12/2/14

Psych Scoop 12/2/14
The inside scoop on staying engaged and up-to-date with the Psychology Advisor!
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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
--1.Psy 5960: Philosophical Problems - PSY Elective
--2.Psy 5960: Detection Theory in Psychology - PSY Elective
--3.Psy 4960: Creativity Sciences: Minds, Brains, and Innovation - Area A Course
EVENTS
--4.Pre-Genetic Club End of the Semester Party
RESEARCH
--5.Apply For Summer Research Opportunities Now!
--6.Paid Research Assistant in Family Social Science: Military Families
--7.Summer Research Opportunity for Undergraduates
ENGAGEMENT
--8.National Student Exchange (NSE)
CAMPUS RESOURCES
--9.Occupy the Libraries
--10.Exam Jam
SCHOLARSHIPS
--11.Katherine E. Sullivan Scholarship for Study Abroad, 2015-16
COURSES
--12.ENT 1480: Insects: the Good, the Bad and the Bugly
JOB/INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
--13.Check Out GradStaff for Post Grad Opportunities
--14.Paid Summer Internship
--15.Youth Employment Project Coordinator at The Alliance
--16.Community Advocate Positions at Tubman
--17.Program Counselor Position
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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
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1.Psy 5960: Philosophical Problems - PSY Elective
Each semester the Department of Psychology offers Special Topic Seminars listed under Psy 3960, Psy 4960 and Psy 5960. Always be sure to check these courses out as they are interesting topics that frequently change. This semester, one of the topics offered is Psy 5960: Philosophical Problems. Is philosophy of science to describe how scientists do work, or how they should work? How can we account for the rapid advancement of scientific knowledge? How does empirical evidence lend support to (or refute) a theory? How are less correct theories eventually rejected or replaced by more correct ones? What is the logical status of theoretical terms? How are key aspects of theories brought into contact with empirical observations? How can we have confidence that our theories are the best ones to account for the evidence? Can we quantify the verisimilitude ("truthlikeness") of theories, and if so, how? What do different "schools" of statistical thought have to say about proper scientific inference based on probability principles? Can psychoanalytic theories be put to empirical test, and if so, how? The course is predicated on the beliefs that a working knowledge of philosophical issues in psychology is stimulating, and covers material quite unlike that dealt with in any other Psychology Department course. For more information about the course, contact the instructor. Special Topic Seminar Courses count towards the Psychology Electives portion of the Psychology BA and BS Major.
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2.Psy 5960: Detection Theory in Psychology - PSY Elective
Each semester the Department of Psychology offers Special Topic Seminars listed under Psy 3960, Psy 4960 and Psy 5960. Always be sure to check these courses out as they are interesting topics that frequently change. This semester, one of the topics offered is Psy 5960: Detection Theory in Psychology. Signal Detection Theory (SDT) is a broad set of concepts and tools that have found wide application in areas of psychology, neuroscience, medicine, and in many other fields. In psychology its contributions are both methodological and theoretical. Its methodological contributions are a set of procedures that enable distinction between "sensitivity" and "bias" and, more generally, techniques for analyzing behavioral data in both laboratory and practical settings. The theoretical contributions are that SDT provides a sophisticated framework for thinking about and describing behavior, especially perceptual behavior. This lecture course is an introduction to SDT. Although the emphasis is on applications in psychology, the basic concepts and tools readily generalize to many other areas. The course involves mathematics, especially elementary probability theory. The necessary mathematical skills will be reviewed during the first 2 weeks. The text is Wickens, T.D., Elementary Signal Detection Theory, Oxford Univ. Press, 2002. There will be additional readings, problem sets, and a final paper. Questions? Contact the instructor at nfv@umn.edu. Special Topic Seminar Courses count towards the Psychology Electives portion of the Psychology BA and BS Major.
