magnitude as a key idea in mathematics cognition. In K. S. Mix & M. T. Battista (Eds.) Visualizing Mathematics: The Role of Spatial Reasoning in Mathematical Thought. New York, NY: Springer.
  • Jirout, J., Vitiello, V., & Zumbrunn, S. (2018). Curiosity in Schools. In G. Gordon (Ed.) The New Science of Curiosity. Hauppauge, NY: Nova.
  • Jirout, J. (2016). Curiosity. In D. Couchenour & J. Chrismen (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Jirout, J. & Pace, A. (2015). Scientific concepts, development in children. In J. D. Wright (Editor) International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2nd Edition. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Limited.
  • Jirout, J. & Zimmerman, C. (2015). Science process skills in young children. In K. Trundle & M. Saçkes (Eds.), Research in Early Childhood Science Education. New York, NY: Springer.
  • Klahr, D., Matlen, B. & Jirout, J. (2013). Children as scientific thinkers. In G. Feist & M. Gorman (Eds.), Handbook of the Psychology of Science. New York, NY: Springer.

TEACHING AND SERVICE
  • UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA  
    Regularly listed research and independent-study courses:  
    • Directed Research (independent study; EDLF 4995, 5993; PSYC 3590): Undergraduate research experience taught every spring and fall semester, enrollment of 1-4 undergraduate students who work in my lab for credit before taking on paid RAship 
    • Masters Research Internship (EDLF 8998): Masters-level research experience offered every spring and fall semester, enrollment of 1-4 MEd students who work in my lab for two-semester program requirement 
    • Doctoral Research Apprenticeship / Doctoral Dissertation (EDLF 9998, 9999): PhD-level research internship offered every spring and fall semester; enrollment of 1-2 PhD students for whom I serve as primary mentor)  
    • Instructor of Record. Into to Child Growth & Development (EDLF 3150). University of Virginia. S2026; S2025; S2024; S2023; F2022; S2022; F2021; S2021; F2020; F2018; F2017; F2016. 
      Instructor of Record. Cognitive Psychology & Education (EDLF 5260). University of Virginia. F2025; F2024; F2023; S2022; S2021; S2020; F2018; S2018; S2017 (taught as 5500). 
      Instructor of Record. Educational Psychology (EDLF 3160). University of Virginia. F2020. 
  • CURRENT AND PAST PHD STUDENTS:
    • Helena Goldbaum, 2025-2029 (expected)
    • Natalie Hutchins, 2023-2027 (expected)
    • Ryan Burke, MEd., PhD. 2021-2025 
    • Sierra Eisen, PhD. 2017-2020 
    • Shoronda Matthews, PhD. 2018-2022 
  • DOCTORAL DISSERTATION COMMITTEES  
    Chair:  
    2029 Helena Goldbaum, Education, University of Virginia 
    2027 Natalie Hutchins, Education, University of Virginia 
    2025 Ryan Burke, Education, University of Virginia  
    2022 Shoronda Matthews, Education, University of Virginia
    2020 Sierra Eisen, Psychology, University of Virginia (co-chair)  

    Member:  
    2026 Katie (Hyun Young) Cho, Developmental Psychology, Boston College 
    2024 Rania Abdelghani, Cognitive Science, Inria Center, University of Bordeaux 
    2024 Zoë Robertson, Psychology, University of Virginia 
    2024 Lee Leboeuf, Psychology, University of Virginia  
    2024 Hannah Puttre, Applied Human Development, Boston University 
    2023 Aditya Singh, Cognitive Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar 
    2023 Christina Carroll, Psychology, University of Virginia  
    2021 Natalie Evans, Psychology, Temple University  
    2019 Marianna Lamnina, Education, Columbia University  
    2018 Marissa Drell, Psychology, University of Virginia 
  • CURRENT MAJOR SERVICE ROLES:
    • Chair, Diversity Action Committee, University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development
    • Awards Committee Member, University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development 
    • School of Education and Human Development Faculty Senator Representative, University of Virginia 
    • Teaching Committee Member, Society for Research in Child Development