University of South Florida

College of Design, Art & Performance

University of South Florida

Jennifer Bugos

Biography

Jennifer A. Bugos is an Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of South Florida. She received her B.M (music education) from the University of Florida, M.M. (music education) from the University of Central Florida, and Ph.D. (music education and minor gerontology) from the University of Florida. She serves as the Internship Coordinator and teaches undergraduate courses in General Music Methods, General Music Pedagogy, and Senior Seminar as well as graduate coursework in Music Cognition. In 2013, she received the University of South Florida, Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Bugos taught piano, general music, children’s choir, and recorder ensemble for many years in Orange and Seminole County, Florida. While pursuing her doctorate, Bugos served as a secondary caregiver for her grandparents which led to an interest in gerontology. She wrote and facilitated an Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Research Grant to examine the effects of individualized piano instruction on cognitive abilities in older adults. In order to further pursue these interests, Bugos completed post-doctoral work at the UF Clinical-Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory under the direction of Dr. William Perlstein. In 2020, Dr. Bugos held an appointment during her sabbatical as a visiting scientist and worked with Claude Alain at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto, Ontario.

Research 

Dr. Bugos directs an interdisciplinary research lab, Music Research and Testing Lab (MRTL), of undergraduate and graduate students from across the USF campus. She also regularly mentors students as part of the Medical Humanities program. Dr. Bugos’ research interests include the neurological basis for music perception and cognition with regard to human development, lifelong learning, and cognitive transfer. Her interests have led to the development of new music education programs for healthy and clinical populations of children (Multimodal Music Training), and for adults (Keys to Staying Sharp; Piano for Parkinson’s). Her students have won research competitions as well as the USF Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation award. In 2018, she was recipient of the USF Outstanding Research Achievement award. In 2019, she received a USF Women of Leadership and Philanthropy award.

Publications

Bugos, J.A., DeMarie, D., Power, L., Stokes, C., & MacDonald, G., Forsman, A.
(under-review). The impact of a multimodal music training program on executive functions of children: A randomized controlled trial. Music Perception

Lu, L., Chen, L., Torres, M.R., Gbadamosi, A., & Bugos, J.A. (under-review). Active music interventions on cognitive and psychosocial outcomes in patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Bugos, J.A., DeMarie, D., Torres, M.R., Lamrani, D., & Gbadamosi, A.A. (in-review). The effects of a multimodal music program on facial affect in singing conditions in young children. Musicae Scientiae,

Bugos, J.A., DeMarie, D., Torres, M., Fuller, N.C. (accepted). Face the Music: Children’s facial affect in musical imitation and improvisation tasks. Psychology of Music

Fennell, A., Bugos, J.A., Payne, B.R., & Schotter. E. (2020) Music is Similar to Language in terms of Working Memory Interference. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review,

Bugos, J.A. (2020). Fund-a-mental Grant-Writing: Opportunities for teachers and researchers. Music Educators Journal, 106(3), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432119895565

Bugos, J.A. (2020). Enhancing self-efficacy in adult beginners: Empowering musicians through the Schulwerk. Orff Echo,

Bugos, J.A., Lesiuk, T., & Nathani, S. (2019). Piano training enhances Stroop performance and musical self-efficacy in older adults with Parkinson's Disease. Psychology of Music, https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735619888571

Bugos, J.A., Kantoris, C. & Pagan, J. (2019). Vocal instruction and improvisation in older adults. Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing Skills (Peer-Reviewed Book Chapter)

Bugos, J.A. (2019). The effects of bimanual coordination in music interventions on executive functions in older adults. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 13:68. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00068

Hudak, B., Bugos, J.A., Andel, R., Lister, J.L., Ji, M. (2019). Keys to staying sharp: A randomized clinical trial of piano training among older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 84, 1-11.

Bugos, J.A. & Cooper, P.K. (2018). The effects of mallet training on self-efficacy and processing speed in beginning adult musicians. Research Perspectives in Music Education.

Redman, D. & Bugos, J.A. (2018). Motivational factors in adult auditioned community choirs: The power of aesthetic experiences. Psychology of Music, 1-12. doi.org/10.1177/0305735618774900

Bugos, J.A. (2018). Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of piano training on cognitive and psychosocial outcomes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences: Neurosciences and Music VI, 1, 1-8.

Lesiuk, T., Bugos, J.A., Murakami, B. (2018). A rationale for music training to enhance executive functions in Parkinson’s disease: An overview of the problem. Healthcare, 6, 1-8.doi:10.3390/healthcare6020035.

