How to Become and Thrive as an Undergraduate Research Assistant
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this comprehensive and engaging course, you will be able to:
- Describe the 9 core roles played by an undergraduate research assistant
- Identify the 20 most common responsibilities of an undergraduate research assistant
- Discuss the educational, professional, and personal benefits of serving as an undergraduate research assistant
- Follow 4 steps to find a fulfilling undergraduate research assistant position
- Identify potential Principal Investigators (PIs) and contact them using an e-mail template
- Master the interview process and successfully complete onboarding for an undergraduate research assistant position
- Form a strong mentor-mentee relationship with your PI and adapt to team culture
- Avoid the 14 most common mistakes made when searching for, interviewing for, and serving as an undergraduate research assistant
Instructor
Tyler McFayden, PhD is an NICHD T32 Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, where her research focuses on how social communication develops in the absence of spoken language. Dr. McFayden received her PhD in Clinical & Developmental Psychology from Virginia Tech, after having completed her undergraduate studies at Davidson College. Having engaged in numerous service and leadership roles, including as a Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) Fellow, a Project SHORT Graduate Student Mentor, and a PCSAS Student Representative at Virginia Tech, she is now an active ad hoc peer-reviewer and conference submission reviewer. In addition to having delivered dozens of conference presentations across the country, Dr. McFayden has published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Molecular Psychiatry, Perspectives on Psychological Science, and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
9888 Windy Hollow Rd
