Dec 21, 2012

Need elective credits? Pursue a psychology internship for course credit!

Internships are a great way to acquire "real world career experience" outside of the classroom environment. Psychology internships can be done on a volunteer basis or for course credit. Students pursuing an internship can also enroll concurrently in PSYC 389 Experiential Learning if they are looking to receive academic credit for the internship experience. This course assists the student with processing what they are learning in the internship through reflection journals and a variety of other exercises. Students also produce a 2-5 minute "commercial" which they can then use to promote their internship experience to graduate schools and employers. PSYC 389 is administered through ELMS and can be taken for between 1 and 6 credits.

For more information on PSYC 389 Experiential Learning go to: http://psychology.umd.edu/ugrad/internships.html or contact Steve Young, at syoung17@umd.edu

Dec 20, 2012

Submit your proposal for Maryland's Undergraduate Research Day!

MARYLAND CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH – UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY – May 1, 2013 
Undergraduate Research Day (URD), Maryland’s largest, most visible and diversified showcase for undergraduate research accomplishments will take place on WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013, from 1 to 4 pm, with registration and set up opening at 12 noon. URD will once again take place in the Grand Ballroom of the Stamp Student Union.

Proposals may be submitted online at the MCUR website - http://www.ugresearch.umd.edu/ - beginning on Monday, February 11, 2013.

Spring 2013 Research Assistants needed for Public Health BCSH Study!

Research Assistants
Spring 2013
Black Women, Cultural Group Identity, Stress and Health Study (BCSH)

Description:
This project will examine the relationship between nativity, cultural group identity, stress and health among female Black undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Maryland.

Responsibilities:
-Recruitment of participants
-Data Collection
-Data entry and Coding
-Attend weekly research team meetings

Required Skills:
-Academic background in public health, family science, or another behavioral health area
-Excellent interpersonal skills and judgment
-Timeliness

Commitment Length:
-Minimum of one semester
-6-9 hour a week commitment

For more information contact:
Lauren A. Doamekpor
1142 School of Public Health
ldoamek@umd.edu

Dec 18, 2012

Research opportunity in the Language and Music Cognition Lab

Are you interested in how people produce and understand language and how bilinguals represent their two (or more) languages, and/or the relationship between language and music?

Are you considering applying to graduate school (especially grad school in psychology or cognitive science)?

If so, consider applying for a research assistant position in the Language and Music Cognition Laboratory (lmcl.umd.edu). We ask for a nine hour per week, two semester commitment (for 3 credits of PSYC 479 per semester). Applicants should have at least 9 PSYC credits and at least a 3.0 GPA.

To apply, please send a short email describing your interest and relevant experience, along with a resume and copy of your (unofficial) transcript to lmcl.umd@gmail.com.

Dec 12, 2012

Rewarding RA positions in the Maryland Child and Family Development Lab!

The Maryland Child and Family Development Lab is looking for excellent, dedicated RAs! You can get course credit, or just volunteer to get valuable research experience! Priority positions will be given to students who are upper level psychology students with competitive GPAs, excellent organization skills, and scheduling flexibility. Please see below for a description of our current projects.

Infant Emotion during Social Interactions
We are looking for dedicated research assistants to enroll in 3 credits of PSYC 479 (i.e., 9 hours/week; although those who can register for only 2 credits can still be considered) to work on a developmental research project. We will be analyzing infant emotions during their social-emotional interactions from video-recorded laboratory observations. By working on this project, students will learn about infant social-emotional and cognitive development in the context of relationships and observational methodology for obtaining information about infants. Priority for the positions will be given to students who can work during Winter and Spring term. Based on performance, students may be invited to continue as a research assistant for summer and fall positions on related research projects. Please complete an application at cassidylab.org and specify your interest in this project.

Joint Attention to Emotional Stimuli
We will be showing mothers and 3 year olds videos and recording their behavior. We will also be doing some assessments with them. I need some excellent, organized RAs to help with scheduling, running sessions, entering data, and coding videos. Student RAs working on this project will learn about research design and implementation and about coding behavior from recorded interactions. Priority will be given to students with flexible schedules, including availability on evenings and weekends. Based on performance, students may be invited to continue as a research assistant for summer and fall positions on related research projects. Please complete an application at cassidylab.org and specify your interest in this project.

