REU Site: Summer Research Program in Lifespan Developmental Psychology

Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green KY

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funds for an REU Site in psychology at Western Kentucky University. The Site is an 8-week summer research program for 12 undergraduate psychology students. Each student will develop a research project in collaboration with one of six faculty mentors who has an active research program in an area of Lifespan Developmental Psychology. Across the mentors, developmental levels from prenatal to old age and developmental issues in neuroscience, perception and attention, memory and judgment, and emotion and social cognition are represented. All of the faculty mentors are professionally active and all have a strong record of committment to collaborative research with undergraduates. In addition to working on their research projects, REU students will attend workshops and special topics seminars that are designed to help them gain the technical knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their projects (e.g., writing research reports, conducting basic statistical analyses; giving poster and oral presentations; ethical issues in the conduct of psychological research; planning for graduate study in psychology). Students will also have numerous opportunities to interact with each other, with current graduate students in psychology, and with each of the faculty mentors. These activities will ensure that students have a rich and meaningful research experience and that they gain knowledge of the variety of interesting problems that can be explored within a developmental framework. This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences.