Undergraduate Research Positions

Our research lab is currently full.  We anticipate taking on new undergraduate research assistants to start in Spring 2027 or Summer 2027. However, we are always open to receiving applications from interested students. 

Step 1: Submit an application via email to chilllab@osu.edu using the instructions below.

Step 2: Qualified candidates will be scheduled for a virtual interview with a research coordinator or graduate student.

Step 3:  When an opening in the lab arises, Dr. Grant will schedule an in-person interview with you.

Note: At this time, we are only accepting applications from Psychology and Neuroscience Majors who are actively enrolled at Ohio State University.  Research assistants can gain academic credit towards their majors via registering for Undergraduate Research in Psychology (PSYCH4998) or Undergraduate Research in Neuroscience (NEURO4998).

Responsibilities:

• Research activities (50%): Attending lab meetings; administering cognitive screening measures; assisting with data collection; reading scientific journal articles; contributing to scientific abstracts, presentations, and publications.

• Community engagement (30%): Assisting with brain health seminars; assisting with tables at health fairs; fostering relationships with faith communities, clinics, and local organizations.

• Professional development (20%): Engaging in mentorship activities to prepare for graduate school or medical school; cultivating oral communication skills for scientific and lay audiences.

Time commitment:

• The time commitment is highly variable. There are weeks when you may be asked to volunteer up to 10 hours (i.e. during data collection for Black Impact), but most weeks will be 1-4 hours.

• A 1-hour lab meeting every other week (in-person)

• Data collection or data entry activities (in-person)

• An assignment to complete outside of the lab meetings (e.g., learning to administer cognitive tests, reviewing a research article, organizing data, contributing to research posters).

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Active enrollment as an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University as a Psychology or Neuroscience major

• Overall undergraduate GPA = 3.5 or above

• Proficiency with Microsoft software (Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Google software (Docs, Slides, Sheets)

• A strong interest in studying Alzheimer’s disease, cardiometabolic disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes), and lifestyle interventions to promote brain health.

• A strong interest in community engagement and providing healthcare services to underserved populations.

• Availability to volunteer during nonstandard hours (e.g., evenings, weekends, approximately once per month) for community engagement and data collection activities, including during summer semesters.

Desired Qualifications: 

Competitive applicants will meet many (not necessarily all) of the following qualifications:

• An interest in obtaining research experience to prepare for applying to (a) medical school, or (b) graduate school, particularly Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology (particularly clinical neuropsychology).

• Experience with statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS or R).

• Availability to commit to research activities for at least 6 semesters, including summers.

Application Instructions:

Email the following to  our lab email address: chilllab@osu.edu

a)    A written description (in prose, not bullet points) answering the following questions:

• What is your class standing (e.g., sophomore, junior, etc.) and expected graduation date (e.g., Spring 2028, Spring 2029, Spring 2030, etc.)?

• Why are you interested in research on Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular health, or lifestyle interventions to promote brain health?

• What do you plan to do after graduation? What are your future career goals?

• What experience do you have with community engagement or providing services to underserved populations?

• Are you available to assist with community events in Columbus during the summer? Do you live in Central Ohio, or are you planning to travel elsewhere during the upcoming summers?

• Do you have access to a vehicle, and if so, are you willing to help transport other lab members to local community events? (Not a requirement, but very helpful)

b)    Résumé / curriculum vitae (attached as a PDF file)

c)    Ohio State University Advising Report or Academic Transcript (attached as a PDF file)