Parent-Adolescent Relationship and Adolescent Risk Behaviors
We are examining the relations among parenting, adolescent coping strategies, and adolescent risk behaviors. Students working on this project will learn about physiological data collection and longitudinal research design. Priority will be given to students with flexible schedules, including availability on evenings and weekends. Based on performance, students may be invited to continue as a research assistant for summer and fall positions on related research projects. Please complete an application at cassidylab.org and specify your interest in this project.

Consortium Research Fellow with the Army Research Institute!

Consortium Research Fellow- ID 70537 
Application Deadline: Jan 01, 2013      
Consortium Research Fellows Program, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia
 

POSITION TYPE: Off-Campus Part-Time

The student will contribute to the Army Research Institute's (ARI) work on non-cognitive measures including the Tier One Performance Screen research and associated projects. The non-cognitive measures program is expansive which will permit the student to be involved in all stages of the research process simultaneously. In addition to the non-cognitive work, the student may be asked to contribute a) defining a methodology for identifying performance competencies, b) providing assistance for special detail surveys, and c) research in support of the Gender Neutral KSAO’s development.

The student will be asked to a) collect data, b) conduct data entry, c) conduct data analysis (data management, descriptives, correlations, multiple regressions), d) assist with preparing briefing materials, and e) contribute to technical reports and conference papers based on the data analysis.

The ideal candidate would have knowledge of selection, performance assessment, classification, and non-cognitive assessment literatures, experience and skills performing literature reviews, working knowledge of SPSS, working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs. Good oral/written communication skills, good teamwork skills, and attention to detail.

Log in to your C4T account (www.Careers.umd.edu/) and paste the ID number in the “Search” box to learn more and apply.

Early Social Development Research Assistant position for Spring/Summer 2013!

Dr. Brenda Jones Harden is looking for bilingual undergraduate research assistants for spring semester 2013 and/or summer 2013.
Study Description: Students will serve as research assistants for Dr. Brenda Jones Harden, who is conducting evaluations of programs that aim to enhance the early social development of young children from low-income, ethnic minority and/or immigrant families. Spanish speakers are preferred but not necessary.

Responsibilities: Research assistants will help with data collection, recruit parents, schedule visits, attend lab meetings, & enter data. Depending on students’ interests, there will be opportunities to code and analyze data, conduct literature reviews, and participate in writing papers for publication. These apprenticeships are great opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing graduate work in the social sciences.

How to Apply: Please send your resume & unofficial transcript to Nicole Denmark (ndenmark@umd.edu).

Dec 11, 2012

Love Data Analysis and are a recent PSYC Alum? Apply to be a Survey Analyst!

Position: Survey Analyst 
Purple Strategies

Description:
Purple Insights is the in-house opinion research team at Purple Strategies devoted to message and communications research, as well as strategic development and tactical implementation. Since its founding, Purple Insights has provided opinion research and strategic counsel to some of the most recognizable brands in the world including McDonald's and Coca-Cola, as well as leading industry trade associations, and non-profit organizations.

Responsibilities:
-Programming online and telephone surveys
-Data processing
-Questionnaire design
-Data quality control
-Overseeing the fielding process from both quantitative and qualitative studies
-Preparing reports and presentations for clients
-Analysis of survey data
-Sampling plans

Qualifications:
-Bachelor's degree
-2-3 years professional experience
-Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
-Fluency in at least one data processing/analysis software package such as SPSS or similar mainstream analytic software
-Experience with survey programming software such as Qualtrics or Confirmit

How to Apply:
-Please e-mail your resume and cover letter to: opportunities@purplestrategies.com

Dec 10, 2012

Seeking Biracial Students for paid research study!

If you have 1 Black parent and 1 White parent, we invite you to volunteer to be a part of our research at The University of Maryland College Park.

Earn $10 in exchange for an hour of your time.

Your personal experience can help increase research on an understudied population.

Blood pressure and heart rate will be taken as part of the study.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact the following e-mail address: MFresearchstudy@gmail.com

Dec 6, 2012

Turn a good idea into a great project with the Fearless Idea Will Change The World Project!

Maryland Leadership and Discovery Grants
National Scholarships Office

Fearless Ideas should address vital problems, questions, or needs of society. Proposed projects should involve important service, leadership, inquiry, or social entrepreneurial goals. Projects may be local, national, or international in scope and impact. Projects should involve substantial work away from the Maryland campus, in surrounding communities, across the nation, or around the world.
Eligibility: The program is open to freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in all majors who are enrolled full time at the University of Maryland, College Park, are in good standing with regard to UMD student conduct policies, and meet the following academic criteria at the time of application:

Freshmen (at least 1 completed semester): Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
Sophomores (at least 3 completed semesters): Cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher
Juniors (at least 5 competed semesters): Cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher

Project Length: Projects must begin between March 1, 2013 and September 3, 2013 and may be 3 to 12 months long.

