Research Assistants
Undergraduate Research Assistants Needed.
The major purpose for undergraduate research is to provide an opportunity for qualified undergraduates to obtain firsthand, supervised research experiences in psychology. Students may assist professors and/or graduate students with a research project by helping to prepare the study, collect data, and/or enter data into computers.
Students can obtain pass/fail elective credit for their assistance if desired, or they can serve as a research assistant voluntarily. Whichever option is selected, obtaining research experience can be a valuable asset when applying for graduate school or jobs after graduation.
Please read each project description carefully, and contact the professor or graduate student listed for further information.
Professor / Graduate Student: David McCabe
Projects: This project will investigate conscious and unconscious influences on memory performance.
Open RA positions: 1
Minimum Requirements: Minimum 3.00 GPA. Must be willing to commit to working at least 6 hours per week and be a Psychology major.
Contact: Dr. David McCabe, david.mccabe@colostate.edu
Professor / Graduate Student: Natalie Wolfson
When to Contact: By October 20th
Office: Clark B205
Phone: 847.924.7474
Project Description: This project examines how to design computer-based instruction to accommodate the learning needs of older adults.
Qualifications of Applicants: Reliable, responsible, and committed to the project. Seniors, juniors, and sophomores will be considered. Hours are flexible.
Duties of Applicant: Running older and younger subjects, helping out with some data analysis.
Positions Available: 7
Retroactive course credit is available. We can also talk about getting credit for THIS semester.
Professor / Graduate Student: Uma Tauber
Projects: Research exploring self-reflective processes of memory. The lab is additionally structured to reward RAs who work diligently with opportunity for promotion.
Open RA positions: 2
Minimum Requirements: Minimum 3.30 GPA. Must be willing to commit to holding the position for at least 2 semesters. Psychology majors preferred.
Contact: Uma Tauber stauber@lamar.colostate.edu
Projects: Cognition and Driving; Cognition and Motor Performance; and Cognition and Training. This work will include some research for a dissertation.
Open RA positions: 9
Minimum requirements: minimum 3.0 GPA. Prefer sophomore standing or higher, but incredibly motivated freshmen are okay. Prefer students who are looking to pursue graduate school.
Contact: Heather Mong at heather.mong@colostate.edu. Alternately, her RA application can be found at http://lamar.colostate.edu/~icemouse/RAapp.shtml
Project: Research study to design and evaluate an intervention program to encourage men to seek help for body image/eating disorder issues.
Open RA positions: 1 or 2 positions
Minimum requirements: Prefer junior or senior with 3.0 GPA who has taken PSY 250. Will consider motivated sophomore as well! Students interested in assisting for multiple semesters will be given preference.
Contact: Caitlin Shepherd, M.S., caitlin.shepherd@colostate.edu or (970) 491-6197
Project: Master’s Thesis - Effectiveness of a school-based program to increase body satisfaction in middle school boys and girls
Open RA positions: One
Minimum requirements: 3.0 GPA requirement, preferred that they have taken Research Methods and have a strong interest in body image and eating disorders.
Contact: Tiare MacDonald, tiarem@gmail.com
Project: Collecting and analyzing event-related potential (ERP) data in children and adults.
Open RA positions: 3
Minimum requirements: minimum 3.0 GPA, be comfortable working closely with children, and be willing to sign up for research credits (working at least 6 hours per week).
Contact: Carly Yadon, carly.yadon@colostate.edu or (970) 491-3284
Project: Cognition and Training. Most work will be with a computer program and running subjects through experiments during the semester.
Open RA positions: 2 RA positions available to work on this project for Fall 2009 and you will probably have the opportunity to stay on for the Spring 2010 semester as well.
Minimum requirements: Sophomore standing or higher, around a 3.5 Psychology GPA, and though completion of a cognitive psych course is not required, it will get you brownie points!
Contact: Robert Gutzwiller, robert.gutzwiller@colostate.edu or (970) 491-2675 (on-campus phone)
Project: Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Trainings. Responsibilities include data entry, basic data analysis, and attendance at weekly research team meetings. Opportunities for working on other projects and exploring own research interests are available.
Open RA positions: One (10 hours min time commitment per week)
Minimum requirements: Must have a GPA of at least 3.5. Must have taken PSY250.
Contact: Taylor Moore, jeffery.taylor.moore@gmail.com
Project: A longitudinal study focusing on the health and well-being of nurses and nursing students.
Open RA positions: One
Minimum requirements: The position is open to all class levels. A minimum GPA of 3.5 is preferred.
Contact: Paige Gardner or Julie Sampson paigegardner2@yahoo.com or Sampson.julie@gmail.com, or
491-2143 (email is best)
Project: The role of autonomy in skill acquisition for robot operators, using an Air Force-sponsored simulator with modified protocol and display approach.
Open RA positions: 3-4
Minimum requirements: Prefer seniors or juniors with a bit of experience in the application of research methods, but I’d prefer highly motivated and reliable students over experienced folks who just aren’t into the project or conducting research in general.
Contact: John Blitch at john.blitch@colostate.edu or (303) 968-7329, office in Clark A21
Posting Date: 08/25/09
Professor / Graduate Student: Josh Liff and Brian Hurd, Doctoral Candidates
When to Contact: As soon as possible.
Email: Josh.Liff@gmail.com with any questions. Please click here to download an RA application in Word format.
Office: Clark B208
Phone: 970.430.6891
Project Description: This project will examine whether individual difference characteristics and work context (i.e., working virtually versus face-to-face) have an effect on individuals working in a group setting on on an engaging team marketing competition. The goal of this research is to help organizations understand the factors that influcence task performance and reactions to actual feedback on the job.
