ArKIDS

Arkansas Interdisciplinary Sciences Laboratory

Undergraduate training in the ArKIDS laboratory typically is focused on helping students gain entry into graduate school. As such, it is critical that undergraduates 1) begin preparing a multifaceted graduate school application well in advance of deadlines; 2) gain direct research experience in all aspects of the research process, 3) develop advanced knowledge of phenomena under investigation in the laboratory, and 4) hone sophisticated verbal and written skills. With these objectives in mind, a comprehensive training program is offered to all undergraduate students who join the team.

First, students attend a general laboratory meeting on a weekly basis wherein the dialectic between theory and research plays out in real time. In the first thirty minutes, pragmatic issues are resolved, giving the student exposure to the intricacies of running a research project. In the remaining sixty minutes, a relevant paper is presented and discussed or a formal presentation is delivered by a team member. Every team member (including Dr. Leen-Feldner) is expected to give a presentation each semester, so undergraduates have the unique opportunity to present research and receive constructive feedback. Importantly, the ArKIDS laboratory is a warm and supportive atmosphere where even the newest student can feel comfortable contributing to the intellectual discourse.

Second, undergraduate students are assigned a graduate-level “buddy” to help them devise a plan for getting into graduate school. Pertinent activities include developing a competitive curriculum vita, identifying professors who will write first-rate letters of recommendation, and preparing for the graduate record examinations. At each meeting, undergraduate students review their activities in this domain so that the group can provide both social reinforcement for progress and suggestions for how to take the “next step.”

Finally, Dr. Leen-Feldner is committed to including undergraduate students in the dissemination process; this commonly takes the form of presenting posters at national conferences. Here, undergraduates have the exceptional opportunity to meet other professionals in the field (including professors with whom they might want to pursue graduate studies), learn about “cutting edge” developments in psychology, and present their own research to interested colleagues.

Research Assistant Application

Frequently Asked Questions What kinds of activities do undergraduate students do? There are a variety of activities in which undergraduates participate. These include attendance at weekly meetings, data entry, and the activities associated with running research projects (e.g., recruiting, scheduling, running participants through the protocol). In addition, undergraduate students typically prepare and present one poster each year at a national conference. Finally, stellar undergraduates are encouraged to apply for internal research funding to complete their own project. When should I sign up? You should sign up early in the semester preceding the date you wish to join. For instance, if you want to sign up for the spring semester, applications should be in prior to November 1 of the preceding fall semester. In addition, undergraduates are encouraged to sign up early in their careers (e.g., sophomore year); preference will be given to younger students. Is course credit assigned? Yes. Students sign up for a discrete number of hours per week, including meeting time. For every three hours the student agrees to work, one credit is received. Students can also join on a volunteer basis, but they must commit to a specific number of hours for at least one semester. Are students expected to sign up for more than one semester? Yes. Students must commit to two consecutive semesters. However, we hope to have some of you on the team for the duration of your undergraduate career!

Application Process

Working with adolescents on the ArKIDS team requires undergraduates to be reliable, mature, and goal-oriented. We typically require students to sign up for two semesters, although some students join the team for several years. It is best to join the team as early as possible in your career at the University of Arkansas, and it is important to apply early in the semester preceding the date you wish to join the team. For instance, if you want to sign up for the spring semester, applications should be in prior to November 1 of the preceding fall semester. The application process is competitive; students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and should have some interest in pursuing graduate studies.

Interested undergraduates will be asked to complete and submit a short application. Potential team members will be contacted and interviewed by a graduate student. Finally, students will be interviewed by Dr. Leen-Feldner. The process takes approximately two weeks, depending on everyone’s availability. To apply, simply download and complete the undergraduate research assisant application and drop it off in Dr. Leen-Feldner's mailbox outside of the Psychology Office, 216 Memorial Hall. Feel free to call the laboratory at 575 – 3523 if you have any questions about the application process.