To learn more about about undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development (ICD), visit ICD’s website.
Undergraduate Students
The Child Brain and Perception Lab is looking for students to join as research assistants. These can either be for credit, volunteer, and occasionally for pay (during summer months). We are looking for students from a variety of majors, including, but not limited to Child Psychology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Education, and Public Health.
Undergraduate directed research description
- Undergraduate research assistants are expected to engage with the team of researchers who make up the CBP Lab. We aim for learning and engagement, that students be involved with almost all aspects of conducting research with developmental populations.
- Undergraduate research assistants will become familiar with the literature, assist in participant recruitment, sibling baby-sitting, data collection including behavioral, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological tasks, data entry, maintenance, and analysis, as well as summarizing and reporting of the results to the participating families and the scientific community.
Undergraduate requirements
- Undergraduate students usually get involved by serving as research assistants for course credit (Child Psychology 4994: Directed Research) or by volunteering.
- Students should have taken/been enrolled for at least one undergraduate course in one of the following domains: Introduction to Psychology, Child Psychology or Developmental Psychology, Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology, or Neuroscience.
- A strong interest in developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, computer science, or statistics/mathematics is preferred.
- Due to the training that we provide to all new undergraduates, preference is also given to students who are interested in volunteering/directed research for more than one semester (i.e. two semesters or one semester plus a summer session).
Undergraduate grade rubric
| Letter Grade for CPSY 4994 | Expectations |
| A | Complete all of the following requirements: – Complete at least 90% of required credit hours. – Complete lab meeting article presentation. – Fulfill lab & CPSY 4994 contract expectations (see below for details). – Complete weekly assigned tasks. – Complete final reflection essay or presentation. |
| B | Complete 4 of the 5 following requirements: – Complete at least 80% of required credit hours. – Complete lab meeting article presentation. – Fulfill lab & CPSY 4994 contract expectations (see below for details). – Complete weekly assigned tasks. – Complete final reflection essay or presentation. |
| C | Complete 3 of the 5 following requirements: – Complete at least 70% of required credit hours. – Complete lab meeting article presentation. – Fulfill lab & CPSY 4994 contract expectations (see below for details). – Complete weekly assigned tasks. – Complete final reflection essay or presentation. |
| D/F | Complete 2 of the 5 following requirements: – Complete at least 60% of required credit hours. – Complete lab meeting article presentation. – Fulfill lab & CPSY 4994 contract expectations (see below for details). – Complete weekly assigned tasks. – Complete final reflection essay or presentation. |
Undergraduate Interest Form
If you are interested in joining the CBP Lab’s research team please complete this initial interest form and someone will follow-up with you for a possible interview.
If you have any questions contact the director of the CBP Lab, Dr. Charisse Pickron, cpickron@umn.edu.