Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Dr. Jennifer Brown
• Lab Website: https://jenniferbrownphd.wordpress.com/

Description of research area 

Work conducted in our clinical health psychology lab is focused on addressing substance use, HIV, and reproductive health disparities both domestically and globally.  Current research seeks to:

• Develop and evaluate culturally-tailored interventions to prevent HIV/AIDS; improve reproductive health and substance use outcomes; and address the intersection between substance use and infectious diseases.
• Implement evidence-based interventions in community settings to improve HIV, reproductive health, and substance use outcomes.
• Understand cultural facets of mental health, substance use, reproductive health, and infectious disease disparities.

Description of undergraduate participation

Students will be involved in all phases of research, including:

• Conducting literature reviews
• Designing studies
• Working with research participants
• Analyzing data
• Preparing presentations and publications of study results

Students will also participate in regularly scheduled lab meetings and discussions of readings on relevant clinical health psychology topics.

Research setting

Dr. Brown’s lab is located on the first floor in the Psychology Building.

Application

If you are interested in joining our lab, please fill out this Survey Form and email a brief statement regarding why you are interested in the lab’s area of focus on substance use, infectious diseases, and reproductive health as well as attach an updated PDF of your resume/CV by March 30, 2026.

Contact Information

Email: respectlab@purdue.edu

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Teri Kirby, PhD, Associate Professor—Social Psychology
• Austin Zeng, Lab Coordinator
• Junming Zhang, Graduate Researcher
• Linh Pham, Graduate Researcher

Description of research area 

Research in Dr. Kirby’s lab explores a range of topics related to diversity, inclusion, identity, prejudice, and discrimination. We most often focus on racial/ethnic, gender/sex, and LGBTQ+ diversity.

Recent topics of investigation include:

• Diversity ideologies: ideas about how to accommodate differences across ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation categories (e.g., multicultural and colorblind approaches to diversity)
• Diversity initiatives: intersectional approaches to diversity initiatives, how diversity initiatives shape sensitivity to discrimination, self-concept, stereotyping, and academic/workplace outcomes
• The co-opting of diversity by majority/privileged groups
• Cultural appropriation
• Intersectionality and feminism

Description of undergraduate participation

Research assistants typically gain experience running participants in experimental lab studies, recruiting research participants, programming surveys, collecting survey data, entering or analyzing data, reviewing relevant psychological literature, and helping to design studies. They also gain experience with software that can be useful for graduate school (e.g., Qualtrics, Zotero, SPSS, R and RStudio).

Research assistants attend research group meetings to discuss projects in the lab and learn more about the research process. Finally, more senior research assistants may have the opportunity to conduct independent research projects and mentor/train more junior assistants.

Research setting

Labs in Psychology Building

Number of assistants needed

2-4

Contact Information

Please submit your application at: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tzVkWICaZbikMC

Please note that the deadline for submitting your application is March 23^rd

For questions, please contact Austin Zeng: zeng297@purdue.edu

Additional Comments

• Must have completed PSY 120
• Completion of or enrollment in PSY 240 and PSY 203 preferred
• GPA of 3.0 or higher preferred
• Minimum commitment of 2 credits per term (6 hours per week) required, as well as three terms overall. Those committing to more terms receive preference.

However, all interested candidates are encouraged to apply. We especially encourage people from underrepresented or marginalized groups to apply.

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Franki Kung, Associate Professor, I-O and Social Psychology
• Graduate Investigators, Lab Manager/Researcher, and Undergraduate Research Assistants

Description of research area 

At the Conflict Collaboratory, we do science to help people and organizations manage conflict and thrive by:

• Building culturally inclusive and humanizing systems
  (e.g., developing adaptive mindsets/policies, understanding marginalized groups’ experience)
• Fostering understanding and grace in difficult communication and disagreement
  (e.g., applying constructive strategies in difficult conversations, such as feedback and negotiation)
• Regulating self and multiple goals for success
  (e.g., examining the pros and cons of diverse approaches to managing multiple goals and goal conflicts)

