Maryland Child and Family Development Center
Our lab has specialized positions available for FOUR people who would be interested in coding video-tapes of infant behavior and assisting with various lab tasks.
Great experience to prepare for Graduate School!
- Learn about doing science with observational data
- Be involved in coding and entering data
- Work as a team in a fun, collegial atmosphere
- Your ideas and perceptions are taken seriously by team members and team leaders
- You will get all the benefits of working in Dr. Cassidy's lab
Required:
- A genuine interest in babies and development
- An empathic understanding for what's happening in relationships
- Willingness to commit to a year (Spring 2007 and Summer or Fall 2008)
- Three (3) credit commitment in PSYC 479 with 9 hours per week
- Must have completed 9 hours in PSYC
- Must have at least a 3.0 GPA
- Must be a sophomore or junior
Other: Please contact Laura Jernigan if you are interested in joining our research team!
E-mail the following information to: ljernigan@psyc.umd.edu
- Paragraph of interest
- Resume or CV
- Current Overall and Psychology GPA
Tracy Fitzgerald
Hearing & Speech Sciences
Lefrak Hall, Room 0119B
301-405-4224 / tfitzgerald@hesp.umd.edu
DPOAE Mechanisms and the Estimation of Hearing Loss
We are measuring distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in extremely small steps (10 Hz) from participants with either normal hearing thresholds or mild hearing loss. These measures will be analyzed to determine whether separating out the two components of the DPOAEs (nonlinear and reflection components) will enhance the ability to detect hearing loss and/or predict behavioral hearing thresholds using DPOAEs.
Students will be involved in recruiting and scheduling participants, analyzing data, and assisting with literature searches and database.
Required: GPA of 3.5 or better; attentive to detail, possessing basic knowledge of computers, interested in research and willing/able to interact professionally with research participants.
Recommended: Some previous or current coursework related to audiology (HESP 311, 407, and/or 411) is preferred. Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and other analysis/graphing software (Kaleidograph, Sigma Plot)is preferred but not necessary.
Wideband reflectance in adults
We are measuring wideband reflectance in adults aged 18 and older to evaluate changes in middle ear function with increasing age.
Students will be involved in participant recruitment, data analysis, and literature searches/database management.
Required: GPA of 3.5 or higher; attentive to detail; possessing basic familiarity with computers; willing/able to interact professionally with research participants; interested in research.
Recommended: Previous or current coursework in audiology (HESP 311, 407, and/or 411) is preferred but not required. Experiences working with Microsoft Excel and other analysis/graph programs (Kaliedograph, Sigma Plot) is preferred but not required.
Immigrant Life Course Research Program
The State of Maryland is rapidly changing its population profile, with an unprecedented influx of immigrants from all over the world. This Program proposes to build links to the research and the policy communities so that policy issues can be researched to contribute to our knowledge-base of the New Americans.
Two long-term projects, multiple short term projects:
1) Voting and elections in certain U.S. regions and states.
2) Other miscellaneous research. Some projects pay a small stipend for student participation.
Required: Three courses in GVPT. Excellent skills in library research including microfilm reading, literature searches, and some computer literacy (IBM or Macintosh).
Recommended: Willingness to work hard and quickly; interest in campaigns, elections, and voting studies.
James M. Glass
Government and Politics
1140C LeFrak Hall
301-405-4119 / jglass@gvpt.umd.edu
Several projects including the relationship of psychoanalytic theories of self to politics; study of psychosis as a political phenomenon; research on the relationship between psychotic states and the creation of social values.
Recommended: Curiosity about self and psychological and emotive structures; speculative and theoretical orientation; interest in mental illness issues.
Denise C. Gottfredson
Criminology and Criminal Justice
2220 LeFrak Hall
301-405-4717 / dgottfredson@crim.umd.edu
After School Program Study in Baltimore County, Maryland
This project works directly with prevention practicioners in five schools in
Baltimore County. Maryland to conduct a scientific study of
the effectiveness of structured after school programs on learning and delinquency
outcomes. Research assistants are needed to help collect
and manage data from these projects. Positions are available for the Spring,
2007 semester only. Contact Denise Gottfredson at x5-4717 or
dgottfredson@crim.umd.edu.
