**Current openings**

• J. P. will be on parental leave until April 1, 2023. Graduate and thesis student applications are invited for fall 2023.

Working with the POPMEM lab

Thanks for your interest in working with the POPMEM lab. Research experience is a great way to:

• increase the depth of your theoretical knowledge;

• develop technical and analytical skills that will serve you in academia or industry;

• build a record as a junior scientist competitive for more senior academic posts;

• evaluate your fit with an academic career path in cognitive neuroscience; and

• contribute to scientific discovery.

Our lab enjoys close collaborations with other labs in the Department of Psychology and Centre for Neuroscience Studies. Weekly lab meetings and department seminars provide for regular stimulation as well as interaction with others in an emerging cohort of research leaders. Unique research assets, such as the Queen's fMRI Centre and QBCC, create unusual opportunities for research.

A competitive application

Our group's success relies on the contributions of intelligent, creative, and passionate students. Opportunities are competitive, and we select students with a strong academic record (typically, with a GPA > 3.65) who have goals and interests that fit well with those of our lab. Computational experience is not required, however, completing an introductory programming course (at Queen's, CISC101, CISC121, CISC151 or COGS300 are good choices) or an online certificate course (like the free one here) will strengthen your application, and expand the types of research opportunities available to you (these courses are also valued by most other cognitive, neuroscience, and industry labs).

Students and post-docs who can bring independent funding from a host country or institution are especially encouraged to apply.

Living in Kingston

The POPMEM lab operates out of historical Kingston, Ontario, quite possibly the smallest community in Canada to feature a Doctoral research university of Queen's calibre. This setting offers high quality of life, low cost of living, and a rich intellectual environment. We also enjoy collaborations with many colleagues in nearby Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. For more about campus life at Queen's, click here; for more about life in Kingston, click here.

Undergraduate research opportunities

Queen's undergraduates can gain experience in our lab in three ways: a special directed studies course, a thesis/capstone course, or a research assistantship. Psychology students are encouraged to to participate in at least two positions with the lab to develop a depth of research knowledge, and make significant headway into a research project. Students from other disciplines are also welcome and encouraged to discuss their interests. To apply for any undergraduate position, please email Jordan with an informal copy of your academic transcript and short statement of interest (1-2 paragraphs). Please see the general notes at the top of this page about what makes a competitive application. Out of fairness to students, our lab does not offer “volunteer” positions, except in exceptional circumstances.

Special directed studies

In a special directed studies course, you are able to work one-on-one with a graduate student or Jordan to pursue common research goals. Students select the lab project of greatest interest to them and serve as apprentices, while receiving guidance on theoretical and research skills, and working about 10 hrs / week. The term concludes with an oral or written research report. Students typically enrol in one of the Psychology special directed research courses (PSYC299, PSYC570 or PSYC575), which are also available to non-Psychology students interested in cognitive neuroscience. For example, Engineering, Math, and Health Science students have completed very successful directed research projects in the lab.

Thesis / CAPSTONE COURSE

Thesis and capstone courses offer the highest intellectual training available to undergraduates. Psychology students formulate, run, analyze, and report on a study or series of studies (PSYC501); Computer Science students develop projects with the lab as a “customer” (CISC498 or CISC499); and Health Science students gather data or perform analyses of functional neuroanatomy data (ANAT499 or NSCI499). A capstone course is usually required for admission to graduate and professional schools. Supervision of capstone students from departments other than Psychology or Computer Science is often possible, where co-supervisor availability permits.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Students are encouraged to apply for the NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Award (URSA), a prestigious academic prize that will provide full-time salary support for research activities with the lab over the summer months. Note that a high GPA (> 4.0) is typically required for success with this award. Paid positions sometimes arise through the Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP), the work-study program, and the lab itself. When available, these opportunities will be noted at the top of this page.

Graduate research opportunities

Queen’s Graduate students begin with a 2-year M.A. program in which they complete courses, perform their own research project, sample the institutional culture of a research group, and increase their qualifications for academic and industry positions. After the M.A. degree, students and the program mutually decide about whether to proceed with Ph.D. training. Students with an M.A. from another institution are also eligible for direct entry to the Ph.D. program.

Students with an undergraduate degree in Psychology or Cognitive Science should always apply through the Psychology graduate program. While students hoping to join my lab are welcome to apply to any of the non-clinical Psychology streams that best represents their interests, please note my affiliation is with Cognitive Neuroscience. Successful psychology applicants will likely either be working on or have completed an honours thesis. Please note that General GRE scores are no longer required.

Students with an undergraduate degree in other quantitative fields (including, but not limited to Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Statistics, or Mathematics) should enquire with Jordan regarding whether to apply through the Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience or School of Computing graduate program. Lab positions are not always available through all programs. Due to different practices in these fields, a thesis is not required, but evidence of research experience and/or interest in cognition or neuroscience will be an asset.

If you are interested in graduate training with our lab, you are encouraged to email Jordan with your informal transcript and brief statement of interest prior to submitting a formal application, to best assess your potential fit and direct you to the best program to apply through. Please note that Fellowships are required for international students, and are available on a very limited basis. However, they are sometimes available to students with a top GPA. If you are an international student interested in joining the lab, please inquire.

Exchange students

Exchange students are welcome in the lab when their home department has an academic framework in place to support this practice and ensure appropriate academic credit will be awarded to the student. We have enjoyed many successful academic internships with undergraduate and Master’s students from France and Germany.

Post-doctoral research opportunities

Unless an opportunity is noted at the top of this page, you will require external funds to work in the lab as a post-doc. However, if you are a strong applicant and research match, we will gladly support your application for an NSERC, SSHRC or Mitacs post-doctoral fellowship, other international fellowship, or the Queen's internal award to be held in our lab.