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3.Psy 4960: Creativity Sciences: Minds, Brains, and Innovation - Area A Course
Each semester the Department of Psychology offers Special Topic Seminars listed under Psy 3960, Psy 4960 and Psy 5960. Always be sure to check these courses out as they are interesting topics that frequently change. This semester, one of the topics offered is Psy 4960: Creativity Sciences: Minds, Brains, and Innovation. Creativity and innovation play a pivotal role in our individual and collective lives. How do our minds, brains, and environments together enable the generation of useful novel ideas? This course investigates this question, using empirical findings and methods from the cognitive and brain sciences and other disciplines. Both close readings of original empirical research articles and active hands-on/minds-on within-class experiments and collaborative activities are core parts of the course. Two integrative themes throughout the course are the need for dynamically adaptive (contextually sensitive) variation in both levels of cognitive control and goal guidance (deliberate to spontaneous to automatic) and our level of representational specificity (concrete and specific to mid-level to abstract). Special Topic Seminar Courses count towards the Psychology Electives portion of the Psychology BA and BS Major. This particular seminar will count as an upper-level Area A Distribution Area Course towards the Psychology BA and BS major. Email Psychology Advising if you have any questions about how this course would count towards your Psychology Major.
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EVENTS
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4.Pre-Genetic Club End of the Semester Party
Come to the Pre-Genetic Counseling Club's end-of-semester party! It will be a potluck-style meeting and we will be making holiday cards to give to the children's hospital. The meeting is on Thursday, December 4, from 5-6pm in Coffman 326. See you there!
5.MCAE Fall Workshops
The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) is offering great fall workshops on: Power, Hmong Culture, The Dream Act and American Indians. Check out their workshop schedule online for more information or email mace@umn.edu.
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RESEARCH
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5.Apply For Summer Research Opportunities Now!
Many research institutions across the nation have stipend summer research programs that invite students to work closely with faculty and graduate students on research projects over the summer. These programs are a great opportunity to see what it would be like to be a psychology graduate student in a research program. They provide first-hand experience in advanced research, intensive guidance, networking and preparation for grad school admissions process (crafting CV and personal statement, preparation for the GRE etc.). They also provide an unforgettable summer with various social activities/events planned. You will spend a lot of time with other students from different states and disciplines that are also passionate about their research. Programs like these are competitive, and the applications are due soon. Winter break would be a great time to explore some of the available opportunities and begin the applications. The sooner you start on the applications the better because you will likely be asked to provide 2-3 letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Please keep in mind that some of these programs have specific criteria, such as citizenship, academic standards, and/or are catered for under represented populations of students, so read the eligibility carefully.
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6.Paid Research Assistant in Family Social Science: Military Families
Interested in research on Military Families? Interested in work focusing on children, youth and families? This position will be working in Dr. Lynne Borden's research lab. The lab focuses on utilizing research and outreach strategies to enhance the capacity of those that work with, and on behalf of, children, youth and families. Many of our projects address issues around youth development, early childhood education, deployment and military families. As a research assistant, you will work with our team and provide a variety of support including: Assisting with literature searches and reviews; Collecting information on various topics; conducting data entry, developing and maintaining a filing system and/or electronic database for storing materials, and other research and administrative tasks. Students may also be involved in helping to organize events such as symposiums, conferences, or meetings with collaborators. This is a great opportunity for undergraduate students looking to enhance their research skills. Junior and Senior students are encouraged to apply. The hired candidate will have: Strong organizational, communication, and research skills; Knowledge of Microsoft Office products; Well-developed research and writing skills; Ability to conduct literature searches using University library and other academic databases; Ability to work with deadlines and handle diverse work tasks, and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. This position will be 10-15 hours per week. Interested undergraduate students should send their resume to Renada Goldberg at rmg@umn.edu. Please email for additional information.
