Psych Scoop, 8/31/21 - Research Edition

August 31, 2021 - Research Edition

The Psych Scoop is sent to all Psychology Undergraduate students and alumni every Tuesday throughout the academic school year. 

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Research

1. Think Like a Researcher

Think like a Researcher is designed to help undergraduate students become comfortable with the research skills and tools needed to participate. It is designed to bring students, especially first-year and second-year students, from different colleges together to learn. Topics include benefits and challenges of research, finding faculty mentors, videos with advice from student researchers, examples of student projects, and more. Learn about the wide variety of ways to get started with research including volunteer, taking a course, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), Undergraduate Research Scholarship (URS), summer research, and more. Apply for Fall 2021 today!

2. *Credit* Fall 2021 Undergraduate Research Opportunity in Social Psychology

We are seeking undergraduate students to work in Professor Marti Hope Gonzales’s research lab to help with a research project on how people explain wrongdoing and react when others confront them about their bad behavior. RAs will primarily assist in reviewing the literature, creating study materials, coding, and analyzing data. In addition, RAs will attend weekly meetings, which are typically 1-1.5 hours. During Fall Semester 2021, meetings will be held from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM on Tuesdays. Preference will be given to students (a) who have previous research experience, (b) who can attend weekly meetings (Zoom, in person depending on the present circumstance), and (c) commit to two or more semesters in the lab. If interested, please send your current transcript and your CV to Hyunsuk Lee (lee01960@umn.edu) by September 1st. Students will then be sent the application and considered for the position. Students may earn 3 credits for PSY 5993.

3. *Credit or Volunteer* Psychophysiology Lab

The laboratory of Dr. Justin Anker is looking for 1-2 undergraduate volunteers in an ongoing stress and psychophysiology study in the Department of Psychiatry. The purpose of the study is to identify markers of recovery for alcohol use disorder and other stress-related mental health conditions. Primary duties initially include the maintenance of experimental protocols (e.g. data entry, literature searches, assisting/prepping participants for psychophysiology data collection) with the opportunity for growth into greater responsibilities. This position requires a commitment of at least 10 hours per week. Those able to make a multiple-semester commitment will be given priority. If you are interested, please send a brief introduction and copy of your resume to the study contact, Meaghyn Kramer, krame706@umn.edu.

4. *Volunteer* Undergraduate Research Opportunity in Child Psychiatry

We are looking for students to volunteer in Dr. Meredith Gunlicks-Stoessel’s adolescent depression research lab. Students will primarily work on a research project evaluating the effectiveness of personalized interventions for adolescent depression delivered in community mental health care settings. Responsibilities will include administering data collection procedures with adolescents and parents, coding open-ended survey responses, and data entry. Qualified candidates must be highly motivated, able to work independently, detail-oriented, and willing to develop new skills as the need arises. Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills; organizational skills; and comfort using basic computer programs such as Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Excel, and web applications are also required. Candidates must be pursuing a degree in Psychology or a related field and be willing to commit 4 hours per week for the academic year, including some weekday evenings and weekend mornings. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume (including GPA and class year) to ptad@umn.edu.

5. *Credit* Brain white Matter Structure and Substance Abuse

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a relatively new type of MRI scan that quantifies aspects of the fine structure of white matter, especially in the large fiber tracts that connect different brain regions. As such, it is a promising method for understanding the nature of the effects of problematic drinking and other forms of substance use on brain white matter microstructure. For this directed study, students will screen raw DTI data for image quality, a critical first step in analyses of DTI data to be conducted concerning associations between adolescent and young adult alcohol use and abuse and white-matter structure in a twin sample. Students will complete a 5-page paper on a topic of interest, such as a review of the longitudinal DTI literature as it relates to adolescent and young adult substance abuse or associations between a family history of problematic drinking and DTI. As a group, we will briefly review how DTI works, and we will discuss the cotwin-control method for separating true environmental effects from a predisposition based on genetic and family influences. If interested, send a copy of your transcript, resume, and a brief (one paragraph) statement of why you’re interested in this opportunity to both Drs. William Iacono (wiacono@umn.edu) and Steven Malone (smalone@umn.edu).

