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Department of Psychological Sciences
Research Opportunities

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Psychology majors and minors have the opportunity to participate in research as an undergraduate research assistant (RA).

What is involved as an RA?

RAs can assist with multiple steps of research from data collection, data coding, and running studies to participating in lab meetings and literature searches.

Note: The RA duties vary depending on the research and faculty lab.

Why participate as an RA?

Students gain valuable experiences about the research process. This experience can help students determine how much they enjoy research, strengthen research skills, and become more involved with faculty and graduate students. Working as an RA is desirable when applying to graduate and professional programs.

Can I get course credit as an RA?

Most of the positions are volunteer-based, and there may be additional opportunities to earn course credit such as PSYC 3910 Supervised Research Experience (pending permission of faculty member).

How do I get involved?

To learn more about faculty research and labs in the Department of Psychological Sciences, click on the Faculty Labs. You can search by research interests or faculty. Click on the lab to find out more information and whom to contact regarding possible RA positions. See below for a list of labs that are currently recruiting students for upcoming semesters.

Note: Most research labs require a 2 semester commitment, and it is best to start early in your bachelor’s degree to gain valuable experience and positive letters of recommendation from faculty supervisors. 

Research Labs with Currently Available Positions

(Updated October 2025)

AppearanCe Concerns, Eating, Prevention, and Treatment (ACCEPT) Lab

  • Director: Dr. Tiffany Brown

  • We are current recruiting students who are interested in working on a study evaluating an LGBTQ+ affirmative eating disorder treatment.

  • We are recruiting students who can commit to registering for 3 credits of PSYC 3910 or a related course for a minimum of 2 semesters.

  • Interested students can submit an application to join the lab here.

 

Applied Behavior Analysis Intervention Lab

  • Director: Dr. John Rapp

  • The Rapp Lab utilizes the principles and concepts of behavior analysis to conduct basic, translational, and applied research. The lab consists of board-certified and licensed behavior analysts who oversee the provision of clinical services across different populations (ASD, foster care, and adjudicated youth). We are currently recruiting undergraduate research assistants to work alongside other graduate and undergraduate students, and behavior analysts to provide clinical services and support to justice-involved youth. At this time, we only want applications from individuals who can commit to and assist across each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer). We have a mix of paid and unpaid positions.

  • For more information, please email djs0088@auburn.edu and ana0031@auburn.edu. When emailing, please state if you are applying for a paid or unpaid position.

  • Recruitment is ongoing and based on an as-needed basis.

 

Center for Autism Research, Treatment, and Training (CARTT Lab)

  • Director: Dr. Sarah Richling

  • CARTT is an intensive early intervention campus-based clinic that uses behavioral, research-based instruction to address the individual needs of children ages 2-5 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other related diagnoses seeking 2+ research assistants. Participation in CARTT Lab require enrollment in Psyc 3910, with a 9 hour per week commitment for a minimum of 2 semesters. 5 or more hours must be allocated to our clinic, which operates Tuesdays-Thursdays, 9a-4p with limited hours available on Friday mornings.

  • Contact email: cartt@auburn.edu

  • Currently recruiting research assistants for Summer 2026 into Fall 2026. 

 

Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab (CAN LAB)

  • Director: Dr. Jennifer Robinson

  • The Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (CAN Lab) at Auburn University is dedicated to uncovering the neural and physiological underpinnings of emotional and cognitive processes. The lab houses a behavioral psychophysiology lab and an MR-compatible psychophysiological suite at the Auburn University MRI Research Center. Interested students should learn more here: https://canlab.auburn.edu/join-the-lab/.

  • Currently recruiting research assistants for Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025

 

Families: Leveraging Opportunities for Wellbeing and Resilience (FLOWER) Lab

  • Director: Dr. Jennifer Somers

  • Seeking 2-3 research assistants for Summer 2026 through Spring 2027. Ideal candidates would have summer availability and be able to commit 10 hours/week for 1 year. Research assistants are highly encouraged to enroll in Supervised Research (PSY 3910) for three credits per semester.

  • Research assistants play a key role in data collection efforts for observational studies of parent-child relationships. This is a unique opportunity to gain skills working with children and families and collecting multimodal data, including observational, interview, and physiological (e.g., heart rate variability, skin conductance) data.

  • Research assistants also play a lead role in our new study on the early origins of parenting behavior. This study also involves multimodal assessment of participants’ emotion reactivity, including while interacting with a robotic infant simulator.

  • If you are interested in volunteering, please send a copy of your CV, your hours and days of availability, and a brief description of what you would like to get out of a volunteer experience in the FLOWER Lab (including interest enrolling in PSYC 3910 for course credit) to the following email address: flower@auburn.edu

 

Imaging of Brain Health Lab

  • Director: Dr. Wei Zhang

  • The IBH Lab studies biological and environmental factors that shape brain development, adaptation, and resilience across the lifespan. Our work employs a multi-disciplinary approach using large-scale datasets.

  • Students interested in big data and advanced analytic pipelines for MRI are encouraged to apply. A minimum commitment of two semesters is required. Currently recruiting undergrad research assistants for Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and beyond.

