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Undergraduate Listserv Archive - Last updated 5-7-08

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - April 30, 2008

Reminder: The deadline for withdrawing from the semester is Friday, May 2. If you are considering withdrawal, we recommend that you consider the possible implications of not being a full-time student (financial aid, insurance, etc.) as well as the academic implications.

Psi Chi members: If you are a new Psi Chi member and did not receive your certificate on Sunday, please stop by the Advising Center in 111 Moore and pick it up from Elaine during regular office hours (8-12, 1-5).

CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Free hotline training in return for volunteer commitment. Training topics include active listening, feeling awareness, and problem solving. Deliver appropriate support regarding issues related to emotional well-being, mental health, drug and alcohol, and referrals and transfers to community resources. Great on-the-job experience for HDFS, psychology, rehab ed, sociology, business administration or any career in which experience working with varied customer/client population will be critical for employment and success. Volunteer work may lead to part-time paid positions. Applications due Wednesday, May 21st. Come to Community Help Centre, 139 S Pugh St for an application. For more information, call: 237-5855

*PROJECT COORDINATOR POSITION AVAILABLE in FAMILY SYSTEMS LABORATORY AT PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
*The FAMILY Study located in the Child Study Center at Pennsylvania State University ( http://familysystemslab.psu.edu/) announces the availability of a Project Coordinator position for a 5-year NIMH-funded project aimed at understanding parenting processes and self/emotion regulation in maltreating families. The Project Coordinator will work closely with caseworkers at Children & Youth Services recruitment sites and their provider agencies, and with Penn State’s Child Study Center (which maintains the FIRST database) to identify and contact eligible families for project participation. Responsibilities include all aspects of subject recruiting and scheduling, working with research personnel to schedule and manage family interviews, managing day-to-day operations in the lab; facilitating project meetings, preparing reports, and assisting with lab visits and data coding as time permits. Opportunities exist for participating in preparation/submission of research papers and conference presentations on the study findings. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree, relevant research and/or project direction experience, excellent interpersonal skills, and a capacity to work closely with others. Some experience with state social services agencies is desired. To apply, please email a letter of interest and vita to Elizabeth Skowron (eas14@psu.edu ). Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This position is funded for one year from the date of hire with excellent possibility of re-funding. Penn State is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Looking for a career in central PA?
Then this event is for you!
Central Pennsylvania
Regional Career Fair
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel - University Park Campus
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Employers attending will be representing offices in the central PA region.
Review the employers in advance and come with professional resumes to hand out.
For Details go to: www.fairs.sa.psu.edu/CentralPA

Not sure what to expect or how to prepare?
Attend the pre-fair workshop!
Pre-Fair Workshops
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Bank of America Career Services Center (map)
Free parking on near-by lots

To help you prepare for the career fair, we are offering an evening of preparation:
RESUME REVIEW - bring your resume for a review by HR professionals
RESUME WRITING - tips for new professionals, career changers, and re-entering the workforce
HOW TO STAND OUT...on a RESUME...in an INTERVIEW...at the FAIR
READY, SET, GO - navigating this web site: employers, tips, and schedule