6. *Credit or Volunteer* CPSY 4994 Directed Research Opportunity Fall 2021

The Gunnar Lab in the Institute of Child Development is looking for student research assistants for fall 2021. Our research focuses on stress and the effects of early life experiences in children. We have a few research studies looking for help as testing specialists and experimenters. As a testing specialist, you will act as a judge or research buffer while participants give a speech and do verbal math. Testing specialists must be available for 1.5-2 hour shifts between 2:30-8:30 pm on multiple days, including weekends. Reliable internet and a good camera with recording capabilities are required as these research sessions will occur over Zoom. Students identifying as male are encouraged to inquire about the testing specialist role. Responsibilities as experimenters include recruiting, scheduling, and running research sessions. Experimenters must have flexibility in their schedule to correspond to research participants during weekdays, weeknights, and weekends. Students can earn between 1-3 credits for CPYS 4994. Preference will be given to those who can commit to two or more semesters in our lab. To learn more about these positions, please send your CV/resume and a short introduction to Bao Moua at gunnar.undergrads@gmail.com to be considered.

7. *Credit or Volunteer* Undergraduate Student Opportunities in Research on Digital Phenotyping for Bipolar Disorders

We are seeking a highly motivated, responsible, and detail-oriented undergraduate of sophomore or junior standing to contribute to a study examining the usefulness of smartphone apps in tracking symptom and functional changes in adults with bipolar disorders in the laboratory of Dr. Snezana Urosevic at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. Both credit and volunteer opportunities are available. We request that applicants are willing to make a one-year commitment to the lab, including a 9-hour weekly commitment (3 credits). Opportunities and responsibilities include participant recruitment and retention, data collection, entry, and verification, and learning about digital phenotyping methods in psychopathology research. The research assistant will also attend laboratory meetings and have an opportunity to develop independent research questions based on their interests and available data. Past RAs have authored poster presentations and contributed to manuscript submissions. Competitive applicants will have a strong interest in pursuing graduate-level education and an excellent academic record. Due to VA requirements, RAs must be US citizens. If you are interested, please contact Kasey Stack by email at kasey.stack@va.gov and attach an unofficial transcript, a cover letter, and a resume.

8. *Credit or Volunteer* Undergraduate Research Assistant Opportunity

UMN’s Bioecology, Self-Regulation, & Learning (BSL) Lab is seeking undergrads to assist with a new study examining relations between teens’ environments, behavioral and physiological learning processes, and adaptive outcomes. We are seeking motivated, reliable, and dedicated undergraduate RAs to work in the lab, either as volunteers or for directed research course credit (preferred). This position is an especially good opportunity for students interested in the intersection of cognitive development, early environment and experiences, and physiological development. RAs will get exposure to many aspects of the research process, with additional opportunities that may result in a conference poster or paper. Must be willing to work in person at the St. Paul campus (Learning & Environmental Sciences Building) where data collection with children and families takes place. Interested applicants should fill out the form link. First-gen students and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

9. *Credit or Volunteer* RA Position with a Longitudinal Study of Resilience in Military Service Members

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 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.

10. *Credit* PSY 5993 Fall 2021

Dr. Marcoulides is currently recruiting undergraduate students to participate in PSY 5993, Directed Research in Psychology for the Fall 2021 semester. This directed research opportunity will introduce students to research in psychology that utilizes a variety of statistical approaches for answering important research questions, and to the field of Quantitative Psychology more broadly. We will focus on reading, discussing, and critiquing research that examines issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as health and prevention research related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics and readings will vary and will largely depend on the interests of the students enrolled. Potential topics may include issues related to fairness in test development, machine learning approaches for risk assessment, and statistical methods for the development and evaluation of interventions for at-risk groups. Students interested in enrolling in this PSY 5993 should email Dr. Marcoulides at kmarcoul@umn.edu.

11. *Credit or Volunteer* REPAIR Lab Research Assistant

The Research Exploring Psychological Assessment and Individualized Rehabilitation (REPAIR) Lab, led by Dr. Jacob Finn, at the Minneapolis VA is currently looking for a new volunteer research assistant. The REPAIR Lab largely focuses on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in service members and veterans in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. Research assistant duties include screening and recruiting participants, scheduling research appointments, conducting follow-up assessments, administering interviews to assess functioning, documenting efforts in clinical charts, coordinating participant payments, collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team, and disseminating results locally. Dr. Finn expects volunteer research assistants to commit at least 8 hours per week to the lab. Due to the training commitment required, volunteers are expected to commit to at least one calendar year in the lab (with time off between semesters). 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/résumé to Dr. Jacob Finn (Jacob.Finn@va.gov).

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