Dalhousie Psychology & Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Opportunities

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L
1	Principal Investigator
2	Principal Investigator	Dr. Hélène Deacon	Dr. Tamara Franklin	Dr. Chris Moore	Dr. Raymond Klein	Dr. Aaron Newman	Dr. Angelo Iluianella	Dr. Shelly Adamo	Dr. Simon Gadbois	Dr. Shaun Boe	Dr. Natalie Rosen	Dr. Penny Corkum

3	Research Summary	The goal of Dr. Helene Deacon’s research program is to investigate the skills that underlie successful reading and writing. She is interested in just how children ‘crack the code’, understanding how language is mapped onto the page, and how they become expert readers. Dr. Deacon and her research team work with children and adults from across Canada and around the world; it is vital that we understand how children learn to read and write in English, as well as in other languages, including growing up bilingually. This knowledge is important for testing theories of reading development, as well as for developing best-practices in education.	Many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases (i.e., autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety) are characterized by severe social impairments. To understand the neural mechanisms responsible for these diseases, we investigate the brain function required to drive social interactions.	At the Early Social Development Lab (ESDL) we use fun, simple, and interactive games to discover what children understand about themselves, others, and the world around them. Our current researchprogram focuses on moral development and is designed to explore three questions: (1) How do moral judgements develop through childhood? (2) Do parental moral values relate to their children's? (3) How does moral development compare across groups and culture?	We conduct basic research on attention and human information processing using the methods of experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. We are also involved in a wide range of research with applications to real-world problems.	We study neuroplasticity – how the brain’s organization can be affected by experience, and how this can in different situations be adaptive or disruptive. Different research projects look at topics such as second language learning, aphasia (an acquired language disorder), deafness, and sign language. We make extensive use of brain imaging technologies including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), event-related brain potentials (ERP), and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Most of our studies are aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of different neurological conditions.	The nervous system is composed of a great diversity of neural cell types that differ in their location, morphology, physiology, connectivity, and gene expression. How they arise is very much a key question of developmental neurobiology. We are interested in identifying the genetic regulators of neuronal birth, fate determination, and migration. We identified a role for the Cut-like proteins in the formation of distinct types of neurons in the developing spinal cord, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Current projects in the lab include investigating the role of novel intrinsic regulators of neurogenesis in the developing and postnatal brain. We are also studying how signalling pathways act in concert with intrinsic neurogenic regulators to promote cell fate acquisition.	We explore interactions between behaviour and physiology, using invertebrate model systems. For example, we study how and why animals change their behaviour due to infection. In some cases the change in behaviour is produced by the host to help it overcome its infection, in some cases the pathogen manipulates the host’s behaviour for its own ends. We also study how and why immune function is influenced by factors such as stress and reproduction. The ability to resist disease is partly determined by behaviour. We use a range of techniques including behavioural studies, physiological methods, biochemical assays and genomics.	The Gadbois lab does research in animal behviour and olfaction. We study wild canids as well as domestic canids. Most of our current projects are on applied research for scent processing in the biomedical context (detection, diagnosis and alert) and wildlife conservation canines (using sniffer dogs to find species-at-risk in field conditions.	The goal of our research program is to inform, develop and test interventions to improve learning in health and disease. We approaches this goal through basic and applied research approaches. Basic research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying brain function and plasticity associated with learning. Applied research in the lab focuses on learning and recovery in patients post-stroke to understand the mechanisms underlying recovery, and how we can apply this understanding to improve interventions used in neurorehabilitation. Our lab also has an entrepreneurship and commercialization focus in the area of neurotechnology.	Our primary research interests focus on understanding how individuals, and especially couples, cope with sexual problems or changes to their sexual relationship. There are 3 key populations we are currently studying in our lab: (1) genital pain or pain during sexual activities; (2) sexuality during the transition to parenthood and (3) couples coping with sexual interest/arousal disorder (i.e., low sexual desire in one or both partners). We are interested in learning about both risk and protective factors among couples struggling with these sexual challenges.	Dr. Corkum conducts clinical research in the areas of child psychopathology (particularly ADHD) and pediatric sleep. She has an interest in eHealth, which is using the internet to deliver interventions. One of her research areas is aimed at the intervention of pediatric sleep problems, with the primary goal to reduce the negative impact of sleep problems on the development of the child (e.g., attention, learning, behaviour, social-emotional) and the functioning of the family. The other research area is in school mental health.
4	Currenly accepting volunteers?	Yes: Apply ASAP.	Yes	Not currently seeking volunteers, but we still encourage students to apply in the event that a spot becomes available.	Always.	Generally we like to start a "cohort" of volunteers early in each academic term so depending on when you contact us, we may defer you to the next term. Also, we do not take on new volunteers in the summer because past experience has shown that it's hard to provide the same level of support for volunteers as during the academic year.	Always	In October-December 2018	Almost always.	Yes - we have a large volume of studies and require a number of volunteers to assist with elements associated with these studies.	We are often seeking new volunteers to keep up with the demands of our various research projects. If we are not actively seeking volunteers, we still keep the applications on file and will reach out to students when a position becomes available.	We have an ongoing waitlist of volunteers, but in the next couple of months will have the capacity for more volunteers, so, we are actively taking applications.