EMPLOYERS ATTENDING CAREER FAIR – with employment categories (as of 4-25-08)
Adecco - Engr - Electrical, Engr - Mechanical, Finance & Accounting, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
Aflac Regional Office - State College - Insurance & Real Estate, Sales & Marketing
Allegheny Energy - Computer & Technology, Engr - Civil & Environmental, Engr - Electrical, Supply Chain & Information Systems
American Cancer Society, Pennsylvania Division Inc. - Health Care/Medical, Sales & Marketing, Social & Human Services
American Customer Care - Communications, Management & Operations
Applied Research Laboratory - The Pennsylvania State University-Engr - Aerospace, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Engr Science & Mechanics, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Material Sciences & Engr, Engr - Mechanical
Arc of Centre County - Health Care/Medical, Social & Human Services
ARRIS-Engr - Electrical, Engr - Mechanical
Bank of America - Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing
Blue Mountain Quality Resources, Inc. - Computer & Technology, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain & Information Systems
Brookline - Health Care/Medical, Life Sciences, Social & Human Services
Centre Crest/Centre County Government - Health Care/Medical
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. - Communications, Computer & Technology, Engr - Electrical, Sales & Marketing
Easter Seals Central Pa - Early Childhood Education, Health Care/Medical, Social & Human Services
First National Bank - Finance & Accounting
First Quality Enterprises, Inc. - Computer & Technology, Engr - Chemical, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Material Sciences & Engr, Engr - Mechanical, Supply Chain & Information Systems
Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania - Early Childhood Education
HealthSouth Nittany Valley - Health Care/Medical
HR Office, Inc., The - Arts & Design, Communications, Computer & Technology, Engr - Architectural, Engr - Chemical, Engr - Civil & Environmental, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Engr Science & Mechanics, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Material Sciences & Engr, Engr - Mechanical, Engr - Software Engr, Engr - Systems Engr, Finance & Accounting, Insurance & Real Estate, Legal/Correctional/Protective Services, Life Sciences, Management & Operations, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Sales & Marketing, Social & Human Services, Research, Supply Chain & Information Systems
Kish Bank - Computer & Technology, Finance & Accounting, Insurance & Real Estate, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
L. Robert Kimball & Associates - Communications, Computer & Technology, Engr - Architectural, Engr - Civil & Environmental, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Systems Engr
Lewistown Hospital - Health Care/Medical
LIA SOPHIA JEWELRY - Sales & Marketing
M&T Bank - Finance & Accounting, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
Manpower Inc. of Altoona - Computer & Technology, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Mechanical, Finance & Accounting, Insurance & Real Estate, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
Mary Kay - Sales & Marketing
Meadows Psychiatric Center/Universal Community Behavioral Health - Early Childhood Education, Health Care/Medical, Social & Human Services
Mid-Penn Engr Corporation - Engr - Architectural, Engr - Civil & Environmental
MPIResearch, Inc. - Research
Neutron Inc. - Communications, Computer & Technology, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Engr Science & Mechanics, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Material Sciences & Engr, Engr - Mechanical, Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain & Information Systems
NHS Human Services-Social & Human Services
NPC, Inc. - Computer & Technology, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Management & Operations
Penn State Hospitality Services - Management & Operations
Penn State University - Arts & Design, Communications, Computer & Technology, Early Childhood Education, Engr - Aerospace, Engr - Agricultural & Biological, Engr - Architectural, Engr - BioEngr, Engr - Chemical, Engr - Civil & Environmental, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Engr Science & Mechanics, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Material Sciences & Engr, Engr - Mechanical, Engr - Nuclear, Engr - Petroleum & Natural Gas, Engr - Software Engr, Engr - Systems Engr, Finance & Accounting, Health Care/Medical, Life Sciences, Management & Operations, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Sales & Marketing, Social & Human Services, Research
Preferred Staffing Solutions - Arts & Design, Communications, Computer & Technology, Early Childhood Education, Finance & Accounting, Insurance & Real Estate, Legal/Correctional/Protective Services, Life Sciences, Management & Operations, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Sales & Marketing, Social & Human Services, Research, Supply Chain & Information Systems
QBC Diagnostics - Engr - Electrical, Engr - Engr Science & Mechanics, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Mechanical, Engr - Software Engr, Engr - Systems Engr, Health Care/Medical, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
Raytheon - Computer & Technology, Engr - Aerospace, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Software Engr, Engr - Systems Engr
Rex Energy Corp - Engr - Petroleum & Natural Gas
Rizzuto Solutions, Inc.-Computer & Technology, Engr - Architectural, Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Engr - Software Engr, Engr - Systems Engr, Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing
RLW, Inc. - Engr - Electrical, Engr - Mechanical, Engr - Software Engr
Social Security Administration - Arts & Design, Communications, Finance & Accounting, Insurance & Real Estate, Legal/Correctional/Protective Services, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing, Social & Human Services
Spectra Wood Inc - Computer & Technology, Engr - Industrial & Manufacturing, Finance & Accounting, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
Spherion - Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Mechanical, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing
State College Police Department - Legal/Correctional/Protective Services
Videon Central, Inc. - Engr - Computer Science & Computer, Engr - Electrical, Engr - Software Engr
Wegmans Food Markets - Communications, Finance & Accounting, Management & Operations, Sales & Marketing


ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - April 17, 2008

Withdrawal deadline: Although the late drop deadline is long past, students can withdraw from the entire semester by the last day of classes, May 2. If you are considering this, please discuss with your adviser.

