Psych Scoop, 11/16/21
November 16th, 2021 |
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The Psych Scoop is sent to all Psychology Undergraduate students and alumni every Tuesday throughout the academic school year. Share your news with psyadvis@umn.edu! |
Psychology Advising AnnouncementsFeedback for the department? Check out our suggestion box. 1. Internships in Psychology Information SessionWednesday, November 17th, 2021, 4:00 pm- 4:45 pm CST This session provides an overview of internship opportunities for Psychology students. How to search for internship opportunities, an overview of our PSY 3896: Internship in Psychology class, and find out how to make an internship part of your Psychology Major or undergraduate experience. Sign-up to attend! |
Psychology Student Group AnnouncementsAll students interested in Psychology are welcome to participate in Psychology student organizations. No previous participation or membership is required. If you're interested, please attend! To learn more, visit our website. 2. Psych Club Event IdeasPlease fill out this form to tell Psych Club which events interest you and which do not. Also at the end, if you have any ideas for events please write them down. |
Events3. Employment-Based Visas and Permanent Residency Session with Immigration Attorney, John MedeirosWednesday, November 17th, 2021, 11:30 am- 1:00 pm CST Join us for a live “Watch Party” of a recorded presentation discussing the various types of employment-based visas (including H-1B) and paths to permanent residency (“green card”). The presentation will be done by John Medeiros, an immigration attorney with nearly 30 years of experience in immigration law. This event will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, November 17th at 11:30 am CST, and it will include a live Question and Answer opportunity with John who will be present to address your questions. This event will also be recorded and shared on the ISSS website. There will also be a separate workshop exclusively about H-1B visas in early December. RSVP for the Zoom link. 4. Track Assistant Professor Psychological Approaches to Health Equity Search: Juan Del Toro, Ph.D. - Integrating Social and Biological Approaches to Understand the Antecedents and Consequences of Racial DiscriminationWednesday, November 17th, 2021, 2:00 pm- 3:00 pm CST Racial inequities are deeply rooted in the United States. Nationwide data suggested that one-in-four youth of color experienced interpersonal racial discrimination, let alone the structural and institutional barriers they frequently encounter. In my talk, I will present how I integrate social surveys, administrative records, and biological data to understand how racial discrimination shapes human development across the lifespan from childhood to adulthood. Specifically, I use multi-method, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approaches to elucidate: (1) why specifying perpetrators of racial discrimination matters for child development and (2) the direct and intergenerational consequences of involvement in the criminal justice system. I will conclude with my ongoing and future directions utilizing behavioral genetic approaches to study health disparities among twin children of color. Throughout my presentation, I will discuss my engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion in my research, teaching, and service. 5. Track Assistant Professor Psychological Approaches to Health Equity Search: Emily Vargas, Ph.D. - Psychosocial Stressors and Assets: Implications for Health DisparitiesThursday, November 18th, 2021, 3:00 pm- 4:00 pm CST Discussions of health disparities by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender identity have been brought to the forefront of national discourse. Despite scientific and technological advancements, marginalized and underserved populations continue to bear disproportionate burdens of disease, illness, and reduced well-being. Therefore, research investigating factors that put these groups at a disadvantage, and factors that increase the likelihood for achieving positive health outcomes, is an immediate priority. In the current talk, I will present two papers examining the impact of psychosocial stressors, including the examination of 1) discrimination on psychological health, through perceived control, among African Americans with hypertension and 2) depressive symptoms on subclinical heart failure among a community-based sample of South American Hispanic adults. Finally, I will discuss current and future research directions regarding the importance of psychosocial assets and positive psychology interventions as critical starting points for taking action toward disparity reduction and mobilizing positive change. 6. Germany Career Kickstarter for UMN StudentsFriday, November 19th, 2021, 12:00 pm- 1:30 pm CST Are you curious about careers in Germany? Join this Zoom session led by Germany Career Coach Jessica Schüller to learn about a variety of topics that will help you plan, prepare, and launch your career in Germany. We will discuss how to search and apply for both internships and long-term career opportunities. The presenter will provide access to guides and a resource site of helpful links for all attendees. Please register here. All UMN students and recent UMN alumni are welcome to attend. This program is funded by the UMN Student Services Fee. Please email Jane, UMN International Career Consultant, at sitt0036@umn.edu with any questions. All UMN students, recent UMN alumni, and UMN faculty and staff are welcome to join. 7. Track Assistant Professor Psychological