Qualifications of Applicants: Seniors, juniors, and sophomores who are interested in learning more about the study of psychology at work should apply. Additionally, students who are interested in behavioral observation for counseling and social psychology careers should also apply. RAs should be reliable, responsible, and committed to the project. Hours are flexible.
Duties of Applicant: Duties vary. RAs will be conducting experiements involving some deception (no data entry is involved). Experiments will be conducted during October and November. Training will be provided.
Lead RAs will oversee all aspects of the laboratory experiment session(s) that they are running. General RA duties include: setting up materials for the experiment, verifying study attendance, taking behavioral observation notes to rate participants’ performance during a team marketing task, composing feedback reports, and debriefing participants.
Positions Available: 10-12
Course credit is available (PSY486V) if you sign up before September 8th 2009.
Posting Date: 08/21/09
Professor / Graduate Student: Adam Vanhove, M.S. candidate
When to Contact: applications are due by 5pm on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
E-mail: avanhove@lamar.colostate.edu with questions or to submit electronic application. Application is located here and is a Word document.
Office: Clark B206
Phone: (970) 491-6002
Project Description: Our research involves a developmental assessment center (DAC). Here, participants take part in a number of “role-playing” exercises, all of which revolve around an overarching fictitious scenario in which there is a problem and an almost infinite number of solutions. In these exercises participants’ behavior is assessed in areas important to most careers. Participants are then provided feedback regarding their performance on these skills (e.g., teamwork), as well as provided with resources for improving abilities in these areas.
Qualifications of Applicants: Individuals must be responsible, reliable and able to work independently at times. RAs must be able to commit 10 hours a week to the program. In exchange, you will receive 3 independent study credits. Hours are fairly flexible as you will be able to create your own weekly schedule. Individuals will be chosen based on seniority, academic standing (e.g., GPA), and availability.
Duties of Applicant: Research position involves running participants during data collection sessions, behavioral observation and assessment, and providing feedback to participants through written reports. We will hold weekly lab meetings as well. Through this research position you will receive behavioral observation training which is useful to all individuals within psychology, but is an especially important skill for those looking at careers in human resources, counseling, and clinical psychology.
Positions Open: 15-20.
Posting Date: 06/09/09
Professor / Graduate Student: Lisa D. Blalock, M.S.
When to Contact: Visit http://lamar.colostate.edu/~ldurranc/Research.html to fill out an online application or e-mail to arrange a meeting.
E-mail: lisa.durrance@colostate.edu
Office: Clark A 022D
Phone:(970) 491-3284
Project Description: We are conducting a variety of studies in the lab that are investigating how people remember and process visual and spatial information. Some specific research projects include how people encode, maintain, and retrieve spatial information, how those processes are related to fluid intelligence, and the role of attention in spatial memory.
You can visit my website (http://lamar.colostate.edu/~ldurranc) more more information on my research and to fill out an online application.
Qualifications of Applicants: Reliable, conscientious, self-motivated, GPA of 3.5 or higher, be able to work 3-9 hours a week.
Duties of Applicant: Scheduling and running subjects, entering data, and setting up experiments and experiment materials.
Positions Open: Many! Course credit is available if you sign up before the add/drop date and hours are flexible.
Posting Date: 09/03/09
Professor/Graduate Student: Silvia Sara Canetto/Lauren Lessner
When to Contact: Before May 2010
Email: Lauren Lessner at laurenlessner@yahoo.com or Prof. Silvia Sara Canetto at silvia.canetto@gmail.com
Project Description: This National Science Foundation-sponsored study investigates psychological and social factors in the educational and career choices and experiences of students and professionals in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and math), with a particular focus on Atmospheric and Geo Sciences.
Qualifications of Applicants: We are seeking students who are reliable, responsible, detail-oriented, organized and self-motivated. Students who have a GPA of 3.0 or greater, have taken PSY250, and demonstrate a background or strong interest in diversity studies (including gender, ethnicity and international studies) are preferred. The project requires a 9 hour minimum time commitment per week and availability for a minimum of two semesters. Being willing and able to participate in a one-hour Monday morning lab meeting is also a plus.
Application Instructions: Interested applicants should email an application statement to Lauren Lessner (laurenlessner@yahoo.com) and Prof. Silvia Sara Canetto (silvia.canetto@gmail.com).
Please include your CV and one reference. The application should address your research interests and experience.
Duties of Applicant: Research assistants are typically trained and involved in various aspects of the study, including interview transcription, data coding and analysis, assisting in the preparation of research presentations and publications, and when appropriate or needed, interviewing. Research assistant credit is available, with each credit corresponding to three hours of work per week.
Positions Open: 2 Undergraduate Research Assistant positions are available. PSY496 Course credit (elective) is available and recommended. Research assistance work can also be used as part of an independent study project for students working towards their Women’s Studies certificate.
Posting Date: Ongoing
Professor / Graduate Student: Ben Clegg
When to Contact: e-mail to arrange a meeting
E-mail: Benjamin.Clegg@colostate.edu
Office: A11
Phone: 970.491-2211
Project Description: Research assistant for projects looking at learning.
Qualifications of Applicants: Reliable, conscientious, self-motivated student. GPA of 3.5 or greater.
Duties of Applicant: Help run subjects and code data.
Other Information: Ideal opportunity for students considering graduate studies in cognitive psychology.
Positions Open: Not posted.