Research Opportunities
Interested in joining the Early Minds Lab?
Please note: We are currently accepting applications for Spring and Summer 2027. If selected as a research assistant, you should expect to set aside Tuesday, 9:30-10:45 (Spring 2027) for our weekly lab meeting.
Please note: We are currently accepting applications for Spring and Summer 2027. If selected as a research assistant, you should expect to set aside Tuesday, 9:30-10:45 (Spring 2027) for our weekly lab meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Undergraduate research assistants (RAs) will gain hands-on experience with developmental research while learning how studies are conducted from recruitment through data collection and analysis. New RAs typically commit a minimum of 7 hours per week to the lab.
RAs generally begin by helping recruit families and participants for ongoing studies. As they gain experience, they may join a specific research project and assist with data collection and other aspects of the research process. RAs who demonstrate strong reliability and attention to detail may have opportunities to take on greater independence, such as becoming a primary experimenter on a study or developing an independent research project under faculty and graduate student mentorship.
Students may participate in the lab for course credit through PSYCH 286. More advanced students may also have the opportunity to complete PSYCH 486, typically after completing PSYCH 286 in the previous semester. PSYCH 486 includes an extensive literature review culminating in a 15–20 page paper.
Each undergraduate RA is paired with a PhD student mentor in addition to receiving faculty supervision. Through involvement in the lab, students can develop research skills, explore their academic interests, and receive mentorship about graduate school and other research-related career paths.
If you are interested in applying for the research assistant position, please submit an APPLICATION FORM.
Feel free to reach out to the lab manager, Quinn ([email protected]), with any questions!
RAs generally begin by helping recruit families and participants for ongoing studies. As they gain experience, they may join a specific research project and assist with data collection and other aspects of the research process. RAs who demonstrate strong reliability and attention to detail may have opportunities to take on greater independence, such as becoming a primary experimenter on a study or developing an independent research project under faculty and graduate student mentorship.
Students may participate in the lab for course credit through PSYCH 286. More advanced students may also have the opportunity to complete PSYCH 486, typically after completing PSYCH 286 in the previous semester. PSYCH 486 includes an extensive literature review culminating in a 15–20 page paper.
Each undergraduate RA is paired with a PhD student mentor in addition to receiving faculty supervision. Through involvement in the lab, students can develop research skills, explore their academic interests, and receive mentorship about graduate school and other research-related career paths.
If you are interested in applying for the research assistant position, please submit an APPLICATION FORM.
Feel free to reach out to the lab manager, Quinn ([email protected]), with any questions!
1. What kind of tasks do research assistants do?
Depending on their experience and current lab projects, RAs may:
- Assist with studies involving infants, toddlers, and young children
- Recruit and schedule families through phone and email outreach and at community events, such as library story times and local festivals
- Assist with data collection at children’s museums and other locations throughout the Boston area
- Attend weekly lab meetings to discuss research in developmental psychology
- Read and summarize research articles relevant to the lab’s work
- Assist with data coding, organization, and analysis
- Support general lab operations, including maintaining the lab website, social media, and research space; identifying new recruitment opportunities; and preparing paperwork and materials for lab activities
2. Who is an ideal candidate for the Early Minds Lab?
- Sophomore or junior student who is able to commit to 2 (or more) semesters in the lab.
- Ideally, a 3.5 GPA with a B or higher in:
- PSYCH 201 Research Methods
- PSYCH 241 Infant & Child Development
- PSYCH 255 Perception
- Interested in research, primarily in the cognitive development of children.
- Has experience working with children and families.
- Has great communication and organization skills.
We like to see a genuine interest in our lab and research, so look through our ongoing studies and other publications to demonstrate your enthusiasm.
3. What is the time commitment and workload like as a research assistant?
In the Fall and Spring semesters, RAs dedicate a minimum of 7 hours per week to lab related tasks and 1 hour for weekly lab meetings. In the shorter Summer sessions (10 weeks), RAs dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week to lab related tasks and 1-1.5 hours for weekly lab meetings.
Honors Thesis students can expect to commit more time as they will be creating, developing and administering their own project.
Honors Thesis students can expect to commit more time as they will be creating, developing and administering their own project.
4. Do I have to be a Psychology Major to enroll in Psych 286 in the Early Minds Lab?
No you do not, but you have to have completed Psych 100 or Psych 101, and ideally Psych 201 (Research Methods), too.
5. How do I apply for Psych 286 (Introductory Research Apprenticeship) in the Early Minds Lab?
If you would like to enroll in Psych 286 (Introductory Research Apprenticeship), please complete our APPLICATION FORM and then reach out to the professor you intend to work with via email (Dr. Blankenship ([email protected]), Dr. Blaser ([email protected]), Dr. Ciaramitaro ([email protected]), or Dr. Kaldy ([email protected]).) For the Summer and Fall semesters, review of applications starts in mid-March. For the Spring semester, review of applications starts in late October.
6. How do I apply for Psych 486 (Research Apprenticeship in Psychology) in the Early Minds Lab?
Students who are interested in enrolling in Psych 486 must first complete Psych 286 in the Early Minds Lab. Besides the hands-on tasks in the lab, Psych 486 also involves an extensive literature survey and the writing of a 15-20 page literature review based on min. 25 sources. Please not that each primary investigators typically take on one Psych 486 student per semester.
7. I am looking for a faculty mentor for my Senior Honors Thesis. What should I do?
The faculty members in the Early Minds Lab typically mentor 1-2 Honors Thesis students per year. Your best chance for being able do your Honors project in the lab is if you get enrolled in Psych 286 in the lab during your sophomore or junior year. If you are a Psych major in the Honors College and hoping to complete a one-semester thesis project, please contact the faculty member whose interests most align with yours during your junior year.
8. WHERE CAN I FIND THE APPLICATION FORM?
Please complete our APPLICATION FORM and then reach out to the professor you intend to work with via email (Dr. Blankenship ([email protected]), Dr. Blaser ([email protected]), Dr. Ciaramitaro ([email protected]), or Dr. Kaldy ([email protected]).) For the Summer and Fall semesters, review of applications starts in mid-March. For the Spring semester, review of applications starts in late October.
9. I JUST SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION, WHAt can i expect next?
Your application will be sent to the faculty mentors in the lab for review and, if selected, you will be asked to join a faculty mentor and potentially their PhD students for an interview. At the interview, you should expect questions about your interest in the topics in the lab, your previous experience with research or working with children, and your soft skills (e.g., clerical skills, time management, attention to detail, punctuality).
If your application is not selected, you will receive an email to let you know.
If your application is not selected, you will receive an email to let you know.
