We welcome undergraduate students interested in joining the lab. Becoming involved can include helping test research participants, preparing experimental stimuli, scoring personality assessments, entering data, etc.
New projects often begin with new semesters, but feel free to contact us at any time if you are interested in working in the lab. It’s great way to gain research experience, and can take the form of volunteering, independent studies projects, honours thesis supervision, and occasional paid RA positions.
If interested, please email Dr. Zelenski and include any previous research experience (experience not required), GPA or unofficial transcript, your general availability, and why you’d like to work in the lab.
Dr. Zelenski will next supervise undergraduate honours thesis students beginning in Fall 2024. Interested students should apply with the standardized form, indicating Dr. Zelenski as a choice there, see ‘How do I apply for the Honours Thesis?’.
Dr. Zelenski will review applications for new graduate students to begin in Fall 2024; however, I will approach these hesitantly with a reasonable number of current students continuing (i.e., I am likely to only except an exceptionally strong applicant).
When selecting new graduate students, I look for someone:
- with a strong academic background that includes research experience,
- with a close fit in research interests (going forward—past topics may differ),
- who is interested in conducting and reporting the highest quality research,
- who is committed to (or eager to learn and follow) principles of open science and transparency.
Prospective graduate students are welcome to contact Dr. Zelenski with questions, but it is not necessary to email with a general intention to apply. Normally, I begin to give serious consideration to new students when I have all the applications available, and I try to arrange conversations with a short list of top applicants in late January (though that timing varies). Due to the large number of interested applicants, I am typically not able to offer individual meetings before I’ve reviewed applications.
General information about graduate studies in psychology at Carleton can be found here.