Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience (Park Lab)

Our competitive Research Intensives program places high-achieving high school students in professional working labs alongside distinguished faculty, graduate and undergraduate students.

Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience (CoDeNeuro) Lab (Park Lab)

In the Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience (CoDeNeuro) Lab, we study human cognition and cognitive development using behavioral and neuroimaging (fMRI and EEG) measures in children and adults. Currently, our research focuses on understanding the developmental mechanisms and neurocognitive underpinnings of the human’s concept of numbers.

Participating students will assist in on-going everyday activities of a human neuroscience and cognitive developmental psychology lab, which will provide hands-on experience in research including hypothesis generation, experimental design, data analysis, presentation, etc. At the same time, in the context of these everyday activities, students will be lead in a small research project under supervision, which motivates and empowers students to learn the theoretical background behind the research projects. In the past, some of these projects have focused on advanced data analysis techniques, while others have focused on experimental design and data collection. Students with a strong background in mathematics and programming are particularly encouraged to apply.

The Park Lab can host 2 students. Learn more

Program Overview

During this program, high school students will assist UMass faculty and graduate students in research labs while learning about research methodologies and contributing to ongoing research studies. Each student will create and present a research poster to faculty, fellow students, friends and family at a poster session at the end of the program.

Students will come away with an introduction to the field of Psychology, firsthand experience with university-level research, and an understanding of opportunities that exist for undergraduate students at a major R1 university such as UMass Amherst.

Applications

For all Research Intensives applications: In your statement of interest, please include 3 lab choices from our list of available labs along with a brief explanation of your interest in each one.