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7.Summer Research Opportunity for Undergraduates
The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) is now accepting applications. This program from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Center for Health Equity occurs during the summer of 2015, and provides awardees with: The opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and experience in clinical and translational science; A structured core curriculum, including mentored research projects, weekly seminars, networking activities, small group discussions, and a final poster presentation, and a stipend of ~$424/week for full-time engagement from June 1-Aug. 21, 2015. The program is open to all undergraduates in Minnesota. Applications are due by noon on Feb. 6, 2015. Learn more online and apply.
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ENGAGEMENT
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8.National Student Exchange (NSE)
Do something different next year! Exchange to another school in the US, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands for a summer, semester, or year! Most students pay U of M tuition, receive financial aid, and all students will earn credits towards their degree! Visit http://www.offcampusstudy.umn.edu/nse/ for more information and a list of NSE schools. Or contact us at 612-626-2044, nseadv@umn.edu or visit us in 240 Appleby Hall. Sign up for an info session or set up a meeting with an advisor to learn about the application process. And please "like" us on Facebook! The preferred application deadline for the 2015/2016 academic year is February 18, 2015. Don't Delay!
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CAMPUS RESOURCES
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9.Occupy the Libraries
The University Libraries will offer 'distraction-free' studying for finals that includes extended hours for the last week of classes and finals weeks. View the full schedule of hours and activities online.
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10.Exam Jam
Finals are here! You can prepare for finals by connecting with other students for tutoring and review workshops. The schedule of review workshops 12/8-12/10 is available at the Golden Gopher Workshop Database Online. There will also be expanded tutoring hours for you to take advantage of. Tutor schedules and more details can be found at on the SMART Learning Commons website.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
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11.Katherine E. Sullivan Scholarship for Study Abroad, 2015-16
This scholarship will provide up to $25,000 to give two seniors from any campuses of the University of Minnesota the opportunity to enrich their academic experience with a fifth year of undergraduate study in another country. The scholarship is intended to support credit-bearing and usually classroom-based study abroad that immerses the student in the host university as well as in the host culture. Proposals should be for full-time study for a full academic year or the equivalent. Applicants must be currently enrolled undergraduates at any University of Minnesota campus; must have senior status (at least 90 credits completed) by the end of Fall semester 2014 with at least 30 credits in residence at a University of Minnesota campus; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents; and should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Applicants must be available for an in-person interview on the Twin Cities campus, probably on March 6, 2015. Application materials and instructions are available on-line. The application requires a study abroad advisor's signature. Application deadline: February 6, 2015. Please direct questions to Timothy Jones at the Office of National and International Scholarships, 390 Northrop.
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COURSES
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IMPORTANT: Not all courses listed below are offered by the Department of Psychology, and you will need to meet with your college advisor to find out how they will fit into your academic program.
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12.ENT 1480: Insects: the Good, the Bad and the Bugly
The course, Ent 1480 ('Insects: the good, the bad, and the bugly'), is targeted for a broad audience of students from a variety of years and educational backgrounds. The course is about insects and their influence on our society and covers the topic from cultural, historical, anthropological, and scientific points of view. Insects make up more than half of the living organisms on this planet. Throughout time they have had a profound impact on world history, society, and culture--an impact reflected in literature, film, music, and art. Even so, they are swatted, stomped, squished, and otherwise misunderstood. In this course we will develop an appreciation of insects through examining their complex behaviors and incredible physical abilities as well as their benefits to our culture, history, and society. See the course website and facebook for more information.
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JOB/INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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IMPORTANT: Organizations listed below are not necessarily affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Psychology or Psychology Undergraduate Advising. Please exercise the same discretion you would in viewing any other source.