Mieder, K., & Bugos, J.A. (2017). Enhancing self-regulated learning in high school instrumentalists. International Journal of Music Education, 35(4), 578-587.
doi.org/10.1177/0255761417689921

Bugos, J.A., & DeMarie, D. (2017). The effects of a short-term music program on preschool children's executive functions. Psychology of Music, 45(6), 855-867. doi.10.1177/030573617692666

Bugos, J.A., & Kochar, S. (2017). Efficacy of a short-term intense piano training program for cognitive aging: A pilot study. Musicae Scientiae, 21(2), 137-150. doi: 10.1177/1029864917690020.

Torrance, T.A., & Bugos, J.A. (2016). Music ensemble participation: Personality traits and musical experience. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 36(1), 28-36. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123316675481

Bugos, J.A., Maxfield, N, & Kochar, S. (2015). Intense piano training on self-efficacy and physiological stress in aging, Psychology of Music, 1-14, doi 10.1177/0305735615577250

Bugos, J.A. (2015). Greasing the skids of the musical mind: Connecting music learning to mind brain education. General Music Today. 1-7. doi: 10.1177/1048371314566236

Selph, C. & Bugos, J.A. (2014). Adult Perceptions of Participation in a Community Choir. Research Perspectives in Music Education, 16(2), 35-55.

Bugos, J.A. (2014). Technology and media in intergenerational learning (peer reviewed book chapter) In. S. O’Neill (Ed.) Music and media infused Lives: Music education in a digital age (pp.56-71). Montreal, QC: CMEA.

Bugos, J.A. (2014). Community music as a cognitive training program for successful aging. International Journal of Community Music, 7(3), 319-331.

Bugos, J.A., Heller, J., & Batcheller, D. (2014). Musical Nuance Task Shows Reliable Differences between Musicians and Non-Musicians. Psychomusicology: Music, Mind and Brain, 24(3), 207-213.

Bugos, J.A. (2014) The Advocacy Network: How to be a chopped champion in music education, Florida Music Director, 68(1), 11-20.

Bugos, J.A. & Lee, W. (2014). Perceptions of Challenge: The Role of Catastrophe Theory in Piano Learning. Music Education Research, 1-15. doi 10.1080/14613808.2014.899334

Bugos, J.A. (2014). Adult Learning Perceptions: Perspectives from Beginning Adult Musicians (ages 60-86). Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 32(2), 26-34.doi: 10.1177/8755123314521034.

Bugos, J.A., & Mazuc, J. (2013). Semantic clustering and processing speed in Suzuki violinists. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 198, 7-21.

Bugos, J.A., & Jacobs, E. (2012). Composition instruction and cognitive performance: Results of a pilot study. Research and Issues in Music Education, 10, 1-13.

Bugos, J.A., & Mostafa, W. (2011). Musical training enhances information processing speed. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 187, 7-18.

Bugos, J.A. (2010). The benefits of music instruction on processing speed, verbal fluency, and cognitive control in aging. Music Education Research International. 4, 1-9. (submitted in 2011 and published in 2010 as they were behind in publications).

Bugos, J.A., Nelson, J., & Dixon, M. (2009). Podcasting: A method of enhancing course perceptions and performance in music appreciation. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 6 (1), 1-11.

Bugos, J.A., & Groner, A. (2009). The effects of instrumental training on non-verbal reasoning in eighth-grade students. Research Perspectives in Music Education, 12, 14-19.

Bugos, J.A., & High, L. (2009). Perceived versus actual practice strategy usage by older adult novice piano students. Visions of Research in Music Education, 13, 1-26.

Bugos, J.A., Perlstein, W.M., Brophy, T.S., McCrae, C.S., & Bedenbaugh, P.H. (2007). Individualized piano instruction enhances executive functions and working memory in older adults. Aging and Mental Health, 11 (4), 464-471.

Grants/Fellowships

  • 2020 USF Proposal Enhancement Grant (PI)
  • 2019 USF Women of Leadership and Philanthropy: Tampa Campus (PI)
  • 2018 Florida Department of Health (Co-PI)
  • 2018 Florida Department of Health (Co-PI)
  • 2017 National Institutes of Health (Co-PI)
  • 2016 National Endowment for the Arts (PI)- Young children
  • 2016 National Endowment for the Arts (PI)- Older Adults
  • 2016 The GRAMMY Foundation
  • 2015 USF Conference Grant
  • 2013 USF Creative Scholarship Grant
  • 2012 AOSA Research Grant
  • 2008 Retirement Research Foundation

Current Studies

Current Courses

  • MUE 4311 General Music Methods
  • MUE 4936 Senior Seminar
  • MUE 4940 Internship
  • MUE 7816 Music Cognition