Because the study of conflict is inherently tied to understanding differences and creating spaces where people with varying interests and experiences can thrive, our lab’s research fundamentally advances the science of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Description of undergraduate participation

We design the lab experience to prepare our undergraduate research assistants for graduate school and careers in I-O psychology and social psychology, management, human resources, and organizational behavior. Students will join a community of peers, researchers, and mentors passionate about the study of conflict, self-regulation, and inclusive excellence. In addition to individual project team meetings and tasks, students attend weekly lab meetings to learn and discuss related issues and enjoy educational and social events throughout the semester (e.g., research talks, lunch, escape room, mini golf).

Junior research assistants will have the opportunities to:

• Learn how to conduct online surveys, literature reviews, behavioral experiments, and qualitative analysis (e.g., picture/linguistic coding, focus group data analysis)
• Develop scientific thinking and presentation skills in weekly lab meetings
• Attend research and professional development workshops (e.g., literature review, survey design, data analysis)

Senior research assistants (typically 1+ year experience) will have the opportunities to:

• Manage participant recruitment and lab schedule
• Do honors contract or scholarly project
• Conduct training sessions
• Develop their own research ideas and design studies
• Present findings in academic conferences (e.g., Midwestern Psychological Association Conference)

We support and encourage student involvement in our lab through scholarship programs such as OUR Scholars, Summer Stay Scholars, and Summer Research Opportunity Program.

Research setting

Our research takes place mostly in our lab space (in the Psychological Sciences building) and some part of the work can be carried out remotely (e.g., from home) as long as data security and confidentiality can be ensured.

Number of assistants needed

5+

Contact Information

To Apply, please fill out this form and supply related information (which takes just about 15 minutes): https://bit.ly/purduerarecruit

Contact Dr. Kung at fkung@purdue.edu if you have questions.

Additional Comments

Preference is given to students who major in or are interested in Psychology, Business, or related fields, and to those seeking research experience and future graduate studies. In the application, we collect information across relevant domains such as academic, research, work, and personal history. We review applications holistically to ensure fairness. Application is reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the semester – if you are interested, apply now!

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Hongmi Lee, Assistant Professor, Cognitive Psychology

Description of research area 

In the Lee Memory and Cognition Lab, we investigate how the human brain remembers complex real-world events. Our research is focused on understanding the characteristics of narrated memory recall for experiences resembling real-life situations (e.g., free web browsing) and the brain mechanisms that support the storage and recall of those experiences. We utilize a combination of behavioral experiments and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Description of undergraduate participation

As undergraduate research assistants, you will work closely with other lab members, contributing to a range of tasks essential for our fMRI and behavioral experiments. These tasks primarily include participant recruitment, preparation, and testing, as well as data coding, organization, and basic analysis. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to attend lab meetings and other lab-related events. If you express interest and demonstrate the required skills, you may also have the chance to develop your independent research project.

Research setting

Most of the research activity will take place in our lab space and testing rooms on the 2^nd floor of Peirce Hall. fMRI experiments will be conducted at the Purdue Life Science MRI Facility on campus.

Number of assistants needed

1-3 students

Contact Information

• Hongmi Lee / Lee Memory and Cognition Lab
• E-mail: LeeMemoryAndCognitionLab@gmail.com
• Phone: N/A
• Office: 3160 PSYC

Additional Comments

We require a commitment of at least 2 credits per semester (6 hours per week). To apply, please send an email to LeeMemoryAndCognitionLab@gmail.com with the following materials:

• A very brief statement (no longer than one page) describing 1) who you are, 2) why you are interested in joining our lab, 3) your prior research experience and technical skills (e.g., computer programming), and 4) your weekly availability 
• A CV or resume, if available
• An unofficial transcript

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Susan South, PhD Professor – Clinical Psychology
• Margaret Lupo, Graduate Researcher
• Lily Jensen, Graduate Researcher

Description of research area 

Research in the Relationships and Mental Health Lab seeks to investigate the role psychopathology plays within intimate romantic relationship experiences. Past research in the RMH Lab has focused on links between trait personality and dysfunction within marital relationships, as well as the interplay between personality and psychopathology and their influence on one another.