Jens Herberholz
Psychology
4143 Biology-Psychology Building
301-405-5902 / jherberholz@psyc.umd.edu
Crustacean Neurobiology and Behavior
Research in my lab investigates the neural basis of animal behavior. We are interested in identifying and examining behavioral and physiological mechanisms that underlie aggression, social status, escape, learning & memory. We use crayfish as a model system because they have an accessible nervous system of lower complexity that gives rise to a variety of interesting behaviors.
Required: Strong motivation to work with crayfish. Basic science background.
Recommended: Previous research experience is recommended but not required.
Other: If you are interested in our research, please send me an email with the following information:
- Statement of interest
- CV or Resume
- Science courses you have taken
Clara E. Hill
Psychology
2147G Biology-Psychology Building
301-405-5791 / cehill@psych.umd.edu
Evaluations of what occurs during dream sessions.
Required: GPA of 3.5 or better; interest in going to graduate school in counseling psychology; attentive to details; responsible and reliable.
Scott Kastner
Government & Politics
3104 B Tydings Hall
301-405-9710 / skastner@gvpt.umd.edu
The domestic politics of trade with (potential) adversaries: China, Taiwan, and the US
Project is for summer, 2007, and will involve helping me to collect, summarize, and analyze documents and debates in the US and the PRC concerning the bilateral trade relationship.
Required: Strong research and writing skills; at least one course relating to international politics in E. Asia.
Scott Kastner
Government & Politics
3104 B Tydings Hall
301-405-9710 / skastner@gvpt.umd.edu
Regional trade agreements in East Asia
For: Summer of 2007. Assist with collecting and coding data on regional trade agreements in East Asia.
Required: Strong research and writing skills.
Frances Lee
Government & Politics
2126 B Tydings Hall
301-405-4339 / flee1@umd.edu
Agenda Change and Party Cohesion in CongressHas a changing policy agenda contributed to the dramatic rise in partisanship in Congress? Political scientists have explained the rise in partisanship primarily as a result of external electoral forces or internal institutional changes. Electoral realignment has sorted liberal and conservative constituencies into different parties (Jacobson, Polsby, Rohde, Fiorina). Internal institutional factors include a revitalized party leadership, whip system, and other procedural changes (Roberts and Smith, Rohde, Sinclair). These electoral and institutional accounts neglect to consider whether the composition of the policy agenda has become more divisive. Are the issues before the Congress more likely to tap into the disputes between liberals and conservatives than the congressional agenda of the past?
Required: GVPT major with an interest in American politics
Greg Matvey
Psychology
3140 Biology/Psychology Buildin
301-405-0026 / gmatvey@psyc.umd.edu
Metacognition and Learning
Metacognition refers to one's thoughts about their current state of learning. This project will involve multiple experiments designed to investigate the relationship between metacognition and ongoing learning. We will conduct research that examines both learning the vocabulary of a second language and learning information from reading a text.
Required: None
Recommended: Prior or current participation in PSYC 100 and PSYC 341 is recommended.
Tracking Influence in the US Court System
The research projects, funded by the National Science Foundation, examine ways of tracking influence in the U.S. judicial system. The study is developing innovative computer technologies to make possible substantive investigations that would be impossible with traditional methodologies. Currently, we have two projects running. One involves an assessment of the role of precedent and communication among courts as they develop law in an emerging area. The second involves assembling a large textual database including US Supreme Court briefs and opinions (1953-present) in oder to accomodate computerized linguistic analysis of arguments and opinions.
Required: Strong academic record
Other: Our project team consists of a number of graduate and undergraduate students. If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact Prof. McIntosh at wmcintosh@gvpt.umd.edu. Qualified applicants should have a strong academic record, interest in aspects of the research project, and the ability to work well with a project team where the precise variety of assignments will depend upon developments in the research.
Rochelle Newman
Hearing and Speech Sciences
0141B LeFrak
301-405-4226 / rnewman@hesp.umd.edu
We are investigating a number of aspects of adult language. For example:
1. Imagine the last time you were at a party, talking to a friend. How do you manage to keep the speech from your friend separate from all of the other voices talking around you? This is a very difficult skill, and one that poses particular difficulties for people with hearing loss and for the elderly. We are trying to investigate how this ability works. In particular, it seems that listeners sometimes can't help but use information from voices they are trying to ignore--and we're examining when this occurs.
