A special thanks to Eman Tarif for editing and compiling this Professor Spotlight Compilation Video!
A special thanks to Eman Tarif for editing and compiling this Professor Spotlight Compilation Video!
SSARC provides a Research Guide for walking you through understanding what academic research entails, finding your research interests, learning more about those interests, and talking to professors about working in their lab. The SSARC also offers consultations to answer any remaining questions you have about joining research and contacting professors.
UROP provides advising through both appointments and drop-in hours, on & off-campus research opportunities/scholarships, workshops, and annual undergraduate research symposiums. There are calls for faculty mentored research project/funding proposals in the fall, spring, and summer (the Summer Undergraduate Research Program or SURP).
Honors students need to complete an honors thesis and will have to enroll in a 190, 198, or 199 research course with an advisor. They are advised to meet with faculty advisors early in their first year in order to finalize a research lab to do their research in. In their first year, students get to be introduced to research done on and around campus. In their second year, they are attending seminars that teach them how to complete their thesis and to prepare for symposium presentations.
Participate in a minimum of two quarters of research, which culminates in the production of an honors thesis, creative project, or publication-quality paper. Associate Dean of Campuswide Honors Ted Wright teaches a set of research courses that provides honors students who are not participating in an upper division school or major honors program with extra support during the honors thesis process: University Studies H176A (Fall) and H176C (Spring). [Note: These courses do not replace the required two quarters of research with your thesis advisor.] NOTE* Many Campuswide Honors students choose to participate in upper division school or major honors programs in fulfillment of this requirement.
When speaking with professors, we noticed a common theme: coding, calculus, statistics and experimental psychology knowledge were required skills in many of the cognitive science research labs. Below, we have created a list of classes that can help you gain necessary skills to be successful in most labs, as well as some "teach your own" tips. We would like to emphasize this is a student made resource to summarize commonly heard information, these classes are not required by the Department of Cognitive Sciences, nor the Professors.
Virtually all research labs we have reviewed require some level of coding knowledge in order to create, run, and analyze a variety of experiments. Above all, professors emphasize the ability to understand code, versus mastering the specific language learned in the lab. Coding skills can transfer from one language to another, but you have to be willing to put in the work!
One common coding language is Matlab Programming. In the Department of Cognitive Sciences, students are given the opportunity to take PSYCH 114M - Matlab Programming. If you are unable to take the course for any reason, you could try learning basic Matlab skills at these resources from MIT and Youtube.
Another common coding language is Python. Students are able to take courses I&C SCI 31 - Introduction to Programming and COGS 14P - Python for Cognitive Science and Neuroscience Research. If you are unable to take the course for any reason, you could try learning basic Python skills at either of these resources: Python.org and Youtube.
Having knowledge of Experimental Psychology will give you a strong foundation of basic methodology, technology, and writing techniques used in common research settings. Taking classes in various topics of Psychology can help you gauge your research interests, and decide if you would work well with the professor teaching the course.
Psychology and Cognitive Science Students have the opportunity to take an Experimental Psychology Series: PSYCH 112A - 112C (also known as H111A-C) - Experimental Psychology. The first two quarters focus on understanding and replicating two foundational experiments in psychology: the Stroop task and Flanker task.
Statistics has been suggested in the context of understanding some of the probabilistic formulas that students will encounter while coding. Statistical exposure can happen during the creation of experiments and in analyzing results.
UCI students are given the opportunity to enroll in Stats 7 - Basic Statistics. If you are unable to take the course for any reason, you could try learning basic calculus skills at either of these resources: Udemy and Youtube.
Single variable calculus has been suggested in the context of understanding some of the mathematical formulas that students will encounter while coding. Mathematical exposure can happen during the creation of experiments and in analyzing results.
UCI students are given the opportunity to enroll in Math 2A and Math 2B - Single Variable Calculus. If you are unable to take the course for any reason, you could try learning basic calculus skills at either of these resources: MIT and Paul's Online Notes.
Learn about the experiences and advice from recent Research Assistants and see if research is right for you!
Application Process
Before applying to a research lab, review background research on potential labs that you are interested in, so that you may learn and gain the most skills and techniques to apply in your future career. To find more information on each faculty member's research lab in the Department of Cognitive Science, please click on this link: https://www.cogsci.uci.edu/research/index.php.
Openings for research labs vary quarter to quarter, so it's best to email professors about lab openings prior to when a quarter begins.
