Study Purpose:
The primary purpose of this study is to learn more about the different ways in which the environment and biology can affect a person's health over their lifetime. Children beginning at the age of 8 along with one of their caregivers spends a day visiting The Center for Healthy Children at Penn State to help us learn about their different life experiences and environments and how these shapes human development. The information we gather during these visits will help us achieve our long-range goal of understanding more about children, adolescents, and their families to improve health outcomes.
Research Assistant Benefits:
- Independent research credit
- Valuable, cutting edge research experience
- Opportunity for a senior honors thesis (based on thesis requirements)
- CMAS and BBH Internship placement (based on internship requirements)
Research Assistants (RAs) will engage with our families throughout their visit to our Center and help make it a fun and rewarding day for them. RAs will assist research staff with participant visits such as visit preparation; science, nutrition, and art activities; or data entry. RAs may also be involved with updating our social media as well as creating newsletters to provide up-to-date communication with our 1,800 participants. Eligible undergraduates interested in gaining medically relevant experience may assist with collecting, processing, storing, and transporting biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, and saliva).
RAs will also engage in a weekly seminar with research staff and investigators to discuss best practices and challenges in research, theories supporting the project, and publications by our investigators.
RAs will commit at least 9 hours between 7:45 am and 3:30 pm per week for 2 semesters. There may be an occasional Saturday that RAs will be asked to be available.
Submit your application at https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eyVKntDmRulVRK6