2. Ever have that experience of knowing a word but not being able to come up with it? Most people experience these tip-of-the-tongue episodes about once a week, but some people experience them much more often than that. What makes some words more prone to these problems than others?
3. When listing to a new language, it often sounds like the speakers of that language never stop for breath, or never pause between words. In fact, the same is true for English, but as native speakers, we learn how to tell where one word ends and another begins. How do we do that?
Student RAs will be responsible for recruiting and testing participants and for analyzing data. They may also help out with our infant research at the same time.
Required: Basic knowledge of computers.
Rochelle Newman
Hearing and Speech Sciences
0141B LeFrak
301-405-4226 / rnewman@hesp.umd.edu
The Language Development Laboratory investigates speech and language acquisition in infants and toddlers. Student RAs will be involved in several different experiments, investigating when children understand the concept of plurals, how infants can pay attention to one voice in the context of noise, and how much exposure infants need to begin learning a new language.
RAs will be involved in all aspects of data collection: recruiting participants, running infant test sessions, and coding data from videotape following the test sessions.
Required: Must be comfortable talking with both parents and children.
Recommended: Experience with computers and with children is preferred, but not required.
Nan Ratner
Hearing and Speech Sciences
0104 LeFrak Hall
301-405-4217 / nratner@umd.edu
Computer-assisted language sample analysis of children's conversations and narratives; child language patterns in stuttering, specific language impairment and epilepsy.
Recommended: Introductory course in linguistics or HESP 300 or HESP 400.
Miranda A. Schreurs
GVPT
3104B Tydings Hall
301-405-7797 / mschreur@umd.edu / fax: 301-314-9690
1) Environment and Energy Policy.
2) Recent development in East Asian/Japanese politics.
3) Recent development in German and European Union politics.
Required: Willingness to search for materials in libraries. Writing skills.
Yasmeen
Faroqi Shah
Hearing and Speech Sciences
0141F Lefrak Hall
301-405-4229 / yshah@umd.edu
Neural correlates of language processing
Magnetoencephalogy(MEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), behavioral testing (e.g., reaction time, error pattern), and treatment studies are being used in several experiments that focus on the following questions:
-How do individuals with brain damage (typically stroke) process language when compared with normal individuals? Will they show cortical and temporal differences during language processing?
-What language therapy procedures are efficacious in individuals with aphasia?
-Does neural processing differ after language therapy (in other words, brain plasticity)?
Research assistants will be involved in developing experiments, testing normal individuals, data analysis and recruiting participants.
Required: Basic knowledge of computers and interest in research.
Recommended: Background in neuroscience and/or linguistics is preferred but not required.
Speech Production in Aphasia
What happens to our ability to formulate sentences after a stroke or any other injury to the brain (aphasia)? And what does this tell us about how sentences are formulated in normal brains? Why do some people have difficulty retrieving words after brain damage? How do we inflect words (e.g., adding '-ing', or '-ed' to words such as 'kick' to produce 'kicking', kicked' etc.)? And why do some patients with brain damage have trouble producing inflected words?
These are some of the questions being investigated at the Aphasia Research Laboratory.
Students will be involved in developing experimental stimuli, analyzing data, recruiting and scheduling patients & age-matched normal participants.
Required: Basic knowledge of computers
Recommended: 1. Introductory
course in Human Communication Disorders preferred, but not necessary.
2. Ability to talk to Speech-Language Pathologists and caregivers of patients
on the phone about recruiting and scheduling.
Experimental work on self-presentation or stereotyping.
Required: Interest, motivation, reasonable social skills (must be comfortable interacting with research participants).
Maryland Infant Studies Lab
We have several projects going on in our lab right now. Most studies are aimed at understanding how babies make sense of other people's behavior, and in particular whether they interpret the actions of others in terms of goals or physical properties. We also study babies' understanding of complex goal-directed sequences and the cues they attend to when imitating the actions of others.
Research assistants responsible with helping out with all aspects of the lab's research. RAs will give parents informational calls, schedule babies for appointments, assist in running studies, and code data during and after studies are run.
Required: Must be comfortable interacting with both parents and children.
Recommended: Experience with research, customer service, or children/infants is recommended but not required.
Return to URAP Directory