Prospective Students

We are currently accepting applications from undergraduate research assistants.

Thank you for your interest in joining the Supporting Youth Resilience, Growth, & Equity (SuRGE) Lab!

This form has two purposes:

1. For you to learn more about the lab and see if it seems like a good fit for you.

2. For me to gauge whether you might be a good fit for the lab.

So, please begin by reviewing the following information about the the SuRGE lab and my expectations for students before you apply. Then - if you remain interested - please complete the questions below. Students who demonstrate strong interest and appropriate experience will be asked to interview with me in person.

For the Fall 2024 semester, I am hoping to have capacity for a couple of additional volunteer research assistants.

Lab Mission Statement:

The Supporting Youth Resilience, Growth, & Equity (SuRGE) Lab aims to improve youth wellbeing using various research approaches and methodologies, including both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Our work is guided by two key values: 1) partnership with community stakeholders throughout the research process and 2) improving health equity by increasing access to high-quality mental health interventions, particularly for youth and families who have experienced various types of adversity.

Requirements for interested students:

Strong background in research methods and statistics (e.g., demonstrated by completion and strong performance in PSYC 200 and 211)
Intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm for learning, and appreciation for a variety of ideas, perspectives, and ways of knowing
Specific interest in the research topics studied in the SuRGE Lab
Passion for social justice and promoting mental health equity
Responsibility and industriousness to facilitate the on-time and high-quality completion of lab-related tasks
Initiative to seek information and identify creative solutions when challenges arise
Ability to dedicate appropriate time/attention to lab tasks without sacrificing other responsibilities or obligations (e.g., without jeopardizing coursework, undermining other responsibilities, or sacrificing your general well-being)
Awareness of one's own identity, acknowledgement of positionality in the research process, and commitment to inclusivity
Desire for longer term commitment to the lab (i.e., ability and desire to work as a research assistant across multiple semesters)

Responsibilities & learning opportunities that may be available for for research assistants, depending on the status of various projects.

Dedicate 5+ hours per week to the lab, including a 60-90 minute weekly, in-person lab meeting
Code qualitative and quantitative data
Find, read, and summarize relevant studies from the published literature
Help run analyses
Contribute to manuscript development and IRB submissions
Constructively critique ideas and written drafts
Develop participant recruitment materials
Help establish and maintain connections to community partners
Assist with administrative tasks (e.g., developing lab manual and website, setting up data storage systems)
Recruit and screen participants
Develop recruitment materials
Co-lead focus groups
Co-lead skills groups for adolescents

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me: hassellea@rhodes.edu.

Full Name (First and Last)

Rhodes College Email Address

Year in College (Select One)

Major(s) and Minor(s) - Specify whether intended or declared:

Have you taken/are you taking PSYC 200 (Research Methods) at Rhodes? If yes, what grade did you receive (or do you expect to receive if currently enrolled) in this course?

Have you taken/are you taking PSYC 211 (Statistical Methods) at Rhodes? If yes, what grade did you receive (or do you expect to receive if currently enrolled) in this course?

Are you currently working in another research lab on or off campus, either inside a psychology department or outside of it? If so, which one and how long have you been a part of it?

Please review the mission statement for my lab and/or my faculty profile. Pick one topic that stands out to you as interesting, important, surprising, or even confusing. Why did this particular component draw your attention? How might you hope to engage with this topic as a research assistant?

The research program I am establishing at Rhodes focuses on interventions for youth and families. However, my research spans many different areas of psychology. Check out the work that I have published and am currently working on (see a link to my publications at the top of the page): Select one paper that is publicly available (or accessible through the Rhodes library), and give it a quick read so that you have a general idea of the purpose, methods, findings, and implications of the article. What are one or two aspects of this work that you find interesting?

With the understanding that plans, desires, and motivations are subject to change, what are you currently hoping to do after graduating from Rhodes? How do you think that experience in this lab could help facilitate your goals and professional growth?

Do you plan to study abroad or be off-campus during the 2024-25 academic year? Being off-campus next year does not disqualify you from becoming a research assistant, but it will be taken into consideration.

Thanks for your interest and for taking the time to fill out this form. I will be in contact within the next few weeks with updates about next steps.

We are currently accepting applications from undergraduate research assistants.

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