Psych Scoop, 11/5/19

November 5th, 2019

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 Announcements

1. New Psychology Event - Get to Know Your Faculty!

Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 12:45 pm- 1:45 pm
Cost: Free
Location: Elliott Hall N219

Exciting news! Our office is piloting a brand new event for students to connect with faculty outside of the classroom in a comfortable and informal setting. Get to know our first featured faculty, Dr. Richard Douglass, on a personal and academic level and enjoy Insomnia cookies. Dr. Douglass specializes in counseling psychology. He is currently doing research on understanding how minority groups are susceptible to stress and how those stressors are associated with general and vocational well-being. For the spring 2020 semester, he will also be teaching a special topics seminar (PSY 4960-002) on Positive Psychology. At the event, you can ask questions ranging from "How did you find your passion?" to "What is your favorite Netflix show?" Please RSVP as soon as you can! We can't wait to see you there.

2. Research Contract Maintenance- Plan Accordingly!

In preparation for the Spring semester, there will be planned maintenance on the Research Contract system. The contract system is going to be updated to make it easier to submit contracts, track their progress, and more. Because of this, the research contract system will not be accessible from today, Tuesday, November 5th through Monday, November 11th. We are hoping to launch the contract on Tuesday, November 12th, in time for Spring 2020 registration. There will be some significant changes so it is important to look for the upcoming instructional guides and videos. If you have any questions, email us at psyadvis@umn.edu.

Psychology Student Group Announcements

All 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.

3. Psychology Club Fall 2019 Meeting

Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 5:00 pm- 6:00 pm
Cost: Free
Location: Memorial Union 325

Hello All! Interested in using your skills and stepping into the shoes of a psychologist? Our next meeting is a Case Study Event on Tuesday, November 12th in Memorial Union 325 from 5:00 pm- 6:00 pm. There will be chips and salsa to go along with your deduction skills. We hope to see you there!

4. IOPC: Grad Panel Event and Upcoming Board Elections

Tuesday, November 13, 2019, 5:30 pm- 7:00 pm
Cost: Free
Location: Memorial Union
 210

We hope you are having a great November! Our most anticipated event of the year is only a week away from occurring, and we want you to be a part of it. We will be hosting a Grad Panel Event where grad students share experiences about everything regarding grad school work, the application process, and more. The event will be on Wednesday, Nov. 13th from 5:30 - 7:00 PMFree food and Coca-Cola beverages will be provided by the Student Unions and Activities office.

Additionally, do you want to contribute further to IOPC? If so, apply to be on our board! Check out more information on the board positions that are up for election. Fill out an application if you're interested. If you would like more information regarding the event or the board positions, email iopc@umn.edu.

5. Apply to be a General Officer of PISA for 2019-2020 Academic Year!

Psychology International Student Association (PISA) is recruiting General Officers for the 2019-2020 academic year! Please join us and get involved in bridging gaps between international and domestic students in Psychology. It will be a great opportunity for you to meet amazing people and to gain skills to be a leader within the Psychology community at the UMN. General officers who showcase commitment and prove responsibility will be considered for 2020-2021 board members as well! Current or previous student organization experiences are not required so just apply with your passion! If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at pisa@umn.edu. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Courses of Interest

6. PSY 4960-001: Interventions for Health and Wellness - 3 Credits

This is an advanced topics course for undergraduate students interested in learning about empirically-tested psychological interventions to increase health and happiness. Students will evaluate research on many types of intervention strategies, simultaneously learning about the strategies and learning how to conduct and evaluate intervention research. In the first third of the course, the focus will be on interventions to change health behavior, and students will test different strategies on themselves each week (as well as read the research literature on the strategies) as they attempt to maintain a new health goal. In the second two-thirds of the course, students will read about and test interventions (again, on themselves) to reduce stress and increase happiness. Students will also do a group project in which they use the psychological principles and strategies taught in class to create and implement an intervention to reduce the stress and/or increase the happiness of the campus community. The course will consist of lectures, discussions, and substantial hands-on learning. Prior or concurrent enrollment in PSY 3206: Health Psychology is strongly recommended but not required.

PSY 4960-001 meets Wednesdays from 9:00 am- 11:30 am

Elliott Hall N391

Instructor: Traci Mann

Note: this course counts as an elective in the Psychology majors. If you are a minor, please reach out to PsyAdvis@umn.edu for consultation.

7. PSY 4960-002: Introduction to Positive Psychology - 3 Credits

Students enrolled in this course will learn about the history of positive psychology along with its applications to several life domains, including relationships, career development, and personal growth. Additionally, the course will cover common critiques and misconceptions about positive psychology. Throughout the semester, students will learn about various interventions designed to enhance well-being and will practice implementing these techniques into daily life. The class will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. PSY 3001W: Introduction to Research Methods is recommended for this course.

