Research Opportunities: Developmental Mechanism Interns
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University
Opportunities are available for Developmental Mechanisms Volunteer Interns on several projects within the Developmental Mechanisms Program at the Department of Medical Social Sciences:
- The MAPS Follow-up Study (FUS) has followed a cohort of children from preschool age (3-5 yrs), to early school age (6-8 yrs), to pre-adolescence (9-10 yrs), and now tweens (10-12yrs). The study has several aims, some of which have examined questions pertinent to neurodevelopmental trajectories of risk for externalizing disorders, executive function, and psychosocial stressors. Current data collection is examining the capacity of children’s self-report (MAPS ECHO) and trajectories of cardiovascular health outcomes (MAPS AHA).
- The When to Worry (W2W) study is designed to enhance early identification of mental health problems beginning in infancy, characterizing atypical patterns and neural bases of irritability in the first years of life (12-36 mos.).
- The When to Worry about Language (W2W-L) study, which leverages the sample and infrastructure of the core When to Worry study, aims to generate a sensitive and specific model of primary language impairment risk among toddlers.
Interns are key members of the Developmental Mechanisms Team, and will learn about the process of conducting developmentally sensitive assessments with a diverse population of parents and children. Lab-based assessments include direct observation, neurocognitive tasks, neural assessments (EEG), developmental tasks, and parent interviews about clinical symptoms and family context. Interns will work as part of the research team to ensure participant assessments run smoothly and efficiently. They will be involved in lab visit preparation, administration, and completion, and will clean and input data into research study software systems. Interns will also have the opportunity to gain clinical experience through MRI visits for W2W. Interns may interact with parents and children and perform other study-related duties as required. Interns will start in May or June 2019.
Individuals interested in applying for an internship should be able to interact comfortably and professionally with diverse families and young children. Other necessary skills include an abilityto work well as part of a team, excellent attention to detail, willingness to learn, strong organizational skills, and strong communication skills. Interns should be reliable and eager to engage in a dynamic work environment. A flexible schedule is essential and evening and weekend work may be required. This internship offers students a year-long internship with a 9-month commitment for approximately 10 hours/week, pending the availability of scheduled visits, with the potential to extend the internship.
This is an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in gaining research and clinical experience for graduate and medical school programs and learning about the dayto-day operations of longitudinal, multi-dimensional studies. The Developmental Mechanisms Program will provide initial and ongoing training relating to the role. The Program will also provide mentoring, such as help with resumes and applications, opportunities to participate in team meetings and scientifically relevant activities (e.g., journal club), and letters of recommendation if the intern adheres to the expectations of internship.
To apply for the position, please complete this application by Friday, April 19, 2019 at 5 pm.
Application link: https://forms.gle/MmyrfCxeYgg8XoMt9
If you have any questions, please contact the intern managers:
Tosin Shenbanjo
oluwatosin.shenbanjo@northwestern.edu
Corey Richier
corey.richier@northwestern.edu
Hannah Stroup
hannah.stroup@northwestern.edu
Debby Zemlock
deborah.zemlock@northwestern.edu
Isaac Ahuvia
isaac.ahuvia@northwestern.edu
