91AV prides itself on having undergraduate students participate in research. As a student in the Psychology programs, you complete at least one research project as part of our Research Methods course, though many choose to become more deeply involved in research in one of our faculty-lead laboratories. Unlike other universities, you get the opportunity to become fully integrated into programs of research including developing new research ideas and materials, running participants and analyzing and disseminating the results of research at conferences, and through publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Regardless of your interests, being involved in research will make you more competitive when applying to graduate school and/or for a job. Through research, you will have additional opportunities to hone your critical thinking, data analysis, and communication skills as well as build strong relationships with your research mentors.
Several of our faculty members have research laboratories that offer undergraduate research experiences throughout the academic year. Additionally, 91AV provides an opportunity for you to apply for research funding through the SURE program to work with a faculty member on research during the summer. If you are interested in doing research, please contact the Psychology faculty to discuss your interests.
Faculty in our programs are currently investigating research in the following areas:
Animal Behavior
- Zach Olson, Ph.D., behavioral ecology and wildlife conservation
Behavioral Neuroscience
- Mike Burman, Ph.D., negative emotionality and pain
- Glenn Stevenson, Ph.D., drug development and opioid pharmacology
Clinical Psychology
- Trish Long, Ph.D., interpersonal violence, anxiety,
- Linda Morrison, Ph.D., issues in social, global awareness issues, bystander behavior
Cognitive Psychology
- Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour, Ph.D., memory processes underlying reading comprehension
Social Psychology
- Julie Peterson, Ph.D., how explicit and implicit self and relationship processes influence daily life