Opportunities for Paid Research

The Barker Lab is part of the Department of Psychology and the Brain Health Institute at Rutgers University. The goal of the lab is to anatomically and functionally characterize brain circuits that are involved in drug addiction as well as in comorbid disorders such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or pain, to name a few. 

Disorders of learning and memory are a major issue facing many people and families today. My laboratory focuses on the neuroplasticity of the brain, and in particular how neuroplasticity supports information processing and storage when animals (like humans) learn and remember something new. What are the biological mechanisms that control learning-induced plasticity in the brain? And how does neuroplasticity contribute to long-term memory about newly learned information?

The Regulation, Action, and Motivated Perception Lab is currently recruiting motivated research assistants interested in a rich and comprehensive research experience. The RAMP Lab, directed by Dr. Shana Cole, studies the social cognitive and perceptual processes that predict and promote effective goal pursuit. Current projects explore the role of motivated visual perception in managing relationship, dieting, smoking, political, and exercise goals.

Behavioral and educational research conducted with children and adults with autism. Areas of research include evaluating the effectiveness of treatment procedures, assessing family functioning, and influencing social behavior in autism.

Chronic disease and health-risk behaviors are often comorbid with psychological disorders that maintain those conditions. In my lab, we conduct research on the effects of anxiety and stress on health and behaviors across multiple domains including women’s health, cigarette smoking, and physical activity. Our aim is contribution to a better understanding of the influence of psychological components on physical health in order to improve treatment outcomes for clinical populations as well as community wellbeing. Students interested in gaining research experience are encouraged to apply via the application on the lab webpage. Dr. Farris will NOT  be considering new Clinical Psychology PhD Students for the 204-2025 admission cycle.  The REHAB Lab does not currently have any research assistant openings. We will update our website when we have new openings! 

Lab Name:  Foels LCR Lab This branch of the Foels/Tomcho LCR lab studies the causes and consequences of social injustice. The theoretical approach involves a blend of cognitive complexity, social identity, and social power. Those with a strong feminist or racial identity are more cognitively complex. Cognitively complex individuals in turn are more socially aware and engage in less intergroup bias, In contrast, those with high social power are less cognitively complex and engage in more intergroup bias. Therefore being raised with high social power (e.g., dominant ethnic, gender, or economic group) makes one less cognitively complex, which in turn makes one more likely to engage in prejudice and support social injustice. Current projects include: the role of feminist identity and cognitive complexity on the acceptance of myths regarding victims of sexual assault understanding early perceptual processes related to cognitive complexity manipulating cognitive complexity to reduce intergroup biases political ideology and cognitive complexity Future projects: gender differences in cognitive complexity (women are more complex) feminist pedagogy how prejudice and discrimination are presented in textbooks how gender dysphoria is presented in textbooks Qualifications for working with Dr. Foels include: sophomore or junior status an earned A in one of Dr. Foels' classes GPA of 3.5 or greater strong library skills commitment to 9 hours a week of research activities

  The Morningside Center Whole School Restorative Practices (RP) research project is a randomized control trial evaluation of a school wide discipline reform program based on integrating restorative practices, social emotional learning curriculum, and racial equity in K-12 public schools in Brooklyn, NY. We, Dr. Anne Gregory and her Rutgers Evaluation team at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, are interested in recruiting highly motivated undergraduate research assistants to play a vital role in collecting data to evaluate the impact of the whole school RP and Racial Equity Project.   

Our lab is broadly interested in how our prior expectations influence our memory and decision making. Specifically, our research addresses how expectations compensate for noisy and incomplete memory (e.g. for color or objects in scenes) and impact our decision making for the future (e.g. patient health choices)..

The Quad Lab is part of the Department of Psychology and Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science. Our lab studies how people think about quantitative information and how our strategies changes across development and across contexts. We do online and in person experiments with infants, children, and adults. Currently, most of our work is in the domain of mathematical and numerical cognition. Specifically, proportional reasoning provides an interesting and important case study because it often causes difficulty in older children and adults, and yet infants and young children have good intuitions about how to use proportional information. What do these early intuitions look like? When and why do older children and adults make errors? What cognitive processes are people using to reason about proportion, and how do they change across development? What experiences cause people to use incorrect or suboptimal processing strategies? These are the kinds of questions we address in my lab, with the goal of building more complete cognitive theories of how the human mind works and to develop better ways of teaching and learning difficult mathematical concepts. In my lab, we believe in the importance of fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, and actively work to create such an environment. We also believe in the principles of open and transparent science, and do our science with that in mind, including pre-registration, open materials, open data, and so on. Undergraduate students interested in getting involved in the lab can email our general lab email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Current projects on which undergraduates could assist include:

Much of the research on suicide has measured suicidal ideation and its risk factors with long periods of time (e.g., years, months) between measurements.Our research group uses wearable physiological monitors and smartphone-based real-time monitoring technology (i.e. Ecological Momentary Assessment) to explore the day to day or hour to hour variation in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Through the use of these new methods and technologies we are able to assess the contextual factors associated with suicide risk and resilience as they actually occur. Students interested in joining my lab can complete the online application found on lab’s website.

