Psychology

Name of the Faculty Mentor: Andrew Olney

Faculty Mentor’s Department: Institute for Intelligent Systems & Department of Psychology

Contact Information: aolney@memphis.edu

Project Description: Students will work on AI projects involved conversational interfaces (e.g., Siri, Alexa, etc.) Multiple projects are available, ranging from entertainment to educational applications.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Ideally, students will have some knowledge of a programming language. However, students with a strong interest in the topic are encouraged to contact the faculty mentor even if they have no programming skills.

Application or Interview Process: Applicants should submit a cover letter, letter of reference, and unofficial transcript to the faculty mentor's email address. Applicants who pass initial screening will be invited to interview.

Hours per Week the Student Will Work: 10-15, negotiable

Starting Date: A September 1st starting date is anticipated, but applications will continue to be processed until the position is filled.

Name of the Faculty Mentor: Helen Sable

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Contact Information: hjsable@memphis.edu

Project Description: The student will assist in daily behavioral testing sessions in rodents. Testing will be done using automated operant testing chambers. The student will weigh the animals, set up testing chambers and load animals, start the testing sessions, record data when sessions are complete, remove animals from testing chambers, sustain appropriate husbandry for the animals, and complete other general lab duties as assigned. Currently, we are assessing inhibitory control, working memory, and attention in several different animal models of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Ideal fit for students in good academic standing who are interested in neuroscience. Student must complete lab animal orientation with the campus veterinarian prior to starting and wear appropriate PPE at all times while working working with the animals.

Application or Interview Process: Resume, Letter of Interest/Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript

Hours per Week the Student Will Work: 10-20

Starting Date: ASAP

Faculty Mentor: J. Gayle Beck

Faculty Mentor’s Department: Psychology

Contact Information: 678-3973; jgbeck@memphis.edu

Project Description: Student fellow will participate in the Trauma Research and Recovery Lab. Student will assist with data entry, library work for research projects, outreach for the Athena Project within the community, and basic statistical tasks.

Requirements for Student Applicants: This position is well-suited for someone who wants to go into one of the helping professions (e.g., social work, psychology, counseling, etc. Prefer at least a 3.0 GPA (or higher).

Application or Interview Process: Please submit unofficial transcript. An interview will be scheduled at your convenience.

Hours per Week the Student Will Work: 10 hours/week

Starting Date: Beginning of Fall semester

Faculty Mentor: Nicholas Simon

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Contact Information: nickwsimon@gmail.com

Project Description: The Simon lab uses a rat model to study the brain systems that enable the evaluation of rewards and consequences during decision-making. Students will contribute to a variety of projects, including the relationship between risk-taking and substance use, the role of prefrontal-amygdala brain circuitry in sensitivity to outcomes that are either risky or occur later in time, and the development of decision-making across the lifespan. Student fellowswill learn to handle rats, collect and analyze decision-making data, perform stereotaxic surgery to implant cannulae and optical fibers into the brain, and slice and mount brain tissue. This experience will be highly beneficial to students interested in PhD programs in neuroscience-related disciplines or medical school.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Major in psychology or biology. Students must be part of the Helen Hardin Honors program in good academic standing. Enrollment in Physiological Psychology (PSYC 3306) either before or during this experience is STRONGLY encouraged.

Hours per Week the Student Will Work: 10-20

Starting Date: 1/18/2021 (Start date is flexible and dependent upon the reopening of the Psychology Building (due to Covid19).

Faculty Mentor: Meghan McDevitt-Murphy, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Contact Information: 901-678-2891; mmcdvttm@memphis.edu

Project Description: The student will assist Dr. McDevitt-Murphy's lab (The Trauma and Coping Research Group, or TCRG). The TCRG lab has multiple projects going on, the primary one being Project BRAVE, a federally funded study of military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This student will have the opportunity to assist with participant recruitment and data collection/entry on Project BRAVE. The student will also be involved with other ongoing studies of psychological trauma, and with data analysis and manuscript development. The student will be working side by side with graduate students in our clinical psychology PhD program as well as our Master of Science in General Psychology program, and will have the opportunity to obtain guidance about navigating the graduate school process in psychology. Student will attend lab meetings where didactic material is presented.

Qualifications: Student must be a psychology major who has taken courses in abnormal psychology (PSYC 3102), research design, and statistics (both PSYC 3010 & 3020 preferred). Familiarity or experience with military culture would be a plus

Application or Interview Process: Cover letter, unofficial transcript, and resume (including references). Promising candidates will be interviewed.

Hours per week: approximately 15 hours per week, some weekends expected.

