Hacks and Happenings!
From the Office of Undergraduate Biology (OUB)
Glaciologist Pusheen!
The information below is intended to be shared with the biological sciences community. Please do not repost any information to other listservs or groups without seeking permission from bioresearch@cornell.edu.
What are Research Hacks and Happenings?
A weekly email that includes research Hacks - strategies for being a successful undergraduate researcher - and research Happenings including 1) postings for research positions from Cornell faculty, 2) postings for summer jobs and jobs for graduating seniors related to research, and 3) events related to research or graduate school. This email is put together by the OUB’s assistant director for research, Dr. Laura Schoenle, and OUB staff.
Are you staying at Cornell this summer?
Let us know by filling out this brief (<2 min) survey. We will notify you of exciting events and opportunities this summer! Sign-up to stay connected with the OUB, find out when free ice cream is available, and more!
In this week's newsletter:
- Undergraduate Researcher of the Week
- Current Positions/Opportunities at Cornell
- Opportunities Beyond Cornell
- Summer Opportunities at Cornell
- Summer Opportunities Beyond Cornell
- Funding For Undergraduate Researchers
- Positions for Graduating Seniors
Undergraduate Researcher of the Week!
Beth Straight from the Donnelly Lab!
About my Research
I research the material properties of human and mouse bone to establish diagnostic techniques and potential therapeutics for patients with bone related diseases!
A Quote from my Faculty Mentor, Dr. Eve Donnelly!
"Beth is one of the most highly productive and motivated undergraduates I have ever worked with at Cornell. She moves our research forward through her strong leadership, project management, willingness to tackle new problems, and persistence to get the project done."
My Most Memorable Moment
Handling an actual sample of bone and learning where it came from and what processes would prepare it for data collection!
My Advice to You!
Don't be afraid to ask questions and try new things!
My Plans After Graduation
I would love to become a forensic analyst, however I am considering taking some time to work on sustainability and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico before pursuing that career.
Undergraduate Biology Research Opportunity: Fighting Against Hidden Hunger
Looking for an on-campus research position during the academic year?
Highly motivated and fully committed and capable undergraduate researchers are invited to join an active research team in Dr. Lei’s Lab for exploring microalgae as a novel iron source for fighting against global human iron deficiency and anemia and for developing plant-based protein substitutes for animal meat. Currently, we are focusing on the extraction and purification of iron-bound protein from different microalgae species. We are seeking undergraduates who will assist in continuing the project next semester, and who will take over the project in a year.
Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, but students with a strong background in chemistry, biology, and previous lab experiences are highly desirable. This position will offer academic credit via the BIOG 4990 Independent Undergraduate Research class!
Successful applicants will work with a knowledgeable and experienced mentor and learn how to conduct wet lab research and protocols such as bathophenanthroline assay. The hours are very flexible, but the student will be expected to participate in the lab’s biweekly meeting where they will both present their own research from the previous week, and learn about the research being performed by the other undergraduates in the lab.
If interested in the position, please contact Anisah Alladeen at afa49@cornell.edu no later than Friday, May 6th with your resume and CV explanation of why you are interested in this position and your qualifications. We look forward to hearing from you!
Cornell Undergraduate Research Journal Submissions
CURB Events and More!
CURB: Identity Series
Have you ever thought introspectively about your identity? Do you love research? Do you want to learn more about research related to identity? Well then come join us for CURB’s Identity Series! This the second part of a three-part series where we the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board collaborate with other student organizations to bring interesting research topics related to identity to the Cornell Undergraduate Research community. Speakers Dr. Connie Yuan and Dr. Riché Richardson will share a little about their research related to intercultural communication and how the U.S South has shaped the construction of gender, race, and sexuality in the United States. The event will take place over Zoom on April 28th at 5 PM! Register here: https://cglink.me/2ee/r1591750
Have questions for our speakers? Follow this link to pre-submit them: https://forms.gle/YA7xDLuAQey9Bxvn8
And don’t miss the final session of the series on May 2nd at 5 PM! https://cornell.campusgroups.com/CURB/rsvp_boot?id=1591758
More Opportunities:
CURB maintains a Google Doc of current research-related opportunities – check it out!
Get involved in ecology and evolution research!