Funding Amount: Up to $6,000 will be awarded to each project, with a stipend of $1,000 provided to the project mentor.

Number of Awards: Up to 20 grants will be made annually.

Deadline to apply: February 11, 2013

Help disabled and home bound elderly as a Meals on Wheels Intern!

Meals On Wheels of Central Maryland is seeking interns for the Spring 2013 semester. Serving the Baltimore metropolitan region, Meals On Wheels provides home delivery of meals, case management, and isolation reduction services for 1,350 disabled and home bound elderly individuals on a daily basis.

Internship Responsibilities:
-Work directly with clients
-Conduct intakes
-Perform annual in-home re-assessments
-Evaluate client support systems, resources, and needs
-Locate additional resources for clients
-Conduct outreach
-Ensure home bound elderly and disabled individuals receive needed meals and services

Requirements/Qualifications:
-Ability to think independently and work well with others
-Strong ethical foundation
-Passion for helping others
-Must pass criminal background check
-Access to reliable, insured car for interns performing home re-assessments

All interns are assigned a mentor who provides guidance and support throughout the student's internship experience. Flexible hours are available and the internships can often be tailored to specific student needs and interests.

How to Apply:
-Interested students should contact Barbara Levin at 410-558-0827 to arrange an in-person interview

To learn more about Meals On Wheels of Central Maryland go to:
http://www.mealsonwheelsmd.org/

Dec 5, 2012

Trace Freud's footsteps with fellow PSYC Terps in Vienna this June!

Course Description:
What better place to learn about the history of the mental health movement than where Sigmund Freud established the "talking cure" in Vienna, Austria? The undergraduate program in the Department of Psychology will offer a short-term education abroad program this summer in Vienna. The course will take place for three weeks during the month of June, and will be taught by Dr. Kevin McGann. The course will focus on the beginnings of psychotherapy with Sigmund Freud, but will trace the evolution of therapeutic treatment to its current state. It will consider how Freud's approach contributed to a more humane form of treatment for people with mental illness at the time. The course will end by evaluating the significance of Freud's theory over time, and by comparing it to various other approaches of psychotherapy and treatment in terms of evidence for effectiveness.

Course lectures will take place in an historic international education center in downtown Vienna, and will be supplemented by group field trips and guided tours of the city of Vienna, Freud's birthplace, Freud's apartment and therapy practice, Europe's first inpatient psychiatric facility (Narrenturm, or "Fool's Tower"), the nearby city of Salzburg, and various other cultural events and excursions. Students will stay in shared apartments with wireless capability and access to kitchen facilities in downtown Vienna.

Applicability to PSYC major:
The course is 3 credits, and will satisfy a 400-level Mental Health and Interventions (Theme II) non-lab course for psychology majors.

Prerequisites:
Students should have an interest in mental health treatment, and ideally would have taken PSYC200 and PSYC353 before the course begins. Students without these prerequisites may still be considered by permission of department.

Cost:
The exact program fee is still TBD, but likely will be very comparable to previous summer offerings by UMD in a European city.



Are you interested? If so, please email Dr. McGann at kjmcgann@umd.edu. He will keep a list of all interested students, and email you more information about the program and the direct link to submit your application to Education Abroad once the application is ready.

Schönen Tag noch!

Make a difference in the lives of others! Become a Montgomery Hotline Intern/Volunteer!

The Montgomery County Hotline is seeking interested students for internship and volunteer opportunities. The MC Hotline is a 24-hour, 7 day a week service that provides telephone supportive listening, facilitation of problem solving, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and information and resources to Montgomery County residents and concerned friends and family. Trained volunteers and interns answer calls for the Montgomery County Hotline, Youth Crisis Hotline, and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Hotline works closely with the Montgomery County Crisis Center as part of a continuum of services to Montgomery County residents.

Volunteers and interns are required to attend a training that is accredited by the American Association of Suicidology. A time commitment is required.

The Hotline is a great way to gain experience in the helping field and give back to the community. Make a difference in your life and the lives of others!

The next training will begin on January 24, 2013. For more information and to receive an application please contact Nicole Marshall at (301) 424-0656 ext.516 or email at hotline@mhamc.org
The MC Hotline is a program of the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County. For more information about the Mental Health Association, please visit www.mhamc.org.

