Join the Lab

The HECL generally accepts undergraduate research volunteers on a rolling basis, depending on openings in the lab. Currently, we are accepting undergraduate research assistants to join the lab!

All undergraduates will receive some level of training in handing EEG equipment and collecting EEG data from a participant. Depending on your interest and the current ongoing projects in the lab, duties may include:

• Hands-on data collection, both for in-person EEG studies and in-person or web-based behavioral studies

• Behavioral, EEG, or 3D structural data cleaning, pre-processing, or even analysis

• Creating stimuli or language materials for experiments, or creating and testing experiments or web-based surveys

• Participating in "journal clubs", where the lab reads scientific articles and gets together to discuss them

• Recruiting and scheduling participants for studies, and developing and implementing strategies for recruitment from the community

Generally, undergraduate research assistants will spend at least their first semester being trained to work with EEG equipment and working primarily on EEG data collection, assisting either the PI or other members of the lab in collecting experimental data. Depending on your level of interest and your career aspirations, you may find yourself wanting to continue working in the lab and conducting research of your own. Being independent is a foundational aspect of being a researcher, and I am generally happy to work with most students to develop a research project of interest or provide ideas for independent research projects; however, this would also involve an expectation that you would be committed to working in the lab for several semesters, as conducting independent research takes time.

While I am primarily interested in working with students majoring in Psychology, I would also be willing to work with students majoring in other disciplines (e.g., Neuroscience, ECE, Linguistics, etc.), though we would need to work with an academic advisor to determine the coursework requirements. Additionally, I would be interested in working with Honors College students, and students participating in the Psychology Department Honors Program. If you're unaware of this program, definitely check it out!

If you are interested in joining the HECL as an undergraduate research assistant, please email Ryan Hubbard (rhubbard2@albany.edu) with some information of your interests or why you’d like to work in the lab, an unofficial transcript of college-level coursework (or high school if you are a Freshman), and your CV / Resume. If possible, please write "HECL-UGA" somewhere in the subject line of the email.

If you would like to pursue a Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Hubbard, you are encouraged to apply to the Cognitive Psychology Program through the Department of Psychology. As a Ph.D. student, you would be financially supported via teaching studentships or research assistantships for 5 years. There are also a number of competitive awards and fellowships for incoming students. Whether or not the HECL will take a new graduate research assistant varies from year to year, as this depends on the number of students in the lab, the strength of the applicant pool, and the current available funding - therefore, you are always encouraged to apply, and are welcome to reach out to Dr. Hubbard with questions or concerns!

Choosing a "strong" applicant is a difficult task, as everyone's academic career is different it can be tricky to communicate interests and passions with just a short research statement. Of course, applicants should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Linguistics, Neuroscience, or another related field (e.g., Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Linguistics, Biology, etc). A particular GPA is not required beyond what is required to apply to the program, and generally, I view strong research experience as more favorable to just a high GPA. Additionally, strong letters of recommendation go a long way! Some preferences in applicants include:

• A background in experimental research or working in a research lab

• Experience with EEG, either data collection or analysis (Though I recognize some universities do not have access to an EEG system)

• Some experience with computer programming (MATLAB, Python, or R is a plus)

• Experience in reading scientific journal articles and scientific writing

• Prior experience at a scientific conference, research fair / symposium; in general, good communication skills

• An enjoyment of working in a lab setting, pursuing questions independently, and demonstrated interest in the lab's research focus

If you are interested in joining the HECL as a Ph.D. student, I strongly recommend emailing me prior to applying (rhubbard2@albany.edu) with some information of your interests and why you’d like to work in my lab, as well as a CV. I'm generally happy to schedule a Zoom call with you to chat, and if possible schedule an in-person visit to the department and the lab. Ideally, please write "HECL-GRAD" somewhere in the subject line of the email.