Undergraduate Students

Applications for new RAs for Fall 2023 are now closed! The Self-Regulation, Emotions, and Early Development (SEED) Lab, directed by Dr. Adam Grabell, specializes in imaging of emotional brain circuits in young children using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and measuring their emotional behaviors.  The SEED Lab has also started to incorporate wearable devices into our research, as we become more interested in the intersection between advanced computer technology and mental health solutions. The goal of the SEED Lab is to understand how emerging emotion regulation works and how it’s related to the onset of early mental illness.  Undergraduates will assist with a study on emotion regulation and early childhood clinical irritability.  Duties include recruiting and running child participants, completing basic data analysis, and developing study materials. In some cases, students will have the opportunity earn authorship on study presentations and publications.

Requirements

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • A commitment to work at least 6 hours per week for 2 credits
  • A minimum two semester commitment to laboratory work
  • Experience with young children preferred
  • Basic computer skills (e.g. Excel); computer programming experience is a plus

Academic Year Research Assistants: This experience offers a 6 hours per week for 2 credits commitment or a 9 hour per week for 3 credits commitment. Majority of recruitment occurs during the end of the Spring and Fall semester.

Summer Research Assistants: We hire summer research assistants for students who are looking for a head start. This position has flexible hours and gives undergraduates a look into research. This position is a volunteer experience as it does not provide payment or credit.

You can reach us at seedlab@umass.edu if you have any questions.

Undergraduate Student Resources:

Check out other labs in the department that are currently recruiting here

Undergraduate Honors Thesis:

If you are an underclassman who is considering doing your honors thesis with this lab, we encourage you to apply as a research assistant, as rising senior RAs have the opportunity to complete an independent research project for their honors thesis in the lab.