ENERGIZE Research Initiative

These are the laboratories currently participating in the ENERGIZE program.  Each lab has agreed to hold open at least one position for an ENERGIZE student (but that position might already be filled).  In addition, the lab has agreed to be flexible in considering student preparation (e.g., GPA, courses taken), hours that a student might commit to the lab, and the times during the day and week that a student is available to work in the lab. Finally, the lab director is committed to some direct contact and mentoring (e.g., in research and the graduate school application process). This mentoring commitment may require that you attend high-level lab meetings.

You can find out more about each lab by clicking on the links to go to the lab websites.

After you have chosen one or more labs, fill out the form on the “Apply” tab. ENERGIZE program staff will try to arrange for you to meet with a student in the lab for an interview, and you may also be interviewed by the lab director. Be sure to prepare for this interview by reading scientific papers produced by the lab (you can find these papers at the lab websites).  Be ready to talk about the papers, why you are interested in the lab, what you can contribute, and when you are available.

• Aktipis,  Cooperation and Conflict Lab: We explore a variety of topics such as evolution of empathy, prosociality, and more.
• Bae, Visual Cognitive Neuroscience Lab: We investigate underlying mechanisms for visual attention, perception, and working memory using EEG/ERPs, computational modeling, and psychophysics
• Benitez, Learning & Development Lab: The lab is focused on understanding early language and cognitive development. Our research studies specifically examine how young children learn words from monolingual and bilingual input.
• Berkel, REACH Institute: We conduct research to reduce health disparities by promoting the dissemination and implementation of culturally informed, evidence-based prevention programs.
• Bimonte-Nelson, Behavioral Neuroscience of Memory and Aging; The research goals of our laboratory are to characterize the cognitive and brain changes that occur during aging, as well as determine the roles that sex, hormones, and brain chemistry play in brain function and cognition in young versus aged subjects
• Blais, Military Social Science Lab (MiSSiLe)  : Dr. Blais’ program of research focuses on individual (PTSD, depression, suicide, physical health) and interpersonal (relationship satisfaction, sexual function, social support) outcomes associated with military-related traumas, including combat and sexual assault/harassment among military service members/veterans.
• Brewer, Memory and Attention Control Lab: Our research projects investigate human memory and attention capabilities and how they support a wide range of behaviors.
• Chassin, Pathways of Risk and Resilience Lab: We focus on the intergenerational transmission of alcohol and tobacco use.
• Corbin, Behavioral Alcohol Research for Clinical Advancement: The lab conducts laboratory and survey research on processes involved in alcohol-related problems.
• Conrad, Behavioral Neuroscience Research in Stress Lab: The lab conducts research to understand the mechanisms by which stress influences brain plasticity and resilience.
• Cruz, CACTUS lab: We use community- and clinic-based research to understand positive and problematic youth development by examining individual factors, family factors, and culture and socioeconomic status. Our goals are to improve prevention and intervention. 
• Doane, Adolescent Stress Lab: Our lab studies child and adolescent daily experiences, stress, and well-being with emphasis on physiological, psychological and contextual levels of analysis. 
• Friedman, Hyperactivity, Executive dysfunction, and Attention problems Treatment (HEAT) Lab, We study the underlying cognitive processes that contribute to ADHD and use this information to design and test optimized interventions for the disorder.
• Ha: @HEART; Healthy experiences Across Relationships and Transitions: The lab focuses on understanding the reciprocal processes that link romantic relationship experiences to emotional and behavioral adjustment.
• Infurna, Lifetime Development Lab: The Lifespan Development Lab's research interest and projects focus on examining resilience to major life stressors and psychosocial predictors of healthy aging in adulthood and old age.
• Johnson-Glenberg, Embodied Games Lab: The team creates and assesses the efficacy of XR games for learning
• Kim, Engaging Families Lab: The lab is focused on working with families and community organizations for ways to help parents and families be more engaged in youth substance use and mental health prevention and intervention services. we use qualitative and quantitative methods to learn from parents and families so that we can ensure that mental health and substance use prevention interventions fit and work for diverse families.
• Kwan, Culture and Decision Science Network Lab: Our research focus is on (1) the influence of time orientation on comparison processes considering ethnic differences, situational moderators, and priming effects and (2) cyberpsychology: the interaction of online culture and social media with human thought and behavior.
• Lemery-Chalfant, Doane, Davis, Arizona Twin Project: We explore early biological and environmental risk and protective factors for later mental and physical health of children.
• Lewis, BEAR (Brain, Epigenetics, and Altered states Research) lab: We study how salient life experiences, such as trauma or psychedelic-assisted therapy, can shape long-term behaviors through epigenetic alterations in gene systems relevant to mental health. 
• Lucca, Emerging Minds Lab: We explore the developmental and evolutionary foundations of human cognition, curiosity, and communication.
• Luecken, Perez, Las Madres Nuevas/The New Mothers Project (LMN): The LMN project is a longitudinal study of the health and development of Mexican American children.
• McBeath, PEARL Lab: The PEARL Lab (Perception, Ecological-Action, Robotics, & Learning), headed by Dr. Michael McBeath, does computational modeling of real-world perception-action phenomena including sports, music, VR, illusions, and emotions, and is also affiliated with the SAMBA (Science of Art, Music, & Brain Activity) research group..
• McClure, Decision Neuroscience Laboratory: We investigate the brain processes that underlie valuation and decision-making in people. We aim to understand the function of individual brain system in how they represent and learn information about available rewards.
• McNamara, Learning Engineering Institute: LEI focuses on applying the principles and processes of learning engineering to support student success. Learning engineering uses insights from computer science, education, learning analytics, engineering, and other fields to identify solutions to challenges in education.
• Neuberg, Evolution, Ecology, and Social Behavior Lab: We explore fundamental questions about stereotyping and prejudices, how physical environments and social ecologies shape cognitions, behaviors, culture, and health, and how social goals shape the ways we perceive and understand the world around us.
• Patock-Peckham, http://www.socialaddictionsimpulselab.org/ We study internalizing and externalizing pathways to behavioral control mechanisms involved in alcohol consumption.   
• Perez, Eating Pathology Lab: We explore the genetic, biological, psychophysiological, cultural, and environmental underpinnings of eating behavior and unhealthy lifestyles.
• Pina, The Courage Lab: The lab studies the developmental course of anxiety in children and adolescents, with a focus on feasible, mechanism-targeted prevention and intervention programs to reduce youth mental health problems
• Sanabria, Basic Behavioral Processes Lab: We combine animal behavior experimentation and simple computational models to understand how animals learn about their environment and decide when and what to respond to in dynamic environments. 
• Shiota, Psychophysiology Lab for Affective Testing (SPLAT Lab): The SPLAT Lab studies human emotion, with particular emphasis on positive emotions, emotion regulation, emotional processes in interpersonal relationships, and emotional mechanisms of behavior change. 
• Su, Genes, Environment, and Youth Development Lab: The lab focuses on understanding how genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of alcohol use disorders with a focus on racial/ethnic minority adolescents and young adults. 
• Verpeut, SOCIAL (Study of Circuits in Adolescent Life) Lab: The lab explores cerebellar circuits in neurodevelopment and behavior using rodent models.
• Wolchik, The New Beginnings Podcast Lab: We are conducting mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) research on a project that aims to adapt the New Beginnings Program into a podcast. 
• Wynne, The Canine Science Collaboratory: The CSC studies how people and dogs live together and uses that knowledge to help dogs at the animal shelter and in the home

The Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship

To learn about Professor Shapiro, please click here.

Application

The Department of Psychology is committed to ensuring opportunity in psychology research for undergraduates from groups under-represented in scientific psychology. Toward this end, the Department designed the ENERGIZE initiative through which students from under-represented groups are paired with research laboratories to both energize the student’s interest in scientific psychology and to energize the laboratory’s research by considering new perspectives. 

The Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship was created to help ENERGIZE students who face financial challenges that reduce their ability to take advantage of research opportunities. Each of up to four $5000 scholarships supports an ENERGIZE students with documented financial need and demonstrated potential in psychology.  Funding will allow students financial and time flexibility to devote substantial effort to research endeavors. The funding also creates a pathway for mentorship with faculty that supports further engagement with the major and profession of psychology.  All students who meet the application criteria will receive consideration for the Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, national origin, genetics, physical or mental disability (visible or non-visible), age, or veteran status.

Application Criteria and Expectations

Students wishing to apply for the Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship must meet the following criteria to be considered:

1. Students must be enrolled undergraduates at ASU for the duration of the scholarship award period. Non-enrolled undergraduates and/or post-undergraduate degree students are not eligible for Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship funding.
2. The student has applied to the ENERGIZE program and has been accepted into an ASU Department of Psychology ENERGIZE research lab.
3. Students must be identified by a faculty member as demonstrating significant potential in psychology research and invited by the faculty member to apply for the Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship. Students may encourage faculty nominations.
4. Identified students MUST meet one or both of the following Arizona State University financial need criteria (1) Very High or High Financial Need or (2) Unmet Financial Need. Students who feel they qualify as Very High / High Need, but do not have FAFSA documentation on file with ASU, will need to furnish the Scholarship Committee with ASU documentation of their (1) Cost of Attendance, (2) documentation of their anticipated / expected financial aid, as well as (3) any other scholarship, tuition reduction, financial aid or the like anticipated during the scholarship period. From this information the Scholarship Committee will determine the level of unmet need.
5. Students should note that Jenessa Shapiro Undergraduate Research Scholarship funds are first applied to any outstanding tuition account balances at ASU before any funds are distributed directly to students for personal use. Nonetheless, all scholarship winners are expected to reduce outside work hours and participate in laboratories for a minimum of 10 hours weekly.
6. Students are expected to continue with the research lab through the academic year. The 10-hour weekly commitment to research includes: work in the lab, attending lab meetings, meetings with the faculty mentor, independent research, community outreach, and other research-related activities.
7. Students are expected to present their research at Celebrating Psychology Honors in April and/or the Psi Chi sponsored Arizona Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (AZPURC).
8. Students are expected to create an opportunity to extend access to psychological research into a non-academic community. For example, the student may participate in the ASU Open Door, present findings in an academic course, present findings in the student’s home community, and so on.
9. The faculty member must provide a letter of endorsement addressing the student’s potential for research and commenting on criteria (6) - (8).
10. Shapiro Scholarship recipients are ineligible to reapply for Scholarship funding in subsequent years.
11. Students NOT selected as scholarship recipients may re-apply the following academic year. Students will receive feedback regarding their applications.

Click for application