Currently, the lab is funded for a project examining the effects of adverse interpersonal experiences on mild cognitive impairment in an ethnically diverse sample of older adult twins. Other ongoing projects include a daily diary study of older adults with cognitive impairment, a project utilizing ecological momentary assessment to study the effects of parenting stress on romantic relationships, and a review paper examining the current state of personality disorders research with particular attention to in-person laboratory procedures.

Description of undergraduate participation

Research assistants will help facilitate data collection by assisting with participant concerns, programming surveys, as well as entering or analyzing data.

Research assistants will also attend weekly lab meetings to read and discuss relevant journal articles, watch presentations from Dr. South and graduate students regarding research processes to gain additional experience useful for graduate school. Research assistants who have been with the lab for more than one semester may also have an opportunity to conduct their own independent research project.

Research setting

Most of our research will take place in our lab space in the Psychological Sciences building. Some work may be completed remotely.

Number of assistants needed

3

Contact Information

For questions, please contact Dr. South: ssouth@purdue.edu.
To apply, please contact RMHLab@purdue.edu for an application. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for mid-April.

Additional Comments

Students taking the course for credit should commit to working 3 hours in the lab for each credit (e.g., 9 hours/week for 3 credits).

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Chris Agnew, PhD, Professor, Social Psychology, RSVP Lab Director

Description of research area 

We conduct research on interpersonal relationships, why and how they are formed, and how they are maintained. Social psychology is the broad area in which our research is situated.

Description of undergraduate participation

Research assistants perform a variety of tasks, including collecting data from people in our lab. You will be trained on how to conduct research involving participants, individually or in couples. We also design new studies together as a lab team, with weekly lab team meetings, either in person or via Zoom.

Research setting

All work is completed in the Psychological Sciences building or in virtual space. Research assistants spend most of their hours working in the lab.

Number of assistants needed

We are recruiting up to 6 new undergraduate students to join the RSVP Lab in Fall 2026. Research assistants are expected to   work an average of 9 hours per week during the semester and receive 3 credits for PSY 39000.

How to Apply

Send (1) your CV, (2) unofficial Purdue transcript, (3) statement of research interests and (4) reasons for applying, as one PDF file via email attachment to Dr. Agnew at agnew@purdue.edu. Minimum 3.3 overall GPA required. Interviews for the most promising applicants will take place via Zoom in April and May 2026 until positions are filled. Thx for your interest!

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Yu-Chin Chiu, PhD, Associate Professor
• Cognitive Neuroscience of Cognitive Control Lab

Description of research area 

Cognitive control is a psychological construct that refers to a collection of processes that allow us to orchestrate thought and action according to our goals. For instance, we are able switch from one task to another by implementing cognitive control over task sets. While cognitive control is crucial to our everyday behavior, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Our lab conducts behavioral and neuroimaging experiments that try to specify the neurocognitive architecture of cognitive control and how it interacts with perception, learning, and memory.

Description of undergraduate participation

• Manage and assist with data collection (behavioral and/or EEG studies).
• Program experiments or prepare experimental stimuli.
• Participate in the lab’s journal club and present papers.

Research setting

Our lab is located on the 3^rd floor of the Psychology Building (PSYC).

Number of assistants needed

2 students are needed

Contact Information

Please submit the following materials under the subject line “PSY390 [Fall 2026]” to yuchinchiu@purdue.edu:

• Transcript & Resume/CV
• What do you expect to learn from this experience?