Approaches to Health Equity Search: Drexler James, Ph.D. - Internalized Racism and Health: Pathways, Scientific Evidence, and Future ResearchMonday, November 22nd, 2021, 9:00 am- 10:00 am CST Internalized racism leads racial minorities to internalize (or accept) racist beliefs and stereotypes about their group. However, relative to other forms of racism (e.g., interpersonal, systemic) research investigating the relationship between IR and health is lacking. In this talk, I present a summary of historical and contemporary conceptualizations of internalized racism. I then present evidence, from my research, of mechanisms associating internalized racism with health outcomes among Black Americans. Last, I discuss current limitations in internalized racism scholarship, and how I plan to address said limitations in my future and ongoing research. This research contributes to our understanding of how racism leads to and exacerbates racial health disparities. |
Courses of Interest8. PSY 3896: Internship in Psychology - 1-4 CreditsMake your internship experience count toward your PSY Major! The class credits (1-4 credits) are based on the number of hours that you work at your internship during the Spring 2022 semester. The online course assignments are a complement to your learning in your internship setting. Example sites from the past include Minneapolis Public Schools, People Serving People, Sexual Violence Center, Tubman, and the Walk-In Counseling Center. Look for more opportunities in the Psych Scoop and even more on GoldPass. You have time! Late registration is allowed through the end of the 2nd week of Spring semester. Steps to register for PSY 3896: PSY 3896 is completely online Instructor: Michael Houlahan Note: this course counts as elective credit for the Psychology majors only. 9. PSY 4206: Interventions for Health and Wellness - 3 CreditsThis is an advanced topics course for undergraduate students interested in learning about empirically-tested psychological interventions to increase health and happiness. In the first half of the course, the focus will be on interventions for wellbeing, and students will test different strategies on themselves each week (as well as read the research literature on the strategies) as they attempt to increase their happiness levels. In the second half of the course, the focus will be on interventions to change health behavior, and students will again test different strategies on themselves each week as they attempt to maintain a new health goal. A group project will involve creating an intervention to increase happiness on campus. The course consists of lectures, discussions, data collection, etc. Limited to 30 students. Prerequisite: PSY 3206 is recommended, but not required. PSY 4206 will meet in Elliott Hall N391, Wednesdays from 9:00 am- 11:30 am CST Instructor: Traci Mann Note: This course was formerly PSY 4960-001, acceptable as a Distribution Area B course for the majors or minors or a Psychology elective. 10. PSY 4960 - 002: Psychology & Diversity Science - 3 creditsThis is an advanced course for undergraduate students interested in research, theory, history, and practice related to psychological perspectives in Diversity Science. Diversity Science broadly pertains to understanding causes, consequences, and correlates of human group-based variations, in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and the like. Students will learn how to adopt a scientific, analytic perspective on current issues and debates related to diversity within both academic research and popular culture. The course consists of lectures, discussions, and a substantial amount of hands-on learning through use and analysis of relevant research data. The prerequisite is PSY 3001W. In addition, completion of PSY 3301 is strongly recommended. PSY 4960 - 002 will meet in Bruininks 131A, Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:45 am- 11:00 am CST Instructor: Moin Syed Note: This course will be renumbered to PSY 4301, acceptable as a Distribution Area B course for the majors or minors or a Psychology elective. 11. PSY 4960 - 003: Advanced Topics in Quantitative Methods: R Programming - 3 creditsConducting psychological research involves collecting data, but what happens next? Completing research projects involves more than just analyzing data! In this course, we will learn about the research pipeline and how to incorporate Open Science practices to generate reproducible and transparent analyses. Specifically, students will learn both basic and advanced R programming to carry out data cleaning, analyses, and visualization. Finally, students will learn how to share their code and data via GitHub. A large component of this course will involve hands-on programming that will culminate in an independent final project. It is strongly suggested that students take PSY3801: Introduction to Psychological Measurement and Data Analysis prior to taking this course, but it is not required. PSY 4960-001 is Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45 am- 11:00 am CST, room TBD Instructor: Dr. Amanda Woodward Note: this course counts as elective credit for the Psychology majors. If you are a minor, please email us at psyadvis@umn.edu about the course. |
