Dr. Xu received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Missouri. Her research expertise is in family relationships and child social emotional development. Before joining Pacific University, Dr. Xu was a Senior Policy Researcher at Vanderbilt University, where her work focused on examining the effectiveness of child care policies on families, children, and early educators. Dr. Xu’s clinical interests focus on the legacy of early experiences and its impact on individuals’ health outcomes and life trajectories. Her clinical background lies in working with court-mandated clients as well as clients who struggle with addiction. 

Dr. Xu currently serves on the Advisory Committee of Every Child Belongs, a statewide suspension and expulsion prevention program implemented by Oregon Early Learning & Care (DELC). It is her career goal to integrate developmental science, public policy, and clinical practice in promoting the success and wellbeing of families and children living in local communities. 

Education 

Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2022

M.A. in Counseling Psychology, University of Denver, 2017

B.B.A in Finance, Investment & Banking, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2013 

Professional Experiences  

Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Senior Policy Researcher, 2022-2025 

Research-to-Policy Collaboration, Policy Fellow, 2021-2022 

Areas of Research Expertise 

Child Development, Social Emotional Development, Developmental Neuroscience, Family Relationships, Attachment, Reminiscing, Parenting, Early Childhood Education, Family and Children Policies, Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) 

Teaching/Instruction 

GPSY 600 Development 

GPSY 687 Clinical Practicum 

Professional Affiliations 

Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD): 2015-Present