Dec 4, 2012

Multi-project research opportunuity in Child and Family Relationships Lab!

The Laboratory for the Study of Child and Family Relationships is looking for a bright, enthusiastic sophomore or junior undergraduate student to assist with the coding, entry, and collection of data for three research projects in the Department of Human Development. 

Project #1
The general objective of the first project is to study the nature, quality, functions, and sources of friendship during the transitions from elementary school (fifth grade) to middle school (sixth grade), and from middle school (eighth grade) to high school (ninth grade & twelfth grade), and to relate these aspects of friendship to child and family characteristics and to child socio-emotional adjustment. The research project is now in its eleventh year of continuous funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. The project will continue to be funded by NIMH until 2010.

Project #2
The overall goal of the second project is to examine the social outcomes of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study's specific aims are to: (1) characterize the social interactions and adjustment of children with TBI; (2) examine social information processing in children with TBI; (3) determine the integrity of brain regions and structures known to be vulnerable to TBI and implicated in social information processing; and (4) study the linkages among brain structures, social information processing, and social behavior and adjustment among children with TBI.

Project #3
The goal of the third project is to develop and evaluate a novel early intervention, grounded in research about developmental psychopathology that targets specific risk factors implicated in the development/persistence of shyness, social reticence and withdrawal in children, with the ultimate goal of facilitating adaptive developmental outcomes, namely the absence of social anxiety disorder.

Sophomore or junior students (with a minimum 3.0 GPA) must commit at least two semesters to assist with various research tasks for approximately 10 hours/week. We offer course credit for your assistance.

How to Apply:
If interested, please send a copy of your resume and unofficial transcript via e-mail to Annie Schulz Begle at annieks@gmail.com.

Final Psi Chi Service Event of the Semester!

Attention Psi Chi members! Coming up is your last chance to receive a semester service credit toward an active membership. We will be hosting a donation drive for the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services in order to help out our local neighbors during this holiday season. The PGCDSS is collecting non-perishable food (canned or packaged) and new children’s clothing, shoes, and toys (must still be packaged or with tags).

You will receive credit for donating either three food items or one children’s item. Drop off your donations on Wednesday, December 5th between 5:15pm and 6:30pm in BPS 1142. Please email d.bukreyeva@gmail.com by December 3rd if you need to make alternate drop-off arrangements.

Dec 3, 2012

Winter 2013 Courses Open

The Department of Psychology is pleased to offer an exciting range of courses this winter.  If you are planning to take a winter course you'll want to register as soon as possible to ensure that the course will take place and that you have a seat.
  • PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology
    • A basic introductory course, intended to bring the student into contact with the major problems confronting psychology and the more important attempts at their solution.
    • Satisfies History & Social Sciences or Natural Sciences
  • PSYC 200 Statistical Methods in Psychology
    • A basic introduction to quantitative methods used in psychological research. 
    • Satisfies Analytic Reasoning
  • PSYC 206 Developmental Biopsychology
    • Biological basis of behavioral development in relation to genetic, constitutional, anatomical, physiological, and environmental factors. Emphasis upon both phylogenetic and ontogenetic research findings in biological psychology. Course is offered at Shady Grove.
    • Satisfies Mind, Brain & Behavior Theme
  • PSYC 221 Social Psychology
    • The influence of social factors on the individual and on interpersonal behavior. Includes topics such as conformity, attitude change, person perception, interpersonal attraction, and group behavior.
    • Satisfies History & Social Sciences or Scholarship in Practice
  • PSYC 298E The Psychology of Evil (http://ter.ps/PSYCofEvil)
    • Why is there evil in the world? Are some born evil, or do social, environmental and cultural forces create evil? What makes otherwise good people do evil things? The scientific study of evil epitomizes the fundamental challenge that psychology faces in dissecting the role of biology (nature) and the social context (nurture).
    • Satisfies History & Social Sciences AND I-Series
  • PSYC 301 Biological Basis of Behavior
    • An introduction to the anatomical structures and physiological processes that determine behavior. After a study of the basic functioning of the nervous system, the course will examine the acquisition and processing of sensory information, the neural control of movement, and the biological bases of complex behaviors such as sleep, learning, memory, sex, language, and addiction.
    • Satisfies Mind, Brain & Behavior Theme
  • PSYC 432 Counseling Psychology
    • Analysis of research and intervention strategies developed and used by counseling psychologists. Historical and current trends in content and methodology.
    • Satisfies Mental Heath & Interventions Theme
  • PSYC 437 Assessment & Treatment of Addiction
    • Explores the current research in assessment and treatment of addictive behaviors. Topics may include addictions in the areas of alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, and eating.
    • Satisfies Mental Health & Interventions Theme


For a complete list of winter offerings in psychology click here.