Are you an undergrad looking for research in ecology and evolution?
Undergraduate research positions in the Ecology and Evolution Department are available here!
Undergraduates interested in research in the fields of ecology, evolution, and conservation can view this list of post-doctoral and staff researchers interested in supervising undergraduates.
Most are scientists who have completed their PhD in the last few years ("postdocs") and work within the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Students do not need to have previous research experience, and we especially encourage students who belong to minoritized groups in the sciences to reach out.
Keep an eye out for future postings! :)
Paid Summer Research Position at Cornell
Are you interested in ecology, conservation, or animal behavior? Spend 10 weeks this summer studying the ecology and conservation of Southeast Asian primates using bioacoustics approaches. If interested, contact Dr. Dena Clink by May 1st! Read more about Dena and her research. For more information and to express your interest, email Dr. Clink at djc426@cornell.edu!
Summer Research Assistant Position with the Thaler Lab
Scan the QR code for more information!
Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (REU) Opportunity at H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest
We are seeking one summer student to contribute to ecological research in the LaManna (Marquette University), Busby (Oregon State University), Diez (U of Oregon), and McCune (OSU) labs at the NSF-funded HJ Andrews Experimental Forest long-term ecological research site (LTER). This REU will examine which environmental factors drive moss/lichen distributions and range limits across the 1,000 m elevation gradient at the Andrews LTER by identifying and quantifying cover of moss species across the 375 1-m2 understory plots in reference stands across the Andrews LTER and by cataloging lichen abundances in trees that are paired with these understory plots.
The REU would also be involved in monitoring a unique reciprocal transplant experiment aimed at understanding how species interactions may mediate responses to climate change for tree seedlings, mosses, and lichens. Students will participate in weekly lab group meetings and will have an opportunity to present results of their summer research. The positions involve in-person activities at the Andrews field station.
The full-time positions are for 10 weeks, roughly from June-August 2022 (start date is flexible). Students will be provided with a stipend of $5,500. Eligibility is limited to currently enrolled undergraduates that have a graduation date no sooner than fall 2022 (no graduating seniors). All applicants must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents. Students from traditionally underrepresented groups in science are encouraged to apply. To apply please send a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience, CV, and contact information for three professional references to: joseph.lamanna@marquette.edu with the subject "REU Application". Review of applications will begin on May 4 but applications will be considered until the position is filled.
Volunteer Opportunity: Seed Collections of Plantago Patagonica
Volunteers are needed to help with seed collection efforts for a project focused on understanding climate adaptation and trait variation in Plantago patagonica and P. ovata in the western U.S!
This volunteer opportunity would be ideal for native plant enthusiasts, citizen scientists, undergraduates enrolled in field courses, field technicians, or anyone else who might be spending time in the field in the western U.S. this spring and summer who is interested in contributing to basic research on climate adaptation in native plants.
Goals of this project include: 1) understanding how drought resilience traits vary across natural aridity gradients, 2) determining how alternative germination cues might help or hinder restoration efforts using Plantago seeds, and 3) exploring variation in mucilage production in wild populations of P. patagonica to determine if the species might be agriculturally viable for its dietary fiber production.
If you're already out in the field and encountering Plantago plants, or enjoy a good treasure hunt, you can make a great contribution to this project! Once you've found a Plantago population, seed collection should only require approximately 30 minutes of effort per site.
If interested, reach out to Kyle Christie, at kylechristie1@gmail.com, for more information!
Project Northwoods Summer Internship
If you're interested, send a letter expressing your interest and a resume to
projectnorthwoodswi@gmail.com. Please include in your letter why you would like to participate in this internship and what you hope to gain from the experience. We also encourage you to check with your university to gain internship or research experience credits while participating in the internship. We will work with your specific program to make sure credit requirements are met.
Keep an eye out for future postings! :)
Clinical Research Assistant Position at BU of Medicine
Retention Coordinator Position at BU CTE Center
Laboratory Technician Position at NYU
Dr. Karen Adolph is seeking a full time Laboratory Associate to work on studies of behavioral development in infants, children, and adults and to provide technical support for the Datavyu (datavyu.com) video coding tool to users around the world. The position is a great opportunity to gain research experience with multiple methods (computerized video coding, high-speed motion tracking, head-mounted and remote eye tracking, instrumented gait carpet, EEG, psychophysical procedures) and to collaborate in the design and implementation of new projects.
