Stanford Psychology Department - Undergraduate Program

Psych-Summer enables Psychology majors to spend the summer working on a research project supervised by a Stanford faculty member for 8 to 10 weeks between June 13 and September 3, 2008.

How do I apply for the Psych-Summer Program?

First read all the information about the Psych-Summer Program below, to be sure you know what's involved and you meet the criteria for eligibility. Then download and complete the Application Form and submit this with a transcript to Desiree Acob in the Psychology Student Services Office (Building 420, Room 110) by 3pm on Thursday, March 20, 2008.

What's involved in applying for a Psych-Summer internship?

You should begin as soon as possible to gather information about possible research opportunities, and take the initiative to talk with potential faculty mentors with whom you might like to work.
Next submit the Application Form indicating your area of interest. This is due on March 20th, and you must also include an informal transcript.
You will be notified about the outcome of the application process.
The Final Contract is due in April. In close consultation with your research mentor, you will write a more detailed description of your internship project and work out the details of your internship.

Who is eligible for the Psych-Summer Program?

Only Psychology majors are eligible for Psych-Summer internships, and freshmen and sophomores will be given priority. If you have not already done so, you must complete the declaration process by the end of Spring Quarter to participate in the program. Don't delay this process!

Is this program also open to Psychology majors who are juniors and seniors?

Psych-Summer is designed for students just beginning research, while URP grants are available to support research by more advanced students. Juniors and seniors working on Honors projects should take advantage of the generous support offered by the URP program. The deadlines for these applications (up to $5200) are coming up soon, so check into this option! http://ual.stanford.edu/OO/research_opps/Grants.html

However, in special cases we do offer a few Psych-Summer internships to juniors who are just begining to explore research options.

How do I find a mentor and a project?

There are several ways to do this. If you are already involved in research, you can apply to continue that project. You are strongly encouraged to look for a mentor on your own by searching faculty websites, reading up on their work, and going to talk with them in an "informational interview". For tips on how to indentify a project and approach faculty members most effectively, make an appointment to talk with the Psych-Summer adviser:

Prof. Anne Fernald
Room 202, Psychology - signup sheet by door
Email: afernald@stanford.edu

Am I still eligible for Psych-Summer if I haven't yet found a mentor?

Yes. Although it's best for you to take the initiative to explore research options on your own, we will also assist you in finding a match for you interest. Once you submit the Preliminary Application, we'll be able to give you some leads based on your stated interest and background.

Do I get paid for working as an Psych-Summer intern?

Yes, the summer wage is $13.00/hr full-time for 8-10 weeks. This is paid as a stipend: 50% at the beginning to assist you in paying for your summer expenses with the final 50% at the end fo the summer.

Is summer housing available?

Yes, undergraduates supported by Psych-Summer may participate in Summer Research College (SRC), a residential program for research interns on campus. Students interested in living on campus will request SRC housing directly through an online web form. Please visit: http://ual.stanford.edu/OO/research_opps/SummerResearchCollege.html for more information. Note that living in the SRC is not a requirement for participating in Psych-Summer. Last year the approximate cost for 10-week room & board on campus was ~$2900.

Can I be involved in Psych-Summer if I can't work full-time?

Yes, but you only get paid for the amount of time you work. Thus, if you work 50% over 10 weeks, you receive only half of the full $5,200 stipend. And keep in mind that you need to pay for the room and board from your stipend. Last year some students did arrange to be away from campus for a few days during their 8-10 week internship period. This needs to be worked out with your advisor well in advance!

Can I get academic credit for doing research as a Psych-Summer intern?

Not if you get paid. It's a Stanford rule that you can't both get paid and get academic credit for the same job on campus.

Can I combine Psych-Summer research with summer school classes?

We've found that the intensive summer classes some pre-medical students take in physics and chemistry are too demanding to allow the full-time engagement in research that is the main goal of the Psych-Summer Program. However, it is permissble to enroll in one regular (non-intensive) summer course at Stanford.

Will Psych-Summer support an off-campus research project?

Psych-Summer supports involvement in a closely supervised project directly related to the research program of a Stanford faculty member. If the off-campus project you develop fits this criterion (as in fieldwork in the the faculty mentor is actively involved), then you are eligible for Psych-Summer support, even if you would not be living and working on campus.

How do you decide who gets awared a Psych-Summer stipend?

Because we have more applicants than stipends available, the Psych-Summer Program is competitive. Decisions will be made based on several factors, including motivation for doing research, initiative in exploring research options, academic record, and availability of a good match between a student and a research mentor.

Where can I get more information?

For information about finding a mentor, make an appointment to talk with Prof. Anne Fernald, whose office hours are listed above. For general inforamtion about the Psych-Summer Program you should contact Desiree Acob (dacob@stanford.edu) in the Psychology Student Services Office (Bldg. 420, Room 110).

PSYCH-SUMMER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The projects listed below are all possible internships in research groups directed by faculty in the Psychology department. To learn more about a particular project and to get the necessary contact information, you need to come to the Student Services Offices in the Psychology Department to look at the Psych-Summer Internship Options binder. Please do NOT email faculty members until you have read the project description and know who the appropriate person is to contact in each case!

1. Cognitive and perceptual processes related to attachment behavior in infancy

2. Role of occipitotemporal sulcus in reading and recognizing visual word forms

3. How infants learn to listen from meaning in English and Spanish

4. Life-span development: Emotion regulation in old age

5. fMRI of emotion regulation

6. Connectedness and prosocial emotion

7. Using brain and behavioral measures to study learning and memory