For sample syllabi visit http://ter.ps/PSYCcourses

To enroll in winter term courses click here.

Not sure you can afford a graduate degree? Apply for a Beinecke Program Scholarship!

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS OFFICE – 2403 Marie Mount Hall – Beinecke Scholarship for Graduate Studies in the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences – Francis DuVinage, Director – Leslie Brice, Coordinator – www.scholarships.umd.edu 

The Beinecke Scholarship Program provides graduate study scholarships in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to JUNIORS of exceptional ability who have a high degree of financial need.

The Beinecke program seeks highly motivated and intellectually accomplished JUNIORS who plan to pursue graduate studies toward the Ph.D. in the arts, humanities, and social sciences after graduation. "Junior" means a student who plans to continue full-time undergraduate study and who expects to receive a baccalaureate degree between December 2013 and August 2014.

FIELDS OF STUDY: The Beinecke program is open to students planning research-oriented Masters and Ph.D. studies in any field in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Professionally-oriented degree programs of any kind ARE NOT supported.

FINANCIAL NEED: The Beinecke program seeks candidates who have a documented history of receiving significant need-based financial aid as an undergraduate. Candidates for nomination by the University of Maryland should be recipients of Pell Grants or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of underlying financial need.

Candidates for the Beinecke Scholarship must be nominated by their university or college – the University of Maryland, College Park can nominate 1 outstanding junior annually to compete for a Beinecke Scholarship. To seek nomination, candidates must submit a complete draft of a Beinecke Scholarship application by February 4, 2013.

INFORMATION SESSIONS: Learn more about the Beinecke program by attending an information workshop at the National Scholarships Office. Please RSVP to lbrice@umd.edu for the session you plan to attend – if you are interested but cannot attend, please write us at the same address.

Wednesday, December 5 – at 4:00 pm – 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Thursday, December 6 – at 12 noon – 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Friday, December 7 – at 4:00 pm – 2403 Marie Mount Hall

WHO MAY APPLY/ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible for Beinecke Scholarship nomination, a student must:

Have demonstrated superior standards of intellectual ability, scholastic achievement and personal promise during his or her undergraduate career. Generally, a minimum GPA of 3.7 will be required for nomination; exceptions may be made in extraordinary cases.

Be a college junior pursuing a bachelor's degree during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Have firm plans to enter a master's or doctoral program in the arts, humanities or social sciences after graduation.

Be a United States citizen or a US national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Be a Pell Grant recipient as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of underlying financial need.

Award Amount: Each scholar receives $4,000 immediately prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 while attending graduate school.

Duration: Scholars must utilize all funding within five years.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:
Campus Deadline: February 4, 2013. This is the deadline for submitting a complete draft of a Beinecke application to be considered for University of Maryland, College Park nomination.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Website: www.BeineckeScholarship.org

Cognitive Neuroscience Ph.D. position at University of Nebraska-Lincoln!

Dr. Dennis Molfese, the Director of the new Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior (CB3) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), seeks outstanding PhD students to study cognitive neuroscience. Research topics may include concussion, traumatic brain injury, athletic and human performance, and rehabilitation. CB3 provides a collaborative, interdisciplinary world-class research environment across over 39 different departments. Resources include electrophysiology (high-density ERP/EEG), 3T magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), near-infrared technology (NIRS), and eye tracking.

Ph.D. candidates may select to apply to one of several different programs in Psychology, including Neuroscience and Behavior, Developmental, or Cognitive and Quantitative. These programs are research-intensive non-clinical degree programs, which span cognition and perception, examining mental processes such as perception, attention, memory, categorization, language, and development using cutting edge multimodal behavioral, statistical, and neuroscience tools.

Top candidates should have:

• a bachelor's degree in psychology, cognitive science, or a related field
• excellent research skills, with experience in psychology, cognitive science, or a related field
• excellent communication skills
• excellent computer skills

UNL’s deadline for PhD applications is December 17, 2012. More information about the Psychology program at UNL can be found here: http://psychology.unl.edu/grad/

More information about applying to UNL’s Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found here: http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/

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