Most professors prefer to have students email them to get into a lab, however, please avoid emailing professors during Week 1, as they are in the process of managing their classes. You can also find more information to apply to researcher's labs via their webpage.
Be aware that some labs may require an application form, a resume, CV form, and/or cover letter, to find out your background on material such as in mathematics and programming, and whether you understand and review their research lab.
Ability to have a flexible schedule as time commitment is very important, and you may experience unexpected meetings, especially during remote learning due to the pandemic of COVID-19.
Typically, RA's work at a research lab ranges from 8-12 hours per week. Students can enroll their research labs for graded units, and can choose up to 1 - 4 units. Usually students enroll in 4 units, which means 12 hours of work per week, as 1 unit is equivalent to 3 hours of work.
Please keep in mind that faculty members have different requirements of minimum hours per week for RAs to work. For example, in Professor Chernyak's Development of Social Cognition Lab, she requires RAs to work a minimum of 10 hours per week, while Professor Liljeholm's Learning and Decision Neuroscience Lab requires RA's to work a minimum of 8 hours per week.
Application Process (Cont.)
Make the most out of your time: try to learn as much as you can, as you will apply what you learn in your future independent projects, including your own research lab, UROP, and experience as a professor.
Ask Questions! It takes time to develop new skills in a research setting, so get as much learning and opportunities through your lab, PI, and research. This will you're your interests in learning, becoming a respected researcher, and building a stronger connection with your mentor and other networks. Some examples of questions to ask are:
What is the process of getting your research published?
How to build a strong independent lab?
What key ideas do you recommend to receive a grant for a UROP?
What are some opportunities I should apply for graduate school?
Time Management: Make sure you are able to commit to a flexible time schedule, as it's very important to have a healthy and balanced schedule to balance between work and life. Also, be aware that your researcher may request your presence on different occasions.
"Give yourself a lot of Slack!": Being an RA might not be easy to grasp at first, as it is a steep learning curve, but don't worry! You'll be able to achieve and master your skills and goals throughout the quarter. A helpful tip is to record your protocols and keep it on hand during lab sessions, so you are aware on what to do
Qualifications
- Background in Mathematics, such as Statistics and Calculus
- Experience in computer programming, such as MATLAB, C/C++, Python, and/or R studio.
- Applying coding skills into Excel and Google Sheets for Data Analysis
- Social and communication skills for connecting with lab members, PI's, and researchers.
- Flexible time schedule
"Have a look at the Professor's website and read a couple of articles to see what you find interesting. Almost all professors are very delighted to have students who are genuinely interested in their research and motivated. In terms of reaching out to Professors for research, include a couple of paragraphs, what you are interested in and why, and relevant skills in your email."
"If you are interested in working with a Professor go to their website, find 3 recent published papers, look and see which are the most interesting to you, and read them and try to understand them. In your email, include what you are interested in."
"Definitely try emailing the Professor you are interested in working with, and do not get discouraged if you do not hear back immediately. If you do not hear back after a while, try checking in. If you get the opportunity to talk to the Professor, make sure that you understand why you want to join the lab, treat the conversation like an interview, and explain how you can contribute to the lab."
"Make sure that you have a strong interest in the research conducted in the lab and to include a resume or cover letter when emailing Professors."
"Each lab has its own set of skills and expectations for student research assistants. Typically, lab pages will have a 'Join us' or 'Opportunities to Get Involved' that will contain this information. Keep this in mind when you are writing your resume so that you can highlight skills that align with the lab and consider whether this lab is a good fit for you."
"Going into office hours is another potential way to talk to Professors about research, if you are genuinely interested in the topic they are studying."
"If you are interested in getting involved in research, visit different lab websites and see which research topics pique your interest. Once you have narrowed down which labs you would like to join, email the Professor with your resume. Make sure to keep your email concise because Professors are very busy."
"Read research papers before contacting Professors! You don't have to understand everything (e.g., the Results section). For dipping your toes into the literature, key sections to read are the Abstract, Introduction, and Discussion sections. Make sure that you understand the big idea of the study."
"Do not join a lab just so that it is an extra accomplishment to put on your resume, especially since you will be spending a good amount of time (sometimes up to 15 hours/week) working as a research assistant. I would highly recommend emailing a Professor if you are seriously interested in doing research so that this will be an interesting and rewarding experience. Make sure to emphasize this interest in your email, but also do not make it too long."