Faculty Mentor: Idia Thurston, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Contact Information: 901-678-4690; bthrston@memphis.edu

Project Description: The CHANGE lab (https://changelabmemphis.wixsite.com/uofm) is focused on promoting health equity. Students will have opportunities to participate in any of the following three projects:

Project 1: The Parenting Through Hardships (PaTH Kids) study examines hardships mothers face (including substance use, relationship violence, and HIV) and their children's resilience in handling these adversities. Our goal is to develop ways to promote resilience in children exposed to hardships.
Project 2: The Stress in Obese Adolescents and their Resilience (SOAR) study examines differences in stress and resilience among teens who have and don't have medical complications related to obesity. Our goal is to develop effective strategies for promoting metabolic health in adolescents.
Project 3: A collaboration with Playback Memphis theater company to evaluate two violence-reduction programs - Be the Peace! (a school-based anti-bullying program that aims to create an empathic environment in schools) and Performing the Peace (a cultural awareness and community-building program for police officers and lifeline to success members). Our goal is to increase mindfulness, social bonding, and community building in students, officers, and lifeliners.

Through these projects, students will have opportunities to interview children and families, assist with data entry, conduct literature reviews, and engage with community partners. Students will actively participate in lab meetings, interact with various team members including other undergrads, graduate students, and faculty, as well as contribute to poster presentations and publications.

Requirements:

Major in Psychology or a health-related or child-related field
Growth mindset and openness to learn
Good academic standing
Organized, dependable, empathic, timely, flexible
Likes a collaborative work environment, "team player"
Experience working with children, adolescents, and/or families
Experience working in the healthcare field, elementary schools, or community organizations
Available to attend lab meetings on Fridays from 11-12pm

Application or Interview Process:

Submit the CHANGE Lab Research Assistant Online Application >
Meet with the CHANGE Lab Manager
Meet with Dr. Idia Thurston

Starting Date: Flexible

Hours per week: 10-15 hours

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor: James Murphy, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Telephone/Email Address: 901-678-2630; jgmurphy@mephis.edu

Project Description: Project BETA is a longitudinal developmental study of alcohol and drug use among young adults recruited from the Memphis Community. Participants complete a number of psychological and social measures and their alcohol and drug use is measured over a three year period to determine risk and protective factors that predict escalating versus diminishing alcohol and drug use.

Qualifications: Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and psychology majors are preferred.

Application or Interview Process: Resume. Virtual interview may be scheduled.

Starting Date: Flexible

Hours per week: 10-15 hours

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor: Xu Jiang, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Telephone/Email Address: xjiang2@memphis.edu

Project Description: Research has shown that excessive or unregulated use of media or internet associate with increasing mental health problems in youth. However, it is much less clear what factors could protect young people when the influence of media and internet is pervasive in the digital era. This project will focus on the protective factors that buffer against the negative impact of media/internet on youth mental health. The potential protective factors include but are not limited to, parental monitoring and support, resistance to negative media influence, self-care awareness and behaviors. The target samples may include middle or high school students, or college students. The undergraduate research assistant will work closely with other lab members under the supervisor of Dr. Jiang. The research activities may include literature review, proposal writing, measure development, participant recruitment, data entry and analysis.

Qualifications: Major(s) in psychology, good verbal and writing skills, good academic standing (GPA above 3.5), interest in children and adolescent research, prefer those who completed Research Method and Statistical Analysis courses at the UG level.

Application or Interview Process: Send statement of research interest and goals (one paragraph), contact information of two references, unofficial transcripts, resume or CV to faculty member.

Starting Date: Oct 1st or as soon as the decision is made.

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor: Xiangen Hu

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Telephone/Email Address: 901-678-5736; xhu@memphis.edu

Project Description: This program of research focuses on exercise and learning. Research assistants will help develop materials and collect data in a series of experiments. In addition to exercise, we are investigating how content presentation affects statistics learning, as well as the role of various individual differences measures (ADHD, math anxiety, etc.).

Qualifications: Statistics knowledge and graphic design skills (e.g., Photoshop) are a plus, but not required.

Application or Interview Process: Applicants should contact Dr. Brent Morgan (brent.morgan@memphis.edu) for an interview.

Starting Date: Research assistants can begin immediately.

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor: Kathryn Howell, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Email Address: k.howell@memphis.edu

Project Description: The Resilience Emerging Amidst Childhood Hardships (REACH) Lab (https://sites.google.com/site/reachlabmemphis/) examines pathways to risk and resilience among children and families who have been exposed to trauma. Dr. Howell and the REACH lab have developed partnerships with local Memphis organizations serving children and families who have experienced adversity. Studies in the REACH lab examine interventions to assist families and youth exposed to violence, as well as projects that study how different factors protect youth from the consequences associated with adversity. As a student in the lab, you will have the opportunity to: conduct literature reviews, connect with community partners via outreach events, assist with data entry, interview study participants, and contribute to research posters, presentations and/or manuscripts.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Students should be psychology majors and in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher).