The nervous and immune systems share a mutually interactive relationship, which promotes various forms of physiological and behavioral adaptations in the face of pathogenic challenges from viruses and bacteria. The focus of my lab is on understanding this relationship through (I) studies that determine the mechanisms by which stress affects immune function, and (ii) studies that examine the cognitive and emotional consequences of immune system activation. These studies involve animal models of immunological activation and/or stressor exposure. Interested students should therefore be prepared to learn and conduct research that involves sterotaxic surgery, behavioral testing, and collection and processing of brain and lymphoid tissue for histological and biological assessment. This would be appropriate for students wishing to progress towards graduate education in Biopsychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, as well as in areas of Health Psychology that focus on Psychoneuroimmunology.

In the Affective and Biological Underpinnings of Anxiety and Substance Abuse (ABUSA) lab we seek to identify underlying vulnerabilities that place individuals at risk for co-occurring anxiety pathology and substance use disorders, and/or may serve to maintain associated dysfunction.

I use the rodent olfactory (smell) system to study how the brain processes sensory stimuli. I am especially interested in how the brain changes based on an animal's environment and prior experience. In my lab we use a wide variety of techniques, including behavioral experimentation, optical imaging of neural activity under a microscope, and tissue assays for various proteins and neurotransmitters. Students who wish to work in my lab should have taken Physiological Psychology or an equivalent undergraduate neuroscience course and should submit a resume and transcript. Please see my website for more information.

Based on our needs, we offer opportunities for undergraduate students to join our lab and participate in the research we conduct. We are looking for highly motivated individuals with strong organizational and interpersonal skills willing to commit for at least two consecutive semesters.

(Sponsor- Maurice Elias) The Rutgers – Data-Driven Instructional Coaching Model (RU-DDICM) is a model demonstration project designed to implement a technology assisted data-driven coaching model to enhance teachers’ reading intervention practices and improve student outcomes for K-3 students with or at-risk for reading disabilities. Students experiencing early reading performance deficits have lower school performance throughout middle and high school and are at an elevated risk for school dropout (i.e., 2.5 times more likely to drop out), which has devastating effects on future adult employment and wellness. DDICM aims to build local school-based coaches capacity to support reading interventionists and classroom teachers with knowledge and skills in research-based data-driven reading interventions, ultimately leading to improvements in K-3 students’ early reading performance. The effectiveness of DDICM will be evaluated based on a multi-method and multi-data source process during the fall, winter, and spring over the course of four years, from Fall 2021 through Spring 2025. Data will be collected on students’ reading performance and outcomes through a standardized reading assessment battery, the Woodcock Johnson IV Achievement Test (WJIV), along with universal screening, and district specific reading assessments. Data will also be collected on data-driven reading intervention practices using knowledge and perception surveys and online logging, as well as data on coaching sessions through qualitative coding of audio recordings. This is a tremendous opportunity for students to obtain experience interacting with elementary grade students and conducting a standardized reading assessment, as well as gaining new skills in conducting meaningful school-based educational and psychological research. The project is interested in recruiting highly motivated undergraduate research assistants to play a vital role in collecting students reading performance data. This will be an outstanding opportunity for students who are interested in early reading assessment and intervention research focused on improving teachers’ and reading interventionists’ evidence-based practices for students with or at risk for early reading difficulties.   Objectives Undergraduate research assistants working on this project will:  Participate in multi-site research in public elementary schools throughout New Jersey Receive training on administering and scoring the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement  Conduct WJIV reading performance assessments for 200 students in grades K-3 across 9 schools  Receive training on qualitative coding audio sessions for the fidelity of coaching protocols  Design, administer, and monitor online survey and data collection forms in Qualtrics  Assist in the processing of research data, including data entry, quality control, and analytics for student performance data, student behavior rating scales, surveys, and coaching integrity data Interact and engage with school-based personnel to coordinate data collection activities   Requirements A 2-semester commitment for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. A minimum of 9 hours per week between the hours of 8:30 am and 3 pm. Personal transportation (such as a car) is required to visit elementary schools   Application Students interested in applying to participate in the Rutgers DDICM program should send an email and a current résumé to project manager Ms. Gina Mazzariello. Gina Mazzariello Project Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Telephone: 831-331-5269