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13.Check Out GradStaff for Post Grad Opportunities
GradStaff is the leader in providing college graduates with great career opportunities. GradStaff provides employment services focusing exclusively on a unique labor pool - the college graduate. Using our proprietary interviewing technique, we invest a considerable amount of time getting to know each candidate and understanding their core skills and attributes. In understanding our candidates better, we then identify exciting employment opportunities that help them combat the often-frustrating "Catch-22" of needing experience, but not finding a job where they can gain that experience. We place our candidates in a variety of different areas: Banking, Benefit Administration, IT, Electronics, Customer Service/Sales, Financial Services, Human Resources, Insurance, Marketing, Operations and Retail Operations. All costs for our services are paid for by our client companies - graduates who apply with Gradstaff NEVER pay us a fee. GradStaff held a very successful Job Search Strategies webinar this week and if you were unable to attend, a recording of the presentation can be found on our website. The presentation includes some good tips on networking and uncovering transferrable skills. The content of this presentation was designed in collaboration with a panel of key Career Services representatives and we believe the information will be very useful for upcoming grads. Find out more about GradStaff online.
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14.Paid Summer Internship
The Reproductive Rights Activist Service Corps (RRASC) is a 10-week paid summer internship program sponsored by the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program at Hampshire College. Undergraduate students intern at reproductive rights and social justice organizations around the country. Organizations work on a wide array of issues from reproductive health, economic justice, immigrant rights, rights of indigenous peoples, LGBTQ rights, human rights, intimate partner abuse, and mass incarceration. Some of the participating organizations include: Advocates for Youth, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Political Research Associates, HealthRight International, Justice Now, and many more. A full list of participating organizations can be found online. Locations include: Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA, New Orleans, LA, Montgomery, AL, San Francisco/Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, Santa Fe, NM, Lake Andes, SD, Olympia, WA, Amherst, MA, and Burlington, VT. Internship stipend is $3300. Applicants: must currently be an undergraduate student at a US college/university, must not be graduating in Spring/Summer 2015, and must be able to attend the CLPP Conference in Amherst, MA, April 10-12, 2015 (CLPP will cover all travel costs for students who live outside of Western Massachusetts). More information and an application are available online. The application deadline is January 15, 2015.
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15.Youth Employment Project Coordinator at The Alliance
The Alliance is hiring for an exciting new position. The Youth Employment Project Coordinator will be responsible for building and implementing a two year youth job readiness and internship program in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. The ideal candidate will: have a lot of experience working with youth, have experience working or living in Brooklyn Center or Brooklyn Park, have familiarity or have worked with employment initiatives or job readiness programs, have a LOT of energy, and be detailed and thoughtful. Find out more about the job and apply by December 10th here. And feel free to send any questions to Kelsey Schuster, Project Coordinator (612-968-6043).
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16.Community Advocate Positions at Tubman
Provide immediate response and support to people in crisis, as well as a valuable bridge to resources and supportive services! The Community Advocate is responsible for providing crisis intervention, supportive counseling, information, and referral services to individuals who call or walk into Tubman. Openings in Minneapolis and Maplewood begin in January. Check out their website to access the volunteer and internship application, the schedule for the January training series, and brief descriptions of other opportunities. If interested, please apply today!
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17.Program Counselor Position
ACR Healthcare is currently in need of additional staffing for a direct care position titled "Program Counselor," which involves working with individuals that have physical/developmental disabilities. Some roles of a Program Counselor include escorting residents to appointments, which could be for an annual check-up, physical therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy, and others. Other general roles of a PC include administering medications, providing care for daily activities, preparing meals, and also taking residents on community outings such as movies, concerts, parks, and anything else that interests them. Since there are over 50 houses within ACR, there are some homes that have more medical-based residential care, and others that are more behavioral. The position does require training before being permitted to work at any home, which covers first-aid, CPR, medication administration, how to handle behaviors, and other classes depending on the assigned home. Training can take up to two weeks, but the good news is that all training is paid! ACR Healthcare does require a minimum of 12 hours a week (around two shifts), and we prefer staff to commit for at least 6 months. ACR Healthcare was voted #1 workplace in Minnesota for 2014, and it is a great company to be involved with. We also have an internship program for any employee planning to pursue nursing, pharmacy, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other health-based careers. Interested students can contact Caitlin Fortin, the UMN on campus recruiter, via email (fort0191@umn.edu) or phone ((952) 261-7038).
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