Research12. *Credit or Volunteer* RA Position with a Longitudinal Study of Resilience in Military Service Members - 1 Year+The Advancing Research on Mechanisms of Resilience (ARMOR) Project, under the direction of Dr. Melissa Polusny at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, is looking for research assistants for the 2021-2022 school year and beyond! The current longitudinal study examines processes contributing to resilience in military personnel. Research assistants who join the ARMOR Project will receive extensive training and gain hands-on experience conducting a large cohort study that utilizes evidence-based longitudinal tracking and survey methods. This is a volunteer position and requires a minimum of 10-12 hours per week commitment onsite at the Minneapolis VA and attendance at our in-person weekly lab meeting. Students accepted to the lab can apply to receive research credit for the course PSY4993 after committing 2-3 months as a volunteer. Preference will be given to students who have a minimum GPA of 3.5, are available year-round, and are able to make a multiple-semester commitment. Veterans or those with experience working with veterans or the military may be given priority. To apply, send an email with “ARMOR RA Position” in the subject line to the Project Coordinator, Shelly Hubbling at michelle.hubbling@va.gov. Include your cover letter, resume/CV, and copies of your unofficial transcripts. 13. *Credit, Volunteer, or Paid* Research Assistant Studying Traumatic Brain Injury and Traumatic Stress at Minneapolis VADrs. Seth Disner, Nicholas Davenport, and Scott Sponheim are looking for a full-time or part-time paid Research Assistant to work at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. This individual will assist in projects investigating the long-term neurologic effects and treatment outcomes related to traumatic brain injury and stress disorders in military service members. Research methods use genetic analysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cognitive testing, and assessments of trauma exposure and symptoms. Responsibilities will include overseeing participant recruitment, collection/management of genetic samples, and management of study-related databases (including large-scale genomic and imaging datasets from international collaborations). Additionally, the opportunity exists for qualified candidates to become involved in data analysis under the supervision of study investigators (including possible MRI and/or genomic analyses). This position is only available to citizens of the United States. Those looking to be paid for the experience must currently hold a 4-year degree. Successful candidates typically have an academic background in psychology or related sciences and a 3.5 GPA or higher. The preferred candidate has experience working with military veteran populations, administering clinical assessments, and experience with data management/statistical analysis programs. If you are interested, please send a copy of your cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcripts to Dr. Seth Disner at disne014@umn.edu. 14. *Volunteer* Internship with Clinical and Research ExperienceThe Center for Practice Transformation in the School of Social Work is seeking highly motivated volunteer student interns to assist with community-based research. CPT is currently conducting outcomes research with a large substance use disorder treatment provider based in Minnesota. Student responsibilities would include participant outreach, phone-based data collection, and data entry. Qualifications include excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills; basic computer skills including use of Microsoft Excel, interest in clinical care for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, and the ability to work remotely. Preference will be given to students who are able to commit to 12 months of involvement and have availability after 12 pm for 2-10 hours per week. To apply, please contact Jennifer Wiseman at wisem017@umn.edu with a brief statement of your interest and CV or resume. 15. *Credit or Volunteer* VA TBI Research OpportunityThe Research Exploring Psychological Assessment and Individualized Rehabilitation (REPAIR) Lab, led by Dr. Jacob Finn, at the Minneapolis VA is looking for new volunteer research assistants. Current projects focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in service members and veterans. Research assistant duties include screening and recruiting participants, scheduling research appointments, running research sessions, conducting follow-up assessments, conducting interviews to assess functioning, documenting efforts in clinical charts, collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team, and reporting progress to collaborators. Dr. Finn expects volunteer research assistants to commit at least 8 hours per week to the lab. Due to the training required, volunteers are expected to commit to at least two semesters in the lab. REPAIR research takes place in a medical rehabilitation environment, and as such, professional behavior and attire are expected. Ideal candidates will have a GPA ≥ 3.2, strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and a proficiency in Microsoft Office products. Per Department of Veterans Affairs policy, all research assistants must be U.S. citizens. Interested parties should send a copy of their transcripts and a curriculum vitae to Dr. Finn at Jacob.Finn@va.gov. 16. *Credit or Volunteer* Social Interaction LabDr. Jeff Simpson’s Social Interactions Lab is seeking motivated and reliable research assistants (RAs) to join our team for an ongoing project about parenting, parent-child relationships, and adult romantic relationships. We will be collecting data from parents and their children. Data collection will occur in person. We do not currently have any remote opportunities available and will not consider applicants who cannot attend in-person lab sessions. Because we have