Responsibilities include: Programming and testing software; supporting and consulting with application users; managing lab hardware and software; documentation and maintenance of lab computers, software, and other lab technologies; equipment purchasing, etc.
Qualifications include a Bachelor's or Master's degree (Computer Science or related field); a commitment of at least 2 years; technical and computer expertise; and programming skills (Matlab, R, Ruby, SPSS required; Java, Python, Shell preferred). Experience with both Mac and Windows systems is a plus.
The start date is flexible but June 1, 2022 is preferred. For more information and how to apply visit https://apply.interfolio.com/106068.
PostBac/Research Assistant Position at Cornell Weill Medicine/HSS
To apply for this position, please email the above information to:
Baohong Zhao, D.M.D, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College
Associate Scientist, Hospital for Special Surgery
535 East 70th Street New York, New York 10021
Email: baohongzhao1@gmail.com
Project Coordinator Position in Cognitive Neuroscience at Preston Lab at UT Austin
The Preston Lab is recruiting a full-time project coordinator with a start date in summer 2022. The lab uses behavioral and brain imaging techniques to explore how children, adolescents, and adults form new memories, remember past events, and how their memory for the past influences what they learn in the present.
You will play a major role in experiment implementation and data collection and receive training in advanced neuroimaging methods. The primary responsibilities will be the management of behavioral and neuroimaging studies of memory in participants aged 4-95 years. Daily responsibilities include recruitment and scheduling of child, adolescent, and adult participants and behavioral and brain imaging data collection.
Required qualifications:
- BA/BS in Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, or a related field
- Previous research experience, preferably with behavioral and/or fMRI techniques
- Minimum commitment of one year
For more information about the lab: http://clm.utexas.edu/preston/
To apply, email a CV/resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Alison Preston at prestonlab@gmail.com. Applications submitted by 5/13/22 will receive full consideration.
Research Coordinator Position at UC Riverside
The UCR Perception, Action, and Development laboratory (
padlab.ucr.edu) is looking to hire TWO 30-hour/week research coordinators to help run an NSF-funded study of infants' everyday visual, auditory, and motor experiences. The positions would last 1 year with the possibility of renewal and will receive full benefits (30+ hours is considered full time)!
Part of the research coordinators' responsibilities includes making visits to participants' homes to drop off recording equipment in the Riverside County area, so fully remote work is not possible for this position. The research coordinators will have opportunities to master a variety of recording techniques---wearable inertial sensors, head-mounted eye trackers, and LENA audio recorders---and gain experience with in-demand machine learning analyses.
To see the full list of responsibilities/requirements and to apply to the position, please visit the UCR Jobs portal (full URL below). Expected starting pay is $23.23/hour (approximately $36k annually plus benefits). Start date is flexible, but we are aiming to hire at least one person to start by June 1. Please direct any questions about the position to franchak@ucr.edu!
Research Specialist Position at UW-Madison
The Child Emotion Research Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center is looking to hire a Research Specialist. The Child Emotion Research Laboratory is focused on research into children's emotional development and the relationship between early emotional experience and child psychopathology. This is a full-time position and would be ideal for someone who wants to work in a lab for a year or two before going on to grad school.
This position will be responsible for conducting biobehavioral and neuroimaging research experiments with children and adults, scheduling participants, and assisting with program and administrative tasks including community outreach/recruiting via contacts with schools, government and social service agencies, and social media for research studies conducted within the laboratory.
A Bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field is required. Prior experience in psychology labs or clinical research with children, adolescents, and/or families is preferred.
For more information and how to apply, visit https://jobs.hr.wisc.edu/en-us/job/513338/research-specialist!
Development Lab Manager with the Cantlon Lab at Carnegie Mellon University
The Cantlon Lab at Carnegie Mellon University is hiring a lab manager for behavioral and neuroimaging research with children ages 3 to 8 years. The new lab manager will organize participant recruitment, manage databases, code cognitive tasks (eg., in Python, PsychoPy, or JavaScript), participate in data collection, and manage study protocols. We study early childhood cognitive development in the domains of spatial, mathematical, and logical reasoning.