Application or Interview Process: Email a completed REACH Lab application to Dr. Howell at k.howell@memphis.edu to schedule an interview. You can download the application on the REACH Lab webpage >

Starting Date: Flexible

Hours per week: Approximately 10-15 hours per week

Name of the Faculty Mentor: Meghan McDevitt-Murphy, PhD

Department: Psychology

Contact Information: 901-678-2891; mmcdvttm@memphis.edu

Requirements for Student Applicants: Student must be a psychology major who has taken courses in abnormal psychology (PSYC 3102), research design, and statistics (both PSYC 3010 & 3020 preferred). Familiarity or experience with military culture would be a plus

Application or Interview Process: Cover letter, unofficial transcript, and resume. Promising candidates will be interviewed.

Hours per week the student will work – approximately 15 hours per week, some weekends expected.

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Berman

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Telephone Number and/or E-mail: 901.755-2311; jberman@memphis.edu

Project Description: Assist in Psychotherapy Research Lab on projects examining processes involved in psychotherapy and related psychological treatments.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Must be a psychology major.

Starting Date: Open

Application or Interview Process: interview and unofficial transcript

Hours per week: 10 hours

Method of Compensation: Volunteer

Faculty Mentor(s): James P. Whelan, PhD & Andrew W. Meyers, PhD

Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychology

Telephone Number and/or E-mail Address: 901.678.3491 and 901.678.7867; gambling@memphis.edu

Project Description: T.I.G.E.R., founded in 1998, is a nonprofit organization housed within the Psychology Department and Psychological Services Center at The University of Memphis. The Institute was founded after three years of gambling related research, and shortly after receiving requests from individuals and families seeking services to help with gambling related problems. Our mission is threefold: 1) to conduct basic and applied research on gambling and problem gambling behavior, 2) to provide quality low cost services to Mid-Southerners who experience gambling-related problems, and 3) to provide education to individuals, community organizations, and business and industry about problem gambling. We presently have a number of projects that are in progress. For example: the effects of alcohol on gambling, gambling influence on testosterone, family structure and function on the gambling behavior of African-American adolescents, and treatment of co-occurring gambling and alcohol problems.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Students interested in being involved on an ongoing basis and are willing to commit a minimum of 5 hours per week to lab projects.

Starting Date: Flexible

Method of Compensation: Academic credit

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Huette

Department: Psychology

Contact Information: 901-678-3677, shuette@memphis.edu

Project Description: The Language and Behavior lab (LaBlab) seeks to understand the principles and mechanisms of cognitive processes that underlie meaning in language as well as their implications for behavior. We also investigate the role of behavior and the environment on learning and real-time processing of language. Our research uses eye-tracking and motion-tracking technologies to track behavior in real-time, as well as neural network models of information processing and learning. We have anywhere from 6-10 projects going on at any given time.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Psychology, Philosophy, and Computer Science majors are all encouraged to apply, though all majors may be considered. There are no minimum qualifications but students must demonstrate excellence in at least one area: academics, extracurricular activities, job experience, interpersonal skills, and/or computer programming and data analysis. All applicants must apply and interview for positions in the lab, and number of positions are limited.

Starting Date: Ongoing

Method of Compensation: Volunteer, academic credit, or stipend.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Arthur Graesser

Department: Psychology and the Institute for Intelligent Systems

Email Address: alippert@memphis.edu

Project Description: AutoTutor for adult literacy is a new and innovative Intelligent Tutoring System that aids struggling adult readers on their quest to literacy. We are looking for motivated undergraduate students to assist with experiments, data collection, and data analyses. Students will have opportunities to gain research experience for graduate school and earn authorship on scholarly papers. Dr. Graesser has an esteemed reputation in the cognitive psychology community and a track record of mentoring students who have gone on to successful careers in and out of psychology.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Any of the following interests: Cognitive Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Memory and Learning, Education.

Application or Interview Process: Interview

Starting Date: Immediately

Method of Compensation: Volunteer or academic credit. Potential for stipend if student completes task well.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andrew Tawfik

Department: Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Contact Information: aatawfik@memphis.edu

Project Description:The Instructional Design & Technology (IDT) Studio is a lab that is interested in the design, development, and evaluation of educational technologies. The Studio partners with schools and organizations within the community and helps them apply edtech in meaningful ways. This position would include data analysis, working directly with users, and possible multimedia development. In terms of scholarship, the students would be included on conference presentations and journal publications.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Multimedia development (e.g – familiarity with tools such as Adobe, iMovie, etc)

Application or Interview Process: Students should submit a brief letter of interest; Face to face interview

Hours per week the student will work: 20/week

Starting Date: Immediately

Method of Compensation: Volunteer