Each quarter we have 4-8 undergraduate research assistants in the lab. We cannot do our work without help from smart and dedicated undergraduates, and we are always looking for new people. If you are interested in working in the lab, send an email to Steve Whittaker swhittak at ucsc dot edu  Before doing so, please read these guidelines:

Emailing me

Please wait until the end of the current quarter (e.g. 7th week or so) before asking about research opportunities in the following quarter.

- Attach a copy of your transcript, and let me know if:

1. -you have taken any courses from Prof. Whittaker
   

- you have programming skills (see below)

- you have worked in any other research lab

How it works

- If you are a current undergrad, you must take Psych 194B to work in the lab.

- If you have a GPA lower than 3.4, you are unlikely to be selected to work in the lab. HOWEVER, If your GPA is low, because of issues in your first quarters of college, we may make an exception. If your GPA is lower than a 3.0, you will not be able to work in the lab, although we encourage you to apply later if your GPA improves.

- You must agree to work 15 hours (the department rule) in the lab and have at least 10 free during prime research hours (from 9-5 M-F).

- There are one or two weekly meetings that you have to attend.

- You must be reliable, check email frequently, and be able to follow instructions well, and not miss more than 2 of our lab meetings. If not you may be dropped from 194B and asked to leave (although this is rare).

- Most of our studies involve computers and are usually somewhat technical. If you are not really a computer person, you may find it difficult to do well in the lab.

194B is not a free A. Your grade will reflect the quality of your work in the lab.

- There is a short reading list you are expected to cover.

- You may be asked to summarize research articles.

- You will be asked to write a brief paper at the end of the quarter.

Senior Thesis

If you are interested in doing an senior thesis, currently have a B+, A-, or A average, and have some ideas about projects that fit within my research program, set up a time via email and come and talk to me about it. A senior thesis is a lot of work, but if you have ideas about what you want to do, please get in touch.

Undergrads with Programming Skill

If you can program in some standard computer language (Python, Java, Visual Basic, Basic, Pascal, C, C++, Perl), have an interest in either building tools to help psychologists do their work, or in programming simple user interfaces, then we would love to have you work in the lab! We are especially interested in people who can program mobile apps (Android, iPhone). If this sounds interesting, please contact Prof. Whittaker. You would need to enroll in a psychology course, but there is some flexibility as to which one you'd get credit for. 194B is one possibility, but we can discuss this.

If you have any other questions, contact Steve Whittaker (swhittak at ucsc dot edu)