PSY 4960-002 meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 pm- 3:45 pm

Elliott Hall S160

Instructor: Richard Douglass

Note: this course counts as an elective in the Psychology majors. If you are a minor, please reach out to PsyAdvis@umn.edu for consultation.

8. PSY 5960-002: Introduction to Scientific Computing - 3 Credits

This course will provide an introduction to practical computing for scientists. Topics will include regular expression, the Unix command line, shell scripting, the scripting language Python, the statistical computing platform R at an intermediate level, and remote computing resources. The intent is to provide students in behavioral genetics the tools needed to accomplish computationally intensive research tasks, but the material should be of use to students in a broad swath of behavioral and biological sciences. Completion of PSY 3801 strongly recommended. Contact the instructor for more information.

PSY 5960-002 meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:45 am- 11:00 am

Elliott Hall N423

Instructor: James Lee

Note: this course counts as an elective in the Psychology majors. If you are a minor, please reach out to PsyAdvis@umn.edu for consultation.

9. PSY 5960-003: Sex, Gender, and Cognition - 3 Credits

This is an advanced topics course for graduate and undergraduate students. Biological mechanisms of sex are variables that affect physiology and development throughout the body, including the brain. Many neuropsychiatric disorders seem to occur differently across genders. However, there are multiple biological mechanisms for sex, and in humans, sex mechanisms are distinct from gender identity. This course is intended to be a critical review of the psychology and neurobiology of sex and gender effects on cognition and behavior. It will focus primarily on executive functions, such as impulse control and decision making, as a candidate cognitive domain where sex and gender effects have been reported, and use these to discuss interpretations, caveats, and best practices in this research area. Over the course, we will cover the independent and dissociable biological spectrums of sex, how these are distinct from gender, and neural mechanisms these can act on. The course will conclude with discussions of how sex and gender can intersect with neuropsychiatric conditions and neurodiversity. Prior or concurrent enrollment in PSY 3011 and/or PSY 3061, and PSY 3001W strongly recommended but not required.

PSY 5960-003 meets Fridays from 9:05 am- 11:35 am

Elliott Hall N227

Instructor: Nicola Grissom

Note: this course counts as an elective in the Psychology majors. If you are a minor, please reach out to PsyAdvis@umn.edu for consultation.

Events

10. First Gen College Student Day Week!

Monday, November 4 - Friday, November 8, 2019
Cost: Free, lots of events!

The University of Minnesota celebrates National First-Generation Student Day (November 8th) for the whole week! Be sure to check out the various events throughout the week. Also, share your #UMNFirst story today.

11. All About Networking! for International Students presented with Marissa Smith with the UMN Alumni Association

Friday, November 8, 2019, 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm
Cost: Free
Location: Bruininks 117

Calling all UMN International Students! Do you know how to best use LinkedIn? Have you connected with UMN Alumni? Do you use the Maroon & Gold Network? Answer all of these questions and more at the upcoming workshop: All About Networking! Here we will learn important tips and strategies for networking, how to use online networking tools like LinkedIn and the Maroon & Gold Network successfully, and how to connect with UMN Alumni. Additional event information is available on GoldPASS and the International Careers Facebook Page. Email Jane, UMN International Career Consultant, at sitt0036@umn.edu, with any questions.

12. Institute of Child Development (ICD) Fall Undergraduate Research Event

Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 4:00 pm- 6:00 pm
Cost: Free, food provided
Location: Main floor hallway of ICD (Child Development) building

Learn about ways to get involved (for credit, volunteer, or pay) with child / developmental psychology research labs! Pizza will be provided. This could be a great event to find research positions for Capstone. Reach out to psyadvis@umn.edu if you have questions about applying CPSY 4994 Research to the Psychology majors.

Research

13. *Volunteer or Credit* REPAIR Lab Research Assistant Positions

The Research Exploring Psychological Assessment and Individualized Rehabilitation (REPAIR) Lab, led by Dr. Jacob Finn, at the Minneapolis VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC) is currently looking for three new volunteer research assistants. The REPAIR lab has two current projects: one outpatient traumatic brain injury study (TBI) and one longitudinal TBI study. The outpatient study focused on mild TBI, and the longitudinal study focuses on the full range of severity. Research assistant duties include screening participants, recruitment of new participants, scheduling research appointments, running research sessions, calling participants for follow-up assessments, conducting interviews to assess functioning, documenting efforts in clinical charts, coordinating participant payments, collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team, reporting progress to collaborators and other agencies, and disseminating results locally. Dr. Finn expects volunteer research assistants to commit at least 8 hours per week to the lab and to commit to at least two full 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 of 3.2 or higher, strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and a proficiency in Microsoft Office products. Interested parties should send a copy of their transcripts and a curriculum vitae/résumé to Dr. Finn at Jacob.Finn@va.gov.

