Description of Lab: The Dismantling Racial inEquities Around Mental Health (DREAM) Lab at Penn State is recruiting volunteer research assistants! The DREAM Lab is directed by Dr. Chardee Galan, an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Child Clinical Area (https://galanlab.org/). Our lab aims to: 1) advance research on the mental health effects of racism on youth and families of color, including work on racial trauma; 2) develop and test interventions that leverage cultural strengths to promote resilience and mitigate the detrimental effects of racism on youth and families of color; and 3) address key drivers of racial inequities in mental health, including the lack of culturally humble mental health providers and the perpetration of racism by dominant racial groups.
This position would be an excellent fit for applicants interested in pursuing graduate study in clinical psychology, developmental psychology, or related disciplines or interested in attending medical school. However, our lab is highly interdisciplinary, and we have also had students from other fields in our lab, including students with training in graphic design, computer science, and statistics (e.g., students with graphic design background have assisted with creating promotional materials for our research studies; students with statistics training have assisted with data management).
Method of Compensation: Research assistants will receive Research Project (PSY 294/494) credits. Generally, one hour of credit is given for every three hours of work per week, although actual hours worked may vary. Volunteers are also welcome. We require a commitment of two consecutive semesters.
Research assistants will assist with projects focused on racism, anti-racism, and cultural humility. Responsibilities will depend on the phase of the project when the RA begins but may include:
- Recruiting and screening families
- Conducting study assessments
- Administering survey, observational, and interview assessments
- Managing data collection
- Transcribing and coding interviews and parent-child interaction tasks
There are select opportunities to take on more of a leadership role on this project for exceptional applicants. Applicants who are bilingual in English and Spanish are especially encouraged to apply, although being bilingual is certainly not required!
If you are interested in this research internship, please complete the application found here and email it, along with any requested materials (e.g., your transcript, resume, three references), to Dr. Galan (cag6443@psu.edu) and Blanca Garcia Rodriguez (bvg5454@psu.edu). Preference will be given to students who apply by August 1st. Select applicants will be invited for an interview. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled.