Penn State Penn State: College of the Liberal Arts

Child Attention and Learning Lab

Department of Psychology

Information for Prospective Undergraduate Research Assistants

We are always looking for great undergraduate research assistants! Please read all of the information below before starting your application or contacting our office.

Image: Dr. Cynthia Huang-Pollock with Gina Mattei, Student Marshall in Psychology and former Project Coordinator of the CAL Lab.

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Our Research

We’re exploring the neuropsychological and emotional processes related to learning problems in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. Our lab is a great option if you’re interested in child psychopathology, clinical psychology, or other psychology-related employment and want to earn academic credit. We’re seeking research assistants to assist with data entry and management. Research assistants working in the lab will receive training in the use of common statistical programs (such as SPSS) as well as the use and scoring of diagnostic behavior rating scales. Exceptional undergraduate RAs will have the opportunity to work directly with children and their parents in administering intellectual, academic achievement, and neuropsychological tests.

Application Requirements

We require at least a 2 semester commitment and a minimum GPA of 3.5. Preference is given to freshmen, sophomores or juniors with interests in pursuing graduate training in mental health.

Outcomes

Professional Development

Our bi-weekly lab meetings provide a forum to discuss theory and clinical application of the research, address any questions that arise from work in the lab, and receive career guidance. This includes applying to graduate schools, formatting vitas, how to write a competitive personal statement, and career options for Psychology majors.

Honors Thesis or Independent Study

Dr. Huang-Pollock always encourages interested students to conduct honor’s theses or independent studies in her lab. Students graduating at least 1 year after they join the lab can complete a research project for credit.  If you are interested, please feel free to discuss this with her! 

Academic Credit

You can receive 3 credits of PSYCH 294, 296, 493, 494, or 496 for 10 hours of work per week (9 hours plus bi-weekly lab meeting).