UCI School of Social Sciences Social Sciences Academic Resource Center (SSARC): One of the many services that SSARC offers for UCI students is connecting students to faculty-mentored research opportunities! Take advantage of the SSARC one-on-one consultations. SSARC advisors can help with editing your email and resume for reaching out to Professors about research opportunities. SSARC also offers events throughout the school year to inform students on a variety of topics ranging from tips for choosing a research topic and writing resumes.
UCI Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP): UROP advisors help mentor students reach out to faculty and learn more about UROP opportunities at UCI. Check out UROP's Drop-In Hours to ask a UROP advisor about any research-related questions you may have! UROP also offers workshops, including ones on how to get involved in research.
UCI Center for Excellence in Writing & Communication (UCI Writing Center): The UCI Writing Center offers Writing Specialist Appointments, Peer Tutoring, and Email Consultations to help you with brainstorming ideas or getting in-depth feedback for any kind of writing you are working on.
Dear Dr. ______________,
My name is ______ and I am a (year) majoring in ______. I was looking at your webpage and I found ______ research project to be very interesting because of ______. I was wondering if we could schedule a time to talk about your research and any opportunities or potential positions in your lab.
(Research topic) interests me because of _____ and _____. I am available (times) and would be happy to stop by your office hours as well. If there is any information that you would like from me, I would be happy to provide it. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
(name)
Dear Dr./Professor (name),
My name is (name) and I am a (class year) majoring in (major). I am writing to ask about opportunities for undergraduate research in your lab for the upcoming (term). I looked over your webpage and was really interested in your research around (research topic). I was especially interested in your article "(Article Title)," because it (additional relevant information about the article).
Would it be possible to schedule a day and time to meet and further discuss (research topic) and my possible involvement in the research? My available times are (dates and times). I've also attached a copy of my CV/Resume below. Please let me know if you would like me to provide any additional information. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
(name)
(contact information)
Searching for opportunities to become involved in a lab? Here, you can find everything you need to know: professors and lab websites, their research focus, lab openings, how to apply, the skills required, and any supplementary materials requested by the professor.
Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab
Research Focus: Roles of episodic and working memory in decisions for reward, perceptual inference, addiction, and intertemporal choice
Openings: Openings depend on whether graduate students at the lab need help with their current project. After Prof. Bornstein receives an email from a student interested in the lab, he will forward it to three graduate students asking if they need the help.
Application: Contact Prof. Bornstein at aaron.bornstein@uci.edu
Send a brief (~2 paragraph) message describing research experience and interests. Include a CV and email addresses of up to three references.
Some knowledge of programming in at least one language, organization for research projects
Include a CV and email addresses of up to three references when reaching out about a research position.
Research Focus: Visual neuroscience, human cortical organization and function, cortical plasticity
Application: Fill out the Undergraduate Research Assistant application (the link can be found under the "Participate" tab in the lab website)
Students majoring in cognitive sciences/psychology or biology (neurobiology concentration), has a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, intends to go on to graduate school in Psychology, Neurobiology, Medicine, or a related discipline (e.g., for a Master's degree, a Ph.D., or an M.D.), and is willing to commit to at least one year of research for ~8-12 hours each week when school is in session (exceptions can be made for exam weeks). It is beneficial to have taken a course with Dr. Brewer. Previous research experience is also potentially useful.
NA
Development of Social Cognition Lab
Research Focus: Cognitive development, social cognition, prosocial behavior, moral cognition, agency and free will, conceptual development, reasoning
Openings: The best time to apply for the Fall quarter will be in July or
August. The best time to apply for Winter and Spring quarters are midway through the previous quarter. Please note the lab mainly accepts RAs in the Fall.
Application: Fill out the Research Assistant Application (the link can be found under the "Join Us" tab in the lab website)
Preferred, but not mandatory: minimum 3.0 GPA in Psychology classes and previous experience working with children.
Email a resume and transcript to dosc.ra.applications@gmail.com. For additional info, contact the lab manager, Lucy Stowe, at lstowe@uci.edu.
Cognitive Anteater Robotics Laboratory
Research Focus: Computational neuroscience, robotics
Openings: There are openings Fall 2021
Application: Contact Prof. Krichmar at jeff.krichmar@uci.edu
Take PSYCH 112R in sophomore or junior year OR have programming experience in C/C++ and/or Python
Resume or CV, and an unofficial transcript. Have a strong interest in using robotics or neural network models to test theories in cognitive sciences and neuroscience.
Visual Perception and Neuroimaging Lab
Research Focus: Neural basis of visual perception, biological motion perception
Openings: There is no lab at the moment
Application: Contact Prof. Grossman at grossman@uci.edu
Take Psych 119: Intro fMRI Research + Lab. Email Prof. Grossman for more information.