many community participants, we must be flexible in scheduling the lab sessions. That means most of the time you will be working in the evening and on weekends, and the schedule will change from week to week. Successful applicants must have at least 6 chunks of 3+ hours available each week and these times must include weekends and evenings. Prospective RAs should be able to commit ~9 hours/week. We are hiring for RAs to start both immediately and in the spring 2022 semester. A strong preference will be given to applicants who can start sooner than the spring semester, though applicants for any start date between now and the spring semester are welcome. To learn more about our lab, please visit our website. Apply online. If you have any questions about these positions, you can contact the project supervisor, Jami Eller, via email at eller091@umn.edu. 17. *Credit or Volunteer* Research Assistant Studying Effects of Under-Representation in Face PerceptionCan training help people to better recognize faces from groups they see less of? Research assistants are needed to help design study and test participants. Some coursework in Cognitive or Perceptual Psychology and Research Methods is a plus, but not required. The position is for Spring Semester, and longer if desired, either for PSY 5993 credit or volunteer hours, with some paid hours possible. If interested, or to find out more, contact Prof. Stephen Engel by email at engel@umn.edu. |
Engagement18. Apply to Volunteer at The Aurora CenterApplications are now open to apply to volunteer at The Aurora Center. The Aurora Center offers volunteer opportunities at The University of Minnesota that are focused on providing support to survivors and educating to the campus. All positions are designed to foster leadership and professional skill development for volunteers. The Aurora Center is an advocacy office on campus that supports victim-survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Applications are due November 22 at 4 p.m. |
Jobs/Internship OpportunitiesIMPORTANT: Organizations listed below are not necessarily affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Psychology or Psychology Undergraduate Advising. Please exercise the same discretion you would in viewing any other source. 19. MCTFR Research Professional 1 (ABCD Research Assistant)The Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR) seeks to hire one ABCD Research Assistant (8352R1: Researcher 1) responsible for executing all tasks associated with the ABCD(Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development) protocol which include neuroimaging, neurocognitive assessments, and clinical interview or self-report measures designed to assess eligibility criteria, psychopathology, medical health, social relationships, personality, and substance use, and more. Research Assistants will review data to assure quality and transfer data to ABCD Informatics Center. They will work closely with the ABCD research participants assessing complex psychological traits. A bachelor's degree in psychology or related field is required, as well as a flexible work schedule (evenings and weekends) and the ability to work onsite at and transition between the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) and Elliott Hall. Research experience, knowledge of the DSM, excellent verbal communication, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work independently are preferred. Apply online (internal applicants and external applicants). 20. ABCD Undergraduate Research AssistantThe Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR) seeks to hire two undergraduate research assistants (UGRAs) registered for study at the University of Minnesota for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study as "ABCD UGRA” (2221: Student Academic Support) responsible for assisting the ABCD Researcher Assistants in completing on-site and remote protocols for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. The position will also require data entry and other miscellaneous duties. Learn more and apply. 21. Residential Counselor - AvantiShare your talent and experiences to enrich the lives of youth who are struggling with their mental health. Join a team of passionate people, develop your skills, and begin your career working for the common good. At Avanti, we build lives. Youth who are struggling with their mental health often feel hopeless and lost. Avanti helps youth ages 12-17 and whose sex is assigned as female build hope and a path forward. As part of Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin, Avanti provides therapeutic residential treatment. With the support of staff, residents learn to leverage their strengths to develop self-love, mindfulness, and healthy habits that promote well-being for life. We don’t just save lives; we help build them. Get paid while gaining experience in the mental health field with wages starting at $15.50/hr and performance raises every 6 months. Feel free to visit our website to learn more. Apply on our website or reach out to Brienna Cool at brienna.cool@voamn.org if you have any questions about applying. Requirements: must be 21 years of age, must have a driver’s license, and must have a high school diploma or GED. 22. Administrative AssistantDavid Hoy & Associates is a group therapy practice looking to hire a full-time Administrative Assistant. This is the perfect position for someone graduating with a major in Psychology! The position is partially remote, partially in person at our offices. Please contact Nicole Recke to learn more by email at nicole.recke@davidhoy.com. |