Our goal is to understand how complex cognition emerges in humans, and what makes humans unique compared to other species. Our laboratory also engages in STEM Outreach projects with elementary school children – with a focus on developing biology, psychology, and computer science interests in young children.
The ideal candidate will have some combination of experience working with young children in a psychology or educational context, experience with data collection or analysis, neuroimaging experience (fMRI, NIRS, EEG), and experience coding in Python, R, or any related platform. Salary and benefits are competitive with those of similar positions at other research universities.
To apply, please email your CV to jcantlon@andrew.cmu.edu!
Research Technologist Position at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The Laboratory of Dr. Deok-Ho Kim in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is seeking a highly motivated Research Technologist to help support research in human induced pluripotent stem cells pluripotent stem cell culture and differentiation for disease modeling, drug efficacy/safety screening, regenerative medicine, space biology studies!
The Research Technologist will become proficient in novel and modern methods of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) culture and differentiation and have access to state-of-the-art resources and equipment, and contribute to high-impact research at the interface of engineering and medicine. The work may involve a range of techniques, including human pluripotent stem cell culture and differentiation, microscopy, tissue fabrication and functional analysis, and immunostaining and histology.
A Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, or a related field is required. Some related post-undergraduate work experience in molecular and cell biology is preferred.
For more information and how to apply, visit https://jobs.jhu.edu/job/Baltimore-Research-Technologist-MD-21205/824738700/!
Science and Publications Associate Position with the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is seeking a motivated and organized individual to serve as a Science and Publications Associate. The Science and Publications Associate will be part of a small team dedicated to supporting and enhancing the research of our members and the scientific study of child development. The ideal candidate is a self-starter possessing strong communications and organizational skills, proficiency with data organization and representation, and familiarity with child development research!
Duties may include:
- Work with Director for Science Affairs to design and implement initiatives to support scientific communication and engagement among members.
- Work with the Publications team to support SRCD journals.
- Work on institutional initiatives to support diversity, equity, and inclusion and anti-racism.
- Analyze, review, and report internally and externally on effectiveness of scientific initiatives, programs, journals, and events.
- Organize submission sites for and coordinate reviews of applications, awards nominations, leadership nominations, and project proposals. Keep careful records. Communicate decisions, field questions, and track deadlines, etc.
Qualifications:
- A Bachelors degree (in Psychology, Education or Publishing). Research and/or academic experience in developmental psychology or academic publishing is a plus. Prior experience or an interest in acquiring skills in publishing is necessary.
- Competency in data organization and descriptive analysis (e.g., creating tables and charts summarizing quantitative information).
- Superior time management and an ability to prioritize, proven organizational and interpersonal skills and facility with MS Office applications.
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. SRCD offers an attractive benefits package which includes: health, dental, retirement, paid time off, and a transportation subsidy. The position is based in Washington, DC and is not a remote working position.
To apply, please send a resume/CV, cover letter, and names of 2 references to hr@srcd.org by May 1, 2022. Please direct any informal enquiries to Leher Singh at lsingh@srcd.org
Data Collection Project Manager Position for a Multi-Site Study
Baby's First Years clinical trial of poverty reduction is looking to hire a data collection lab manager
(start on May or June of 2022)! This individual will oversee the successful execution of the multi-site age-4 research visit. This will include working closely with PIs and site-based staff to rigorously monitor cross-site retention and data quality and manage a local team of NYC-based research assistants.
The lab manager must be self-directed, motivated, and nimble in solving problems, with strong quantitative skills. Familiarity with Redcap a strong plus. Conversational fluency in Spanish preferred. They also must have experience with assessing childhood development, or equivalent experience working closely with young children.
Position could be tailored to a postdoctoral research scientist, or to an individual with a BA or MA and strong project management experience. Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and CV to kgn2106@tc.columbia.edu, Dr. Kimberly Noble!
Science pusheens from: https://sciencepusheen.tumblr.com/ an illustration project by Kelly Stanford.
Office of Undergraduate Biology (OUB)
Come visit the OUB with any questions or to speak with our wonderful Student Advisors and/or faculty in Stimson 206!
