REU Site: Neuroscience of Compassion

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the SBE Directorate. It has both scientific and societal benefits, and it integrates research and education. The Neuroscience of Compassion REU Site seeks to recruit and to train underrepresented students in Compassion research with the goal of equipping them with the skills to be successful in attaining research and teaching careers. In addition, this site will also build upon lessons learnings from the previous 7 years of the program with the inclusion of the following components: (1) inclusion of a non-religious Compassion Research and Training Workshop during the summer program, (2) enhanced team-building exercises, (3) inclusion of graduate assistant Co-Mentors during the summer program, (4) development of a formal academic year REU Research Internship continuation program, (5) inclusion of an enhanced research ethics component, (6) development of a summer onsite research teleconference with prior REU interns discussing their continuing research activities, (7) enhanced support for conference travel for presentation of results, and (8) development of a centralized and independent university-wide REU program evaluation component. The faculty body of 19 Doctoral Psychologists cuts across the broad areas of social, developmental, health, and cognitive neuroscience psychology. REU students are able to select a faculty mentor in an area of the intern?s research interests and to generate their own unique research projects on compassion. This is an enhancement of our prior funded 2012-15 REU program with the thematic focus on Undergraduate Studies into the Social Psychophysiology of Compassion (SPC) in the Department of Psychological Sciences. It builds upon a successful legacy of our prior REU by providing research experiences focused on Compassion, under guidance of active Psychological Sciences Department researchers. This site addresses 8 intellectual components: (1) Direct, closely supervised, hands-on original research experiences in individual faculty?s? laboratories provided by an experienced and productive faculty research mentor, (2) Faculty seminars on various aspects of scientific research, (3) Educational, cultural, and career development seminars, (4) Weekly science symposia, (5) A variety of educational, and cultural activities, (6) Student presentations at local REU conference, (7) Research presentations of outcomes at national conferences, and (8) Co-participation of Psychology REU students with REU students from other programs in seminars, lectures, and local research presentations. This program has far-reaching implications for both the expansion of scientific thinking and inquiry and the advancement of society. The proposed research projects and focus on compassion offer important answers to probing societal questions and ultimate benefits to society, and, in turn, will contribute to the development of researchers whose careers are dedicated to the understanding of human behavior.