We are a research center; we welcome the involvement of bright and motivated students. If you would like to join our center as an undergraduate, please read the information provided below, and submit the downloadable application.

CBDR does not hire RAs directly, but helps connect researchers with RAs. If you would like to begin working right away or have a faculty member that you are interested in working with, it is strongly suggested that you contact that person directly.

Getting involved in research is a good way to learn practical skills, such as data analysis, and to see whether psychology, economics, and decision science are for you. Many students find that obtaining research experience helps them clarify their goals and gain admission to graduate programs (e.g., in psychology, economics, business, public policy, political science, or law school).

As a research assistant in the lab, you will work closely with members of the Center of Behavioral Decision Research on one or more of their research projects. Your involvement may include scheduling participants, preparing experimental materials, and running experimental sessions. In addition, you may be asked to give feedback on hypotheses and methods, to enter or code data, to conduct basic data analysis, to prepare materials for projects, or to conduct literature searches.

Research assistantships through the CBDR may be available for pay or for course credit. Students who work as research assistants gain valuable experience that can later help them gain admission to Ph.D programs, to be selected for competitive internships, or to gain employment.

If these opportunities interest you, please download and complete the research assistant application located at the bottom of this page. Applications will be given to researchers upon request. Again, if you would like to begin working right away, or there is a particular researcher that you are interested in working with, it is suggested that you contact that person directly. If you have any questions, please contact the Lab Manager at cbdr-lab@andrew.cmu.edu.

Research Assistant Application

Every year CBDR hosts a summer research intern program. This 8-10 week program is designed to give students first hand knowledge about experimentation and behavioral research.

The Center for Behavioral and Decision Research at Carnegie Mellon University is accepting applications from undergraduates interested in judgment and decision making for a summer research internship from June 10th 2012 to July 29th 2012.

The application deadline is March 4, 2012.

The CBDR Summer Research Internship is open to undergraduates who are interested in gaining familiarity with research in the field of judgment and decision-making. The Center includes researchers with training in psychology, behavioral economics, marketing, organizational behavior, neuroscience, and public policy. For information about the center and affiliated faculty, visit http://cbdr.cmu.edu.

Interns will spend approximately 30 hours/week working on current projects in the center that relate to the research of CBDR affiliated professors and graduate students. Work will include conducting experiments with CBDR researchers in the lab and field (e.g., collecting, coding, and entering data). In weekly seminars, researchers will present the results of the research conducted by the interns the previous week and lead workshops on related topics, from intertemporal choice to the graduate admissions process. Interns will be provided with modest university-affiliated housing free upon request, but will be responsible for the cost of all transportation and meals.

In additional to learning about the research process first-hand, interns will have ample time to explore the city of Pittsburgh. In 2007, Pittsburgh was named America?s ?most livable city? directly above San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland. Its strengths include a low cost of living, excellent public transportation and climate, a vibrant arts scene including nationally renowned museums, historic districts, outdoor activities, excellent restaurants, and professional sports teams.

More information about the city can be found at: http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/.

By March 4, 2012 applicants should submit the following materials:

• A one page cover letter describing their research interests, research experience, their ability to participate in the entire program (i.e., from June 10th to July 29th) if selected.

• A C.V. including university affiliation, major, relevant courses, relevant research experiences, skills, and GPA.

• A letter of reference from a member of the academic community, either a graduate student, post-doctoral researcher or professor.

Materials should be submitted to Professor Morewedge?s administrative assistant, Ms. Eileen Simeone, by email (eileens@andrew.cmu.edu) or by regular mail to:

All applicants will be notified of their status by March 18.

Q: What kind of research will the interns conduct?
A: You will be assisting the faculty and graduate students in the Center for Behavioral Decision Research on a number of projects related to Behavioral Decision Research, which encompasses the fields of psychology, behavioral economics, marketing, organizational behavior, and policy. A list of faculty and links to websites describing their research interests can be found at http://cbdr.cmu.edu

Q: Is there a quantitative aspect to the research?
A: Yes. All of the research uses quantitative statistics to test the researchers' hypotheses. You do not need to have knowledge of statistics to participate in the experiments.

Q: How are experiments conducted, and what would the intern's involvement be?
A: Experiments are conducted in the CBDR laboratories and the field. Interns will work directly with a variety of researchers (professors and graduate students) recruiting participants, executing experiments, and entering data. A week later, the researchers will present the results of the studies they have conducted and solicit feedback from the interns.

Q: Are experiments largely computer based or more actively moderated?
A: There are both computer based and other kinds of experiments conducted.

Q: Are the experiments single-session or is data collected through multiple sessions with the same test subjects?
A: Most are single-session.

Q: Do interns receive financial assistance beyond the option to receive free housing?
A: No, unfortunately we are not able to offer payment or additional financial assistance.

Q: I was wondering if I would still be eligible for consideration as I will graduate this May. Is the program open to recent graduates?
A: Yes, students who will have just graduated are welcome to apply.