1. Applying to work at the CEL:

 a. Harvard undergraduates
If you are a Harvard student and want to work in the lab or in the field (for more information on field research visit our Cayo Santiago website), there are two different options.  During both the spring and fall term, I run the Animal Cognition Seminar/Lab (PSY 1151/1152r).  This course involves one weekly meeting (~2hrs), readings, 5 short paper assignments, and about 8-10 hours of observations/experiments with the monkeys (see my course description for more details).  At the beginning of each term there is an organizational meeting. At this meeting each students signs up for the course and for particular experiments. Depending upon the number of students who show up, I may or may not have to lottery the class. Students who work in the lab one semester have priority for subsequent semesters.  Before each term begins, I post notices in William James Hall and the Science Center about the time and date of the organizational meeting. Students taking 1152r can take it more than once. The second time you take it, there are no written assignments except for a very brief summary report at the end of term.

Outside of the fall and spring terms, Harvard undergraduates can work in the lab.  The commitment is 8-10 hours/week of running experiments, plus 1-2 hours of brief meetings.  Students who have worked in the lab before are often eligible for Harvard College Research Program funds.  Most students work as volunteers. Occasionally, I have extra funds for a few students.  

b. Non-Harvard students
Non-Harvard students may sometimes work in the lab over the summer. Summer openings depend on the number of Harvard students working the lab. Interested students should send me an email inquiring about availability.  I usually know about availability in early April.  If there are openings, I will then ask for your resume and 2-3 letters of recommendation.

 

 2. Students interested in Honors Thesis
Each year, I take on between 3-4 honors thesis students. Students who would like to work in my lab for their thesis must spend at least one year in the lab prior to the thesis; this is typically the junior year.  Most students work on projects that build on ongoing work in the lab; occasionally, students have developed theses that are highly original and different from the main foci of the lab.  Students interested in a thesis must let me know by the beginning of their junior year. As I can never predict the number of interested students, there is no guarantee of a thesis “spot” even if you have been working in the lab since freshman year.  I say this to be clear, not to be discouraging.  One year, I had 8 students who started as freshman, never left, and all wanted to do theses.  Since it is not possible to give sufficient attention to this many students, I typically take on only 4 or fewer thesis students.

I have compiled a brief guidebook containing information that will help thesis students prepare for the thesis process.  Anyone considering doing a thesis in this lab should view the  "Contract" for honors thesis students.  PDF files of past theses are also available.

3. Funding for Harvard undergraduates
a. HCRP
The HCRP has provided funds for students working in the CEL for many years. Thanks to this terrific source of funding, Harvard students have conducted field work and lab work. There are three deadlines each year, one in the fall, one in the spring, and one in late spring for the summer; check the specific dates each year.  The application is a proposal for the research you are planning on conducting. If you take HCRP funds during the year, you can not take 1152r for credit.   If you are asking for thesis funds, it is best to consult with me first about your needs.

Here are examples of previous successful HCRP grant applications from students in the lab:
A spring proposal on cooperation research
A summer proposal on language research
A fall proposal on dialect research

b. MBB Thesis funds
Applications are usually due toward the end of spring term and are designed to fund thesis research.  Check the MBB website for further details.


c. Links
HCRP Information
MCZ Grants-in-Aid of Undergraduate Research Homepage
MBB Sumer Thesis Awards
Harvard College PRISE Homepage
SEO Research (+more) Funding Sources Database


4. Letters of recommendation
I am more than delighted to write letters of recommendation for any student that I know reasonably well. I tend not to write letters for students that are in one of my large courses as I have not had an opportunity to interact in a serious way.  If you want a letter of recommendation, I have a simple policy:  If you give me more than two weeks notice, I will do it. Anything less than that, I will not unless I have a very open couple of weeks ahead.  So, please plan appropriately. Deadline sneak up quickly.

 

5. Where are they now?
Here is a partial list of former PCNL/CEL thesis students, along with information about their current research.

1999:
Karin Akre, Department of Zoology, University of Texas Austin, PhD advisor: Michael Ryan, start 2004
Dylan Morris, Department of Biological Sciences, CalTech, start 2004

2001:
Kerry Jordan, Department of Experimental Psychology, Duke University, PhD advisor: Elizabeth Brannon
Damian Moskovitz, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, PhD advisor: Alison Harvey, start 2004

2002:
Jonathan Flombaum, Psychology Department, Yale University, PhD advisor: Brian Scholl
Judith Scarl, Neurobiology and Behavior Program, Cornell University,PhD advisor: Jack Bradbury

2003:
Frances Chen, Department of Psychology, Stanford University, start 2004

 

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