Commencement: The College of Liberal Arts Spring 2008 Commencement will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, May 17 at 6 p.m. For information on the Liberal Arts commencement, follow this link: http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-LAUS/currentStudents/commencement_2006.shtml For general information, visit the Registrar’s commencement site at http://www.registrar.psu.edu/graduation/graduation_index.cfm

Students who are within a few credits of graduating may be able to participate in the ceremony. If you are in this situation, you must contact Sherri Gilliland (sbg4@psu.edu) to let her know and get details.

Graduating in August or December? If you plan to graduate in August or December, we strongly recommend that you see your adviser now to make sure that everything is on track for graduation. The Advising Center is very busy at the beginning of Fall semester, and now is the time to make sure your schedule is in order.

Taking courses at another college or university this summer? Many students take a course or two at a school near their home in the summer, then transfer the credits to Penn State. If you plan to do, so take some steps to make sure that you don’t encounter problems: (1) visit the Transfer Course Evaluation page (https://www.admissions.psu.edu/my_admissions/tas/steps.cfm) to see if the courses you plan to take have been previously accredited at Penn State; (2) if you want the courses to fulfill specific requirements and they have not been accredited or are listed as GEN credits, bring a syllabus to the advising office to make sure the course can be counted as you hope. Also, remember that you must request an official transcript be sent to Penn State Admissions to have the credits transferred.

Interested in Working With Children? Consider Psych 477 – Fall 2008/Psych 495K – Spring, 2009. This is a year-long practicum course that provides hands-on experience teaching social skills to elementary aged children. This class is good for advanced undergraduate students considering careers in education, human services or applied psychology
Prerequisites: Developmental psychology or HDFS equivalent; GPA of 3.0 or higher
For more information contact: jaw900@psu.edu or agv103@psu.edu

Paid summer research opportunity: Research assistants are needed to work this summer on a project, funded by the National Science Foundation, concerning collective behavior. Students will be performing several different tasks, including observations of behavior, conducting brief interviews, inputting data for computer analysis, and coding behavior from videorecordings. Students should have taken introductory sociology, introductory psychology, research methods, and introductory statistics, and they should have a GPA of at least 3.5. Students will be paid $7.50 per hour. If interested, please contact Sarah Koon-Magnin at slk304@psu.edu.

Year-long opportunity in Psychology and Law: This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program brings 8 to 10 undergraduate students to University of Nebraska/Lincoln to study law and psychology in our program for a full year. Undergraduate students are provided with room and board for 1 year, along with a stipend for working in our law and psychology research laboratories. They spend time working with our joint law and psychology doctoral (JD/Ph.D and MLS/Ph.D.) students. Our faculty will mentor these undergraduate students, helping them gain valuable experience to assist in preparing them for graduate school in psychology. As you can see from our website (address provided below), the last three year’s REU students have had a rewarding academic experience at UNL as shown by some of their comments. This year we accepted 10 new students as our third class and they are working their way through the spring semester. This year we will accept our fourth class of REU students beginning in summer of 2008. The website describes the program in detail. Please take a few minutes to go to the website, review it, and then pass the address along to any undergraduates in your department who might be interested in the program. The program description and application materials are available on the following website:
http://www.unl.edu/psychlawreu/ The website states that we will begin selecting REU students in mid May. We will continue accepting applications until all slots are filled. Students who apply early will have an advantage in this competitive selection process.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - April 3, 2008

The Pennsylvania State University Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Conference 2008 will be held Monday, April 7th, 2008 at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Notes and reminders on registering for Fall 2008

Some of our 400-level courses are controlled to allow Psychology majors the first opportunity to enroll. These controls will be removed at midnight on April 14, allowing anyone to register after that time. If you are a major who has not yet registered, you should do so before then. If you are a minor and submitted a request form, we will accommodate you in order of semester standing before the controls are lifted.

If you are a major and meet the prerequisites for PSYCH 490 (Senior Seminar), but are having difficulty registering through eLion, please contact Sherri Gilliland (sbg4@psu.edu, 111 Moore Building) for assistance. I encourage all Psychology majors who meet the prerequisites to consider taking the course in fall rather than spring, as demand and class size will likely be greater in spring. Unfortunately, I will not have a list of spring topics until September. The topics for Fall 2008 appear at the bottom of this message, and more complete descriptions can be found by reviewing recent listserv messages below.