Additional Comments

• Best if already taken PSY200, PSY201, PSY203
• GPA > 3.8
• Prior programming experiences (Python, R, matlab, etc) are a big plus, but is not required

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Dr. Brooke N. Macnamara – Associate Professor – Cognitive Psychology and Industrial-Organizational Psychology
• Skill, Learning, and Performance Lab

Description of research area 

The Skill, Learning, and Performance Lab (SLAP Lab) conducts research on skill acquisition, expertise, and achievement. We are looking for 390 students to participate in research on the following topics:

• How stress affects attention
• How people acquire dynamic spatial skills (e.g., returning a tennis serve)
• How feelings of belonging develop and differ

Description of undergraduate participation

Students in the SLAP Lab will be involved in multiple steps in the research process. Depending on the research project assigned (dependent upon student interests and schedule availability), this may include the following opportunities:

• Learning how to collect and clean heart rate variability (EKG) data
• Running experimental protocols
• Taking participants through a stress test
• Collecting behavioral data
• Organizing Qualtrics data

In some cases, student research assistants who continue in the lab may have opportunities to analyze data and/or conduct independent research.

The minimum number of hours per week is 6 (two credits). Preference is given to students committed to 9 hours (three credits) per week. Work is almost entirely conducted in the lab in-person. Preference is given to students with flexible schedules. We conduct a rigorous interview process to select students who are the best fit. No prior research experience is required; interest and curiosity about research are required.

Research setting

The SLAP Lab is located on the 3^rd floor of the Psychological Sciences Building and the 3^rd floor of Pierce Hall.

One space is designed to collect data from up to 8 participants at a time. Student research assistants in this space will gain experience managing and directing multiple people at once to ensure consistent experimental protocol administration.

The other space is a series of small rooms. Student research assistants in this space will work closely with a senior research assistant (graduate student or post-bac research staff) to guide a single participant through a complex experiment. Research assistants in this space may be asked to wear lab coats, assist participants in placing EKG electrodes on their torso and neck, prepare buckets of water with precise temperatures, maintain neutral expressions, and move back and forth between rooms to monitor participants during a behavioral paradigm, monitor physiological readings, administer protocols, and screen potential participants.

Number of assistants needed

1 research assistant is needed.

Contact Information

Students interested in working in the SLAP Lab in the fall should complete this application by July 15th. We aim to complete interviews and confirm the fall lab schedule by August 15th.

Additional Comments

For more information, see our lab website.

Students are expected to respond to lab communications within 24 hours.

The following students are especially encouraged to apply:

• Learning how to collect and clean heart rate variability (EKG) data
• Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in psychology (any subarea).
• Students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
• Students eligible for federal work study.
• Students who may be interested in working in the lab for more than one semester.

Faculty Member or Graduate Student

• Dr. Thekla Morgenroth (they/them/their), Assistant Professor—Social Psychology
• Kira Means (she/her), graduate student – Social Psychology
• Heejoo Chung (she/her), graduate student – Social Psychology
• Max Miller (he/they), graduate student – Social Psychology

Description of research area 

Research in the UNICORN (UNderstanding Identity and the COntinuance of Roles and Norms) lab examines how and why people defend and maintain social categories and hierarchies.

Topics of investigation include:

• LGBTQ+ issues
• Gender and the gender binary
• The psychology of different feminist ideologies
• Opposition to trans-inclusive policies
• Women’s bodily autonomy

Description of undergraduate participation

The lab experience is designed to provide students with hands-on experience with the research process.

Research assistants have the opportunity to:

• Conduct research using a variety of research designs and methods
• Gain experience in software used for research (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS)
• Engage with and code open-response data
• Read and analyze published academic articles
• Be active participants in weekly lab meetings and discussions about research

Research setting

Work will be carried out in a joint lab space in person at specific times (depending on your schedule).

Number of assistants needed

1-2

To Apply

Please fill out the following survey by April 1th. You will hear back within 1-2 weeks of this deadline.

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a8CUIaw5Qvcm7lQ

Additional Comments

Members of underrepresented or marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to apply. In addition, individuals interested in pursuing careers in academic research and/or who may be interested in working in the lab for more than one semester are particularly encouraged to apply. Students should be able to commit at least 6 hours/week (2 credits).