5	Time Commitment	One 3 hour shift per week	It varies. Volunteers often need to have a schedule where they can come in for a few hours at a time during the week. However, this may not be needed every week.	2-4 hours a week	This is flexible, but nothing less than a few hours/week would make sense.	3 hours/week	Minimum of 10-15h/week	3-6h/week	Minimum of one hour a week with a requirment to find a replacement if the volunteer cannot show up	We do not have a specific requirement - rather we ask that volunteers be available to assist on specific projects they are assigned to. We recognize undergraduate students can be busy, and thus ensure that there is a balance between volunteering in the lab and their other academic pursuits.	Minimum 3h/week. We also ask our volunteers to come into the lab to complete their hours.	Minimum 3h/week
6	Applicant Requirements	Minimum 3.7 GPA	Minimum 3.7 GPA	N/A	N/A	N/A	3.7 GPA and course experience in cellular and developmental biology. Molecular biology knowledge and skills is an asset.	A keen interest in insects	GPA over 3.0 preferrably	None. We train volunteers in regard to the techniques we use in the lab, and also offer yearly first-aid training (free of charge) for those involved in studies requiring this certification.	We do not have any specific criteria or cut-offs that are required to volunteer in the lab. We usually accept students who are at least in their second year of study, but would be willing to accept first year students as well. We do not have a minimum GPA requirement, but our successful volunteers are typically quite committed to their studies, as evidenced by a high GPA (e.g., 3.5+)	At this time the lab requires students have good academic standing, but no minimum GPA is required. Volunteers may also have to pass a criminal background check to participate in research activities, depending on the study.
7	Please include with application:	- Resume - Transcript (Unofficial is fine) -A small summary of why you are interested in volunteering with us	- Academic transcript - Description of any past lab experience	- Academic transcript (unofficial is fine) - Application form (linked below)	- Resume - Transcript (Unofficial is fine) -A description of your interests	- Resume/CV - The name and contact info of one person who can speak to your reliability and responsibility -A copy of your criminal record/vulnerable sector check if you have one	- Resume/CV - Unofficial transcript	- Resume	N/A	- Resume/CV - Unofficial academic transcript	- CV (in doc or pdf form) - Coverletter - Unofficial academic transcript (in pdf, png, jpeg, or gif form)	- CV - Unofficial academic transcript - Availability - A bit of information about you and why you’re interested in working in Corkum LABS
8	Contact Info	langlabmanager@dal.ca	Tamara.Franklin@Dal.Ca	Contact Stef Hartlin at esdl@dal.ca	Ray.Klein@Dal.Ca	Please contact our lab manager, Cindy Hamon-Hill (Cindy.Hamon-Hill@Dal.Ca)	angelo.iulianella@dal.ca	Shelley.Adamo@Dal.ca	sgadbois@dal.ca	Email s.boe@dal.ca. If I don't reply within a day or so send a follow-up - lack of reply means I'm busy, not a lack of interest in taking on the particular student.	Please apply through the application linked on our website below	Corkumlabs@dal.ca
9	Additional Information	We look for students with a strong academic record, who have an interest in reading development, and who are keen to get involved in research. Volunteers get involved in many ways, which can include things like data entry, coding audio data, preparing testing materials, maintaining the reference database, item selection, testing adult participants, and so forth - our needs always vary depending on the stage of our projects at the time. Volunteers are also encouraged (but not required) to join in any of our lab meetings to get even more insight into the research world.	Volunteer work in our laboratory normally involves behavioural scoring and/or image analyses. Volunteers in the lab often become 3000 or Honours students after volunteering.	Applicants who are accepted as volunteers at the ESDL are required to submit a criminal record check, vulnerable sector check, and a child abuse registry check before interacting with any of our child participants.	N/A	Please understand that volunteering in the lab is a serious commitment. We have lots of people who volunteer and we don't normally turn anyone away - we love to get new, excited and interesting people working with us! However, orienting and supervising volunteers is also a significant investment of the time of lab staff. So, as a volunteer you will be asked to pick one or two time slots during each week when you will come in. If you have to miss a shift, you are expected to have the courtesy to email the volunteer coordinator ahead of time. If you are not able to show up reliably and consistently, we will ask you to stop volunteering. Also, volunteers will need to undergo a police record check and vulnerable sector/child abuse registry check.	You should be knowledgable of the research I do by looking at the papers I've published.	Volunteering in a lab is great way to see whether a research career might be for you.	You will need a CCAC certification to work with dogs. An additional certification is needed for field work. The vet's office or my students can provide the details when you approach us	Our lab offers the opportunity to work alongside students at many levels of training. We typically have PhD, MSc, honours, and directed study students working in the lab, as well as a number of undergraduate volunteers.	N/A	We are always excited to have new people in our research lab, especially individuals eager to learn and participate. We are looking for self-motivated, organized and independent individuals to help support and participate in lab activities.
10	Website Link	http://langlitlab.psychology.dal.ca/	https://www.dal.ca/sites/franklin-lab.html	http://esdl.psychology.dal.ca/	http://or.psychology.dal.ca/	http://www.ncilab.ca/	https://blogs.dal.ca/iulianella/	adamolab.ca	http://simon.gadbois.org/volunteering.html	boelab.com and @dallbrf	www.natalieorosen.com	https://www.dal.ca/sites/corkum-lab.html Students can also look at our two main project websites at: http://ndd.betternightsbetterdays.ca teacherhelp.ca
11	External application link	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Our volunteer application can be found at http://natalieorosen.com/volunteer/	N/A
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