PSYCH 301W is also controlled, allowing only Psychology majors to register via eLion. Minors wishing to request 301W should complete the form at the link below.

Minors and others wishing to register for these courses should complete this form: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/PsyWaitListRequest.pdf and drop it off in 111 Moore Building.

Internship opportunities – Philipsburg, PA

Cen-Clear Child Services, Inc. is a human services organization located in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania that provides mental health services to children and their families. Some programs include outpatient, behavioral health services, and Family Based Mental Health Services. This internship could provide students the opportunity to work with children in a group setting, observe sessions, and also become familiar with or organizational office structure and reporting requirements of mental health professionals. Opportunities are available as early as this summer. Contact Jill Springer via email at jspringer@cenclear.org or by phone (814) 342-5678 ext. 2222 for more information.

From Career Services

Deciding on a major and what to do with a chosen major are among the biggest decisions you will make while here at Penn State. Career Services is here to assist you and is making the process easier to access and more meaningful in its delivery through the development of the Career Planning Certificate as part of the Division of Student Affairs EDGE (Enhance your Degree. Grow through Experience) Program. As a student majoring or considering majoring in Psychology, you may take advantage of an opportunity to access the Career Planning Certificate through a pilot program set for this semester. In addition to the gains you will have in your own individual career planning process, you will assist Career Services in assessing the impact of this more purposeful approach to offering career services assistance.
You may participate on one of three levels:

1. Full Participation – by attending the Intro and Capstone Sessions, completing all of the CP Cert modules and taking both the pre- and post-surveys (approx. 15 hours of time in total)
2. Partial Participation – by attending the Intro Session, completing some of the CP Cert modules and taking both the pre- and post-surveys (somewhat less than15 hours of time depending on modules chosen)
3. Basic Participation – by attending the Intro Session and taking both the pre- and post-surveys (approx. 90 minutes of time in total)
To participate at any level, simply attend one of the following 50-min. Introduction Sessions (Room 103 Bank of America Career Services Center):
Wednesday, April 2 at 9:05, 10:10, 11:15, 12:20, 1:25, 2:30, 3:35
Thursday, April 3 at 1:25, 2:30
Friday, April 4 at 9:05, 10:10, 11:15
Tuesday, April 9 at 9:05, 10:10, 11:15, 12:20, 1:25, 2:30, 3:35

Any questions, please contact Chris MacGill at cxm279@sa.psu.edu. This is a research study and participation is voluntary. ALL STUDENTS who participate at some level will be eligible for a drawing at the conclusion of the semester for an iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, or a $50 gift certificate to downtown State College stores and restaurants.
PS An overview of the Career Planning Certificate may be viewed at http://www.edge.psu.edu/edge.shtml.

Students interested in Health Professions

If you are preparing for a future in health professions, and if you are at least 4th semester standing, and if you have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 and a science GPA of at least 3.2, and you are not yet a member of AED read on. I invite you to consider official membership into the Penn State Beta chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national Health Professions Honor Society. Unlike many honor societies, AED at Penn State includes a very active group of about 200 students, who meet every other week and who are involved in all kinds of health related activities (e.g. THON, PSU-MSU Blood Cup Drive, tours to health profession schools, access to clinical internships, programs on admissions, issues in medicine, MCAT/DAT prep, etc.) If you want to learn more and/or become part of this group, come to 213 Whitmore Lab to pick up application material. Onetime fee required, which covers initiation banquet (on April 22nd, 2008), local dues and national dues. Membership forms and fees must be returned to 213 Whitmore Lab by no later than Tuesday, April 15th, 2008.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ronald Markle
Professor of Biology
Director of Advising, Eberly College of Science

Fall 2008 PSYCH 490 topics

Section 1 - Dr. Janet Swim: Conservation Psychology
Section 2 - Dr. Keith Nelson: Art, Language, and Creativity in Children
Section 3 - Dr. Sheri Berenbaum: Psychological Science in the Media
Section 4 – Dr. Nancy Dennis: Cognitive Aging
Section 5 – Dr. Jan Cleveland: RJP in Managing Work-life Interfaces
Section 6 - Dr. Sam Hunter: Creativity and Innovation
Section 7 - Dr. Rick Gilmore: Neuroethology: How Animal Brains Make Animal Behavior
Section 8 – Dr. Alysia Blandon: Families and Close Relationships