14. *Volunteer or Credit* Research Assistant for Evidence-Based Trauma Treatments for Children – Ambit Network

The research intern at Ambit Network will assist Ambit Network staff at the Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health (ITR). Ambit Network is a dissemination and implementation initiative designed to bridge the gap between research and community practice. This is achieved through providing training in various evidence-based treatment models for children to mental health clinicians across Minnesota. Responsibilities include prepping training materials, data entry, troubleshooting, fidelity tracking, and basic data management. This project is headed by Dr. Abi Gewirtz, Director of ITR. Assistants will be supervised by Tanner Zimmerman, Ambit Network’s project manager. Qualified candidates should be extremely detail-oriented, able to work independently, comfortable with computer programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite, and willing to develop new skills and knowledge as it pertains to the project. Candidates must be pursuing a degree in Psychology, Child Psychology, or Family Social Science and be willing to commit 9-10 hours per week for the semester of enrollment (equates to 3 research credits). Hours are flexible, but will typically be scheduled between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. To apply, please send your resume and cover letter or letter of interest to Tanner Zimmerman at zimme766@umn.edu.

Learning Abroad

15. “Exploring the Good Life in Denmark”: Embedded study abroad seminar for Spring 2020

Interested in spending Spring break 2020 in Denmark studying the “good life?” Check out this faculty-led seminar for undergraduate students. The instructor is Dr. Michael Stebleton, Faculty, CEHD. Accepting priority applications for spring now. Scholarships are available. This is a 10-week course (8 weeks of class before the break; 9 days in country; 2 weeks after). Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the most livable cities in the world. On worldwide surveys of wellbeing, quality of life, and happiness, the Danes are consistently ranked at the top when compared to other global cities. Why do the Scandinavians appear to be so happy? What factors lead to satisfaction and a high quality of life? Using positive psychology and happiness research as conceptual frameworks, we will spend time in Copenhagen and take several day trips outside of the city to examine factors that contribute to the well-being and high quality of life. Email Dr. Stebleton at steb0004@umn.edu or contact the Learning Abroad Center. The application deadline has been extended to December 1st.

Jobs/Internship Opportunities

IMPORTANT: 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.

16. The Lazarus Project Internship and Practicum Opportunities

The Lazarus Project is currently offering paid practicum and internship placements for those interested in the psychology field. The Lazarus Project is a center-based program offering ABA services to children with ASD located in Plymouth and Mendota Heights. Employment is also available. Send your resumes to Kate Schroeder at kate@lazarusprojectmn.org or call 763-519-1197 with any questions.

17. Psychology Technician Position

A full-time psychology technician is available at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The technician will serve on a randomized clinical trial evaluating a cognitive intervention for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The technician will complete diagnostic interviews and individual symptom assessments with participants. The technician also will conduct cognitive and functional skill assessments with participants that included computerized cognitive measures, a neuropsychological battery, questionnaires, and role-play assessments. All activities will be conducted under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. The position is funded for 1.5 years. A Master’s degree in psychology is preferred. To learn more, please contact Tasha Nienow, Ph.D., LP at Tasha.Nienow@va.gov.

18. Lindahl Academic Center is Hiring Psychology Tutors!

The Lindahl Academic Center is hiring tutors for Spring 2020! Applicants must possess an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0, and have passed the course they want to tutor with an "A" or "B" (equivalent course from other universities okay). Tutors work as few as three hours and as many as twenty hours per week. The most common course we need tutors for is PSY 1001, however, we also have a need for 3XXX level or higher PSY classes. Below is a list of our most commonly requested PSY courses:

PSY 1001, PSY 3801, PSY 3051, PSY 3XXX

To apply, please look at our website. Feel free to reach out to our tutor coordinators, Adam Demchak at mdemchak@umn.edu and Ethan Fenske at fensk064@umn.edu if you have questions. From there, we will notify you via email if you have been selected for an interview.

19. Position Openings with MN Center for Twin & Family Research (Full- and Part-Time)

The Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR) is seeking applicants for one full-time position, as well as another part-time paid undergrad research assistant (UGRA) position. To view full job postings, go to the UMN Job Board and follow the instructions below.

Full-Time: MCTFR Research Professional 1: Research Assistant - Recruiter. Two positions are available. Click "External Applicants" or "Current U Employees" then search for the Job ID 334121.

Full-Time: ABCD Research Professional 1. One position is available. Click "External Applicants" or "Current U Employees" then search for the Job ID 333687.

Part-Time: Student Academic Support (ABCD UGRA). Click "Students," then search for the Job ID 331406.

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