Profile

Improving the outcomes of young children with developmental concerns has been at the core of Dr. Squires’ professional career.  First, as a preschool special education teacher and elementary reading specialist, and then as a professor, Dr. Squires has focused on early identification and intervention for diverse young children with, and at-risk for disabilities and their families. Throughout her 30-year career at the Center on Human Development and the Early Intervention Program at the University of Oregon, she has developed and conducted research on assessments and intervention tools to assist in optimizing children’s developmental outcomes and well-being. These tools now reach literally around the world and put caregivers and parents at the heart of conducting assessments and leading interventions with their young children. As Principal Investigator on numerous research and demonstration grants, she has excelled in expertise pertinent to developing and evaluating effective developmental and social emotional assessments and intervention systems, program evaluation, teaming and interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems implementation.

Professor Squires’ work on the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, and Social Emotional Assessment Measure (SEAM) are her signature accomplishments, with the ASQ being the most widely used assessment in the world today.  These tools have been translated into nearly 100 languages and are used in screening and early intervention systems literally throughout the world. In addition to these tools, she has published more than 100 scientific journal articles, 10 book chapters, and four books. Grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences and Office of Special Education Program; Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families; several foundations and state health departments have funded this work.

Dr. Squires has taught master’s and doctoral students and directed the master’s and doctoral programs in the Early Intervention/Special Education area.  Students and mentoring have been her joy and great legacy.  To date, Professor Squires has graduated 36 doctoral students and served as committee member on 10 additional committees and as outside member for 19 students.  She has advised 315 master’s students and conducted 12 faculty tenure reviews, as well as informally advised doctoral students in 12 additional countries.

Dr. Squires has served on numerous University of Oregon Committees and Councils over 30 years, as well as on national boards such as for the Division of Early Childhood, Council of Exceptional Children; American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for Disease Control, Expert Milestone Work Group; and Help Me Grow Pediatricians Supporting Parents. She has also served on 6 editorial boards for professional journals in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education and conducted guest reviews for 25 additional journals in pediatrics, nursing, health, speech and language, human development, and special education.