Thank you for your interest in becoming involved in our lab. We are currently accepting applications for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctorate and visiting researchers. Please see the guidelines and information below for each respective category.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Undergraduate research assistants form the foundation of the Group Processes and Leadership Lab. We are currently seeking highly motivated, dedicated, and responsible volunteer research assistants who are interested in social psychology research. Research assistants will work under the direction of the Primary Investigator, Dr. David Rast. David works directly with undergraduate research assistants, providing them with hands-on engagement in the research process and personalized mentorship. Research Assistants will also have the opportunity to work with graduate students and fellow research assistants, and will learn about ongoing research in our lab. The tasks assigned to research assistants depend on the nature of the project. Duties include participant recruitment, running experiments, debriefing participants, study design feedback, data entry, coding, and management, preparing study materials, literature reviews, grant and article proofreading, and data analysis. This position is especially ideal for students who are planning to pursue graduate study.
The university and department offer a range of opportunities for students to get involved in research. These include the research opportunity program (PSYCO 299), independent study (PSYCO 496/498), a research apprenticeship through the honors program, as well as on a volunteer basis. We strongly encourage students to explore funding opportunities for their research. To be considered for a Research Assistant position, please complete the application and send a copy of your CV/resume and transcripts to Dr. David Rast. These positions are competitive; therefore, we cannot accommodate all applicants. Well-qualified applicants should have a strong academic background and be organized, reliable, conscientious, detail-oriented, and interested in psychology research.
The Group Processes and Leadership Lab application can be found at: https://goo.gl/forms/1PHDOA0eN4cm7nyE2
Graduate Research Opportunities
The University of Alberta offers a full-time post-graduate program in psychology. If you are interested in pursuing an MA/MSc or PhD in basic or applied social psychology, please send Dr. David Rast your application materials, which should include transcripts, GRE scores, statement of research interests, and CV. Also be sure to complete the appropriate applications as designated on the Department of Psychology webpage.
MA/MSc and PhD Programs: We offer full-time programs of study leading to an MA/MSc or Ph.D. in psychology. The program is research-oriented, following an apprenticeship model. This means that students work closely with a faculty member in developing their research skills, and most program requirements (required courses and major projects) are designed to foster students’ ability to pursue independent research. It is anticipated that most students will initially need significant guidance in developing research projects; however, by the end of the program students should have developed into independent researchers.
Highly motivated students who wish to pursue a master’s or doctorate can apply for the Department of Psychology. In this application, you will need to specify the Social and Cultural Psychology group, as well as a potential supervisor from our faculty group.
Post-doctoral and Visiting Researcher Opportunities
If you are interested in pursuing a postdoc or visiting scholar position in the Group Processes and Leadership Lab, please contact David directly for information. Unless otherwise specified, all postdocs and visiting scholars must obtain external funding to support their visit. Please note, as lab funding becomes available, any funded postdoc position will be posted here, as well on the Department of Psychology and U of A HR websites.