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - March 21, 2008

PSYCH courses added to Summer 2008 schedule

We have added two courses to the Summer 2008 schedule of courses: PSYCH 270 (Introduction to Abnormal Psychology) and a second section of PSYCH 281 (Industrial/Organizational Psychology, web version). Seats are still available in most of our other summer classes at well. For the complete schedule, visit http://soc.our.psu.edu/soc/summer/up/p-z/psych.html

PSYCH courses for Fall 2008

Senior Seminars (PSYCH 490) – To review the list of topics for PSYCH 490, visit http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/listservarchive.html and look at the announcements for March 17.

PSYCH 405 (Mathematical Psychology) is being offered for the first time in a number of years. This course will be of particular interested to PSYBS students in the Quantitative Skills option. Math psych is an introduction to mathematical modeling in psychology. A model is a formal statement of some theory or idea with psychological roots. Most of the models considered use the language of probability theory, with an emphasis on situations in the current media, when possible. Some years ago field goal kicking in football was modeled; more recently tsunamis and terrorism were modeled. Students need to be familiar with the ideas of random variables, expectations, and probability distributions; most of this material is covered in Stat 200 but is reviewed here. Calculus is not required and seldom used; comfort with algebraic manipulation is a must. Math psych has a focus on analytical models which can be explored with simple probability tools. The computer is used, but the focus is not on “computer models” where the goal is often to produce output which “looks like” real world output. Questions? hxt@psu.edu

Reminder on controlled courses
PSYCH 301W, and a number of our 400-level courses, are controlled to allow Psychology majors the first opportunity to enroll. Minors and others wishing to register for these courses should complete this form: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/PsyWaitListRequest.pdf and drop it off in 111 Moore Building.

Career Services: “FINAL FOUR @ PENN STATE”

Are you READY for the real world?
Are you ready to THRIVE out there and not simply survive?
Are you ready to play with a team of professionals and WIN?

Penn State Career Services and Alumni Career Services offer the following four programs to insure that your last days on campus will finalize your preparation for success beyond Penn State you can go out there ready to make your mark and take your education as far as possible!

I’m Hired, Now What?
Tuesday, April 1 at 5:45 PM 103 Bank of America Career Services Center
Guest Speaker: Alton Fox, Campus Recruiting Representative, Lockheed Martin

We Made it in the Real World So Can You!
Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 PM 103 Bank of America Career Services Center
Featuring: Panel of recent grads share tips for success in that critical first year on the job

We Made it in Grad School So Can You!
Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 PM 103 Bank of America Career Services Center
Featuring: Panel of recent grads share tips for success in grad school

A New Day One - Launching Your Extraordinary Career
Tuesday, April 22 at 5:30 PM HUB-Robeson Auditorium
Guest Speaker: William White, Author of From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career and Professor in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University and prior to joining the faculty at Northwestern he served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Bell & Howell Company. FIRST 100 STUDENTS will receive an autographed copy of From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career

In addition, you are invited to attend Senior Send-Off - Wednesday, April 30 at 2:00-5:00 PM Hintz Family Alumni Center Sponsored by: Lion Ambassadors and Penn State Alumni Association

HealthWorks volunteer opportunity

HealthWorks, a peer health outreach program and The HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Advisory Council (HARRAC), a grassroots awareness program run through University Health Services, are recruiting students this spring to serve in the 2008-2009 academic year. Some positions for HARRAC can begin this semester. The deadline for both programs is March 28th. HealthWorks students will address issues identified by Healthy Penn State 2010, a series of behavior-oriented objectives based on data collected on Penn State student health. Among these are stress, colds and flu, high risk drinking, tobacco, safer sex, and nutrition. The HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Advisory Council envisions a knowledgeable Penn State community that engages in healthy behaviors which will eliminate the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Students will coordinate and participate in programming run through HARRAC such as Access to Protection, Safer Sex Parties, and Influential Peers. Students who volunteer to be peer leaders in both programs will spend about 2-4 hours a week to accomplish projects and coordinate with other members. Applicants can be of any academic major. For more information or to apply to be a HealthWorks or HARRAC member, please visit the Health Promotion and Wellness volunteer web page at http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/volunteer/learnopp.cfm.