 

Kunstman Lab

  • Director: Dr. Jonathan Kunstman

  • Currently recruiting 1-2 students to help conduct a research study examining discrimination's effect on sleep health

  • A description of Dr. Kunstman's research can be found here. Interested students should email Dr. Kunstman to apply for a position within the lab.

 

Language, Attention, and Memory Lab

  • Director: Dr. Susan Teubner-Rhodes

  • Currently recruiting students who are interested in speech perception and/or cognitive aging

  • Recruiting students for Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026

  • Interested students should email Dr. Teubner-Rhodes

 

Learning to Overcome Trauma and Uplift Systems Lab

  • Director: Dr. Emma Lathan-Powell

  • Currently recruiting students who are interested in working on a study examining trauma survivors’ perceptions of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

  • Recruiting students for Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025.

  • Interested students should contact Hannah Sawyer.

 

Neurobehavioral Dynamics Lab

  • Director: John Michael Falligant

  • The Neurobehavioral Dynamics Lab (NDL) advances translational research on learning, decision-making, and challenging behavior, bridging basic behavioral science with clinical applications to improve interventions for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. Our work focuses on understanding how behavior is shaped by reinforcement history, environmental contingencies, and neurobiological processes, with applications for improving interventions in intellectual and developmental disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and self-injurious behaviors. Our work focuses on understanding how behavior is shaped by reinforcement history, environmental contingencies, and neurobiological processes, with applications for improving interventions in intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and self-injurious behaviors. Additionally, the lab engages in translational research across the developmental continuum, with key areas including neurobehavioral assessment, behavioral neuroscience, Pavlovian conditioning, behavioral phenotyping, behavioral economics, and computational modeling.

  • Research Assistants (RAs) in the NDL have the rare opportunity to gain experience with NIH-funded research and work alongside faculty and graduate students, which can provide valuable mentoring opportunities, bolster your research skills, and strengthen your graduate or professional school applications. RAs in the NDL participate in various aspects of the research process, including data collection, behavioral coding, neurobehavioral assessments, literature reviews, and leading research sessions.

  • Currently recruiting Research Assistants for Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and beyond!

  • If you are interested in applying, please send a copy of your CV/Resumé, your hours and days of availability, and a brief description of what you would like to get out of your time with the NDL to the following email address: avh0015@auburn.edu. A strong interest in neurobehavioral assessment, behavior analysis, and applied research is preferred. **Please note: A two-semester commitment is required, and it's advisable to apply early in your academic career to maximize research involvement and gain strong recommendations from faculty.

 

Research on Eating Disorders and Suicidality (REDS) Lab 

  • Director: Dr. April Smith

  • Recruiting students who can commit to 3 credits and a minimum of 2 semesters

  • Currently recruiting research assistants for Spring 2026 and beyond

 

Social Affect and Behavior Integrative Neuroscience Lab

  • Director: Dr. Travis Evans

  • The SABIN Lab aims to better understand the motivational and neural processes that contribute to social avoidance behavior in psychopathology. Current/developing studies in the SABIN Lab use a variety of methods such as social cognition paradigms, eye tracking, neuroimaging (fMRI), and brain stimulation (TMS). We are interested in undergraduate students who can commit to volunteering in the lab for 9 hours per week for a minimum of 2 semesters (PSYC 3910 course credit is an option for interested students). Especially motivated students who can commit to a longer time period in the lab can also assist with fMRI scanning/brain stimulation and learn how to process/analyze fMRI data.

  • Currently recruiting volunteer research assistants for Spring, Summer, and Fall 2026

  • Interested students can complete an application to join the lab here

 

Social Cognition and Affective/Moral Processing Imaging (SCAMPI) Lab

  • Director: Dr. Samantha Fede

  • Students will work up to 10 hours per week, and must commit to 2 semesters

  • Contact email: scampi@auburn.edu

 

Stress, Health, and Research Methods Lab

  • Director: Dr. Gargi Sawhney

  • Recruiting 2-3 students for Spring 2025 (and possibly Fall 2025) who can commit at least 5 hours each week. Interested students should contact Dr. Sawhney.

 

The EARLY Lab

  • Director: Dr. Cynthia Frosch, Department of Human Development and Family Science

  • Recruiting Spanish-speaking students for Spring 2026

  • Must be available 8-10 hours per week and must commit to two semesters

  • Interested students should contact Dr. Frosch directly: caf0060@auburn.edu

 

Examining Multi-dimension of Black Relationships and Health across Contexts and Environments (EMBRAHCE Lab)

  • Director: Dr. August Jenkins

  • The EMBRAHCE lab focuses on understanding the psychological and relational experiences of Black Americans. Ongoing projects are focused on understanding how personal beliefs/schemas and racial experiences are related to psychological and relationship functioning.

  • Seeking undergraduate and graduate students to participate in every aspect of the research process, including collecting, cleaning, and managing data, data analysis, literature review, and writing/presenting results. There are also opportunities to conduct your own research.

  • Recruiting students who can commit to a minimum of 2 semesters with the lab. Research assistant positions are available for the Spring 2026 and Fall 2026 semesters.

  • Interested students should complete an application to the join the lab.

 

Adolescent and Young Adult Development Lab

  • Director: Dr. Diana Samek, College of Human Sciences

  • Recruiting students for Fall 2025

  • Interested students should contact Dr. Samek directly: drs0032@auburn.edu