Lab Name: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic at Rutgers University (DBT-RU) Principal Investigator: Shireen L. Rizvi, PhD, ABPP Website: dbt.rutgers.edu The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic at Rutgers University (DBT-RU) is a research and training clinic that provides comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) services to individuals in the community. DBT-RU is a research lab dedicated to improving psychological treatment for adults and teens with borderline personality disorder, suicidal behavior, and problems stemming from difficulties regulating emotions (for more information, see dbt.rutgers.edu and Youtube.com/dbtru). Students who join our lab learn about psychosocial clinical trials research, including data entry, management, and tracking of research files, as well as participate in weekly lab meetings and journal club, with readings on a variety of topics (e.g., DBT, emotion dysregulation, and BPD). For the 2022-2023 year, interested students can email Hannah Krall for more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Genes, Environment, and Neurodevelopment in Addictions The Genes, Environment, and Neurodevelopment in Addictions (GENA) research program is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research team that is made up of Dr. Jessica Salvatore (Director and Associate Professor of Psychiatry), Dr. Sally Kuo (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), Dr. Megan Cooke (Research Associate), and Psychology doctoral student Erin Lumpe. The mission of the GENA program is to understand how genetic and environmental factors contribute to the onset, persistence, and remission of alcohol and other substance use disorders. Undergraduate research assistants in the GENA program will have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of potential research activities, such as programming and testing online surveys/study protocols, participant recruitment and data collection, and assisting with data cleaning, reduction, analysis; developing study documentation; and the preparation of manuscripts and scientific presentations. Interested in joining us? Please fill out an application here and we will be in touch shortly after! Contact:

The  Close Relationships, Identity and Stigma (CRIS)) lab is recruiting research assistants. Research assistants in the CRIS lab are expected to be exceptional undergraduates with an interest in psychology. We require that all students have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and be either a major or minor in psychology. Participation in the lab requires a 1-year commitment (2 semesters).

SPONSOR: Dr. Maurice Elias Psychologists play a key role in helping promote positive mental health outcomes in children and youth in underrepresented communities. However, the process of implementing evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions with teachers and students is complex. A key role for psychologists includes supporting classrooms as healthy settings and preventing mental health problems via engaging instruction and effective responses to students. The Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Schools (IEPS) Lab focuses on the processes and contexts that promote effective use and dissemination of evidence-based practices via consultation, coaching, and professional development for teachers. Projects focus on developing virtual training models for teachers and training psychologists to effectively consult and coach teachers. Students must commit a minimum of 2 semesters. Rising sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply, as we find that sustained involvement in the lab provides opportunities for more in-depth learning. Post-baccalaureates interested in gaining research experience before applying to graduate school are also encouraged to apply.   Required skills include flexibility, dependability, good organization skills, attention to detail, and motivation to engage in diverse research tasks.   Please review the project description and complete the application form and email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. along with a curriculum vitae or resume. Research assistants typically begin working in the lab in summers and I receive many applications each year. Applications are due no later than May 1st of each year.

The Tobacco Research & Intervention Lab (Director: Dr. Marc L. Steinberg) focuses on tobacco use and dependence, including tobacco dependence treatment development, tobacco use in smokers with psychiatric comorbidity, the relationship between smoking and task persistence/distress tolerance, and motivational interviewing as an approach to encourage smokers to make a quit attempt.

Our lab examines three distinct but interrelated issues: how people 1) engage in interracial interactions, 2) experience and perceive race and gender in academic and workplace contexts and in racialized physical spaces, and 3) learn about and engage in social justice action. Across these areas, we examine virtual reality (VR) as a tool to reduce bias and systemic racism in individuals, interracial interactions, and institutions.  

Songbirds use their songs and calls to communicate in social and reproductive contexts. They learn to make these sounds through a process of vocal imitation that has much in common with human speech acquisition. Very few animals are capable of this form of behavioral learning. It involves auditory discrimination, auditory memory and sensorimotor learning. We can study the brain mechanisms of each of these processes, because the relevant brain pathways have been identified in songbirds. Experiments in the laboratory involve a range of techniques from behavioral observations and sound processing to neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. Opportunities exist for interested students to participate in ongoing projects if they can make a significant time commitment.

Students attend weekly lab meetings to plan and prepare research.  Research topics include the following:

In our laboratory, we study the computational principles that make human memory efficient. We use a combination of behavioral methods and neural imaging to optimize human memory recalls. We are always looking for motivated psychology undergraduates with a quantitative background (programming skills, minor in CS or stats etc.) to join the lab!