Prospective graduate students
If you are interested in joining the lab as a graduate student, then please reach out to Dr. Loaiza by email prior to making an application via CSU’s webpages to make sure that she is taking on students, ideally the fall semester ahead of the upcoming academic year in which you hope to start. If the lab is accepting students, then the next step is to make sure that there is good alignment when it comes to research interests and mentorship approach. To find out more about both, please check out the Research tab, the lab manual, and these brief slides about Dr. Loaiza’s mentorship approach. It is perfectly fine if your research interests fall outside of these topics and/or it’s not your ideal lab setup or mentorship model; you’ll just need to keep hunting for the perfect graduate advisor for you, and we sincerely wish you well on that journey! Everyone deserves to work on the topics that they love with an advisor that is best suited for them, and hopefully these materials give you food for thought and questions to ask as you search for a graduate program.
Prospective research assistants
We are always keen for aspiring and motivated junior researchers to join the lab as research assistants. Research assistants are typically undergraduate students at CSU who commit to 9 hours per week (equivalent to 3 credits, if registering) for the semester. The primary responsibilities are to attend lab meeting (1 hour per week) and to help with central lab tasks, such as data collection, which involves conducting a computer-based study in the lab with research participants and answering any questions arising (at least 8 hours per week). You would receive plenty of training beforehand, and you can sign up for times in the lab that fit your schedule. Having a look through our lab manual and research interests will be helpful for determining if this is the right assistantship for you.
In addition to gaining research experience, you may also be interested in learning more about creating experiments and conducting analyses. These are not part of your regular duties, but returning research assistants who have demonstrated that they are committed and willing to gain more experience will be able to access opportunities to be intellectually involved in the projects beyond data collection. This is not at all required or expected, but it can be a great way to enhance your professional development.
If you are interested, please apply by clicking here and filling out the form (note that the form will be closed if the lab is currently full). If you have any questions, please get in touch with Dr. Loaiza via email.
Participate
Have you ever wondered why we tend to forget some things, like where you put your phone, but other things seem a bit more stable, like interesting historical facts? Does the human mind and brain intrigue you? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be interested in participating in scientific research that examines these very topics concerning human memory and cognition across the adult lifespan.
What does participating in research involve?
The research in our lab involves a variety of different tasks that are typically administered over a computer. You won’t have to do much with the computer itself — think of it more like a television that presents information to you. Most studies are usually a single session lasting about 1-2 hours and present some information to remember (e.g., words, letters, pictures, and so on). You will be given more specific instructions and examples, as well as plenty of opportunities to ask questions if anything is unclear. At the end of the study, you will be debriefed about its purpose and have the opportunity to ask questions as well.
Who can participate?
Adults with normal or corrected-to-normal vision and with no medical history of memory or cognitive impairment are welcome to participate. The research that we conduct concerning healthy aging typically recruits adults over the age of 60. Other eligibility requirements may apply depending on the specific study, such as being a native or fluent English speaker.
How would I get to the study?
The studies take place either remotely online or in person at CSU; it depends on the specific study. For in-person studies, you would visit our lab at CSU, which is very accessible by car, bus, or bike, and we will give you very specific instructions for how to arrive. We have free parking available very close to the lab.
What will happen to my data?
During the studies, you will be assigned a random identification number that completely anonymizes the data that we collect that is related to the particular study (e.g., your performance on the memory tasks). Your data that we collect during the study will never be associated to your identity. The anonymized data will be shared on the Open Science Framework (OSF) so that other researchers can access and interpret the results or use them for future research.
What are the benefits of signing up for the research?
Participants in our studies are compensated with either course credit (PSY 100 or 250 students at CSU) or $10 per hour of participation. In addition, you will gain a great deal of insight into how research on human memory and cognition is conducted. We also like to keep our participants informed about our projects if they would like to be informed about the overall results. We are particularly passionate about science communication and give regular community presentations. These are intended to be fun, interactive lectures that have practical information about how to improve your memory in everyday life. There is never any obligation to participate or come to the lectures; you can choose what suits your interests and schedule.
Interested in finding out more or signing up? Get in touch!
We are always looking for participants! If you liked what you’ve read so far, please get in touch via email or signing up here.