NA
Bayesian Cognitive Modeling Lab
Research Focus: Modeling human decision making, collective cognition and the wisdom of the crowd, modeling memory with clinical applications, Bayesian statistical methods
Openings: Dr. Lee is generally interested in recruiting as he always has a project ready for a student with good programming skills. There are also positions for 2-3 students to collect/clean data or design experiments.
Application: Contact Prof. Lee at mdlee@uci.edu with an introductory email consisting of a couple of paragraphs, which describes why you are interested in joining the Bayesian Cognitive Modeling Lab, your skills and interests, and some demonstration that you understand the research in the lab
Good programming skills in any language to discuss and implement research ideas through code (largely independent, with some guidance)
Resume or CV
Learning & Decision Neuroscience Laboratory
Research Focus: Reinforcement learning, structure learning, neuroimaging, reasoning, decision making, addiction, social cognition, psychopathology
Application: Contact Professor Liljeholm at m.liljeholm@uci.edu
Professor Liljeholm prefers programming experience, but if you have some exposure and a drive to learn, she may have a start-up position for you
Read three papers and have a discussion with her! A transcript is recommended
Research Focus: Cognitive neuroscience, decision making, motor learning, and modeling EEG signals, perception, attention consciousness, brain dynamics
Openings: There are openings in the lab for current sophomores (1-2) who would like to start this Summer or Fall quarter.
Application: Contact Prof. Srinivasan at r.srinivasan@uci.edu
Exposure to a programming language (at minimum), and the ability to understand and modify code. Exposure to an Experimental Psychology course and a Neuroscience course is beneficial.
CV is helpful but not essential. Professor Srinivasan mainly wants to know what you are interested in doing.
Cognitive & Neural Computation Lab
Research Focus: Perception, metacognition, consciousness, modeling
Application: Contact Prof. Peters at megan.peters@uci.edu
Programming knowledge (Matlab, R, Python, C based language), calculus concepts, an individual drive to learn
Read articles that interest you and have a conversation about the content, send a CV, and explain why you want to work in the lab as well as the contributions you will make
Research Focus: Developmental social cognition, exploration, decision making, early math learning
Openings: No openings until Fall 2021 quarter at earliest
Application: Contact Jeff Coon at jcoon1@uci.edu
Minimum GPA of 3.0 in Psychology classes, experience working with children (e.g., as a preschool teacher's aide, nanny or babysitter)
Resume, unofficial transcript, schedule for the current and following quarter, and a personal statement (the link can be found under the "Contact Us" tab in the lab website)
Openings: Generally, Prof. Richards has one or two undergraduate students working in the lab; HOWEVER, openings depend on lab personnel, whether there are experiments running, etc.
Application: Contact Prof. Richards at virginir@uci.edu or attend office hours
Computational skills
Course transcript
Computation of Language Laboratory
Research Focus: Language development, computational & mathematical modeling, natural language processing, computational sociolinguistics
Openings: Openings change from quarter to quarter. Interested students are welcome to apply using the Google Form, so their information is available when openings occur.
Application: Contact Prof. Pearl at lpearl@uci.edu
Fill out the interest Google Form under the "Participate" section of the CoLaLab website, and then email Prof. Pearl.
A background in language, mathematics, and computer science is preferred, but not strictly necessary, depending on the project.
After filling out the interest Google Form, if there is a fit between the interested student and the lab, then Prof. Pearl will follow up with requests for supplementary materials like a CV.
Research Focus: Vision, hearing and EEG studies of speech and attention
Application: Contact Prof. D'Zmura at mdzmura@uci.edu
NA
NA
Cognition and Individual Differences Lab
Research Focus: Modeling of cognition and individual differences, Bayesian statistics, and implementation and deployment of useful computational algorithms
Openings: No openings, and openings for undergraduates are rare. Prof. Vandekerckhove is willing to stay in contact if there are any potential spots.
Application: Contact Prof. Vandekerckhove at joachim@uci.edu
Strong background in calculus and statistics, proficiency at a technical programming language (ideally R or MATLAB), and at least some experience with mathematical modeling.
NA
Research Focus: Camoflauge, texture discrimination, Hick's law, speed-accuracy tradeoff
Application: Contact Prof. Wright at cewright@uci.edu
Background in mathematics (e.g., calculus or linear algebra), Matlab programming, psychophysics, statistics
Show that you understand the kind of research happening in the lab and what you are interested in