2008-2009 Internship Positions LGBTA Student Resource Center at Penn State

LGBTA Student Resource Center staff members are responsible for supporting a learning environment that contributes to student developmental processes. We are looking for individuals with strong commitments to the continued empowerment of underrepresented students, dedication to cultural awareness, and responsibility for personal growth. In addition to the specific duties and tasks of each staff position, these jobs are best suited to people who are willing to develop positive relationships with groups and individuals. The working philosophy of the Center is built upon promoting inclusive communities who thrive on unique qualities of individuals and provide opportunities for professional growth and development. We accomplish this mission by ensuring that our employees, programs, and policies reflect affirmation for diversity. We also seek to role model openness and learning while maintaining the highest standards of basic services. Applicants who are comfortable in multi-cultural environments and who enjoy learning from new and challenging experiences are usually well suited for these positions. If selected to be a staff member at the Center, you will be required to participate in staff training & orientation ongoing professional development throughout the academic year.

Application Packets are available at the LGBTA Student Resource Center in 101 Boucke Building, or at http://www.sa.psu.edu/lgbt/internships.shtml Please return your completed application no later than Friday, March 28th, 2008 at 5:00pm to Neda Thompson at the LGBTA Student Resource Center, 101 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - March 17, 2008

Fall 2008 PSYCH 490 Sections

Please note that ALL sections of PSYCH 490 have the following prerequisites: Senior standing as a PSYBA or PSYBS major, PSYCH 301W, and 6 credits of 400-level PSYCH courses

Section 1 - Dr. Janet Swim: Conservation Psychology

Conservation Psychology is the scientific study of the reciprocal relationship between human behavior and the natural environment. Conservation Psychology is an applied field, meaning that it involves the use of psychological principles, theories, or methods, to understand and solve issues. The social issue that will be the focus of the present course is global climate change. As experts on human behavior, psychologists have the potential to serve a crucial role in halting our ecologically-destructive trajectory and promoting a sustainable future. In this course we will explore different ways that psychologists have studied human's understanding of, relationship with, and impact on the natural environment and psychologists efforts to promote environmentally sustainable society. The course will include an introduction to social marketing and students will design and carry out a project that will promote environmentally friendly behaviors.

Section 2 - Dr. Keith Nelson: Art, Language, and Creativity in Children

Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, among other commentators, has observed that visual arts skills will be critical to many of the (rapidly changing) sorts of career challenges that adults will face in this, the 21st Century. Other commentators have emphasized that creative, flexible thinking skills are critical to both job success and personal satisfaction. Finally, rich language and communication skills also are strong benefits in every area of life. Despite widespread agreement on the importance of all these skills, it is far from clear what the best paths are to developing these skills during childhood.

This course will approach these issues first through reviewing what is already known about facilitating art, language, and creativity in children. Then we will concentrate on generating ideas about new ways of facilitating these skills. Finally, we will critically sort through our new ideas to propose specific teaching and intervention plans that would appear to have high probabilities of high impact on art, language, and creativity.

Section 3 - Dr. Sheri Berenbaum: Psychological Science in the Media

This course will provide a critical examination of psychological science in public life. We will consider two broad questions: How can psychological science help us to understand world events? How accurately is psychological science represented in the news, on TV, and in the movies?

Section 4 – Dr. Nancy Dennis: Cognitive Aging

This course will provide focused study in the area of Cognitive Aging. Topics to be covered will include age-related changes associated with cognitive processes such as episodic memory, working memory, language, and attention. In addition we will discuss current theories of cognitive aging (e.g., cognitive slowing, inhibition-deficit, limited resources). Reading will come from selected chapters and current empirical journal articles in each area.

Section 5 – Dr. Jan Cleveland: RJP in Managing Work-life Interfaces

The majority of both male and female senior undergraduates will work (fulltime or part time) continuously or at some point(s) in their lives. Upon completion of a 4 year degree, many seniors have a reasonably accurate view of the requirements of paid work or the specific tasks/activities necessary to successfully perform in the workplace. However, there are few opportunities at the undergraduate level for students to systematically assess their own values, perceptions, preferences and expectations (as well as concerns and fears) associated with how they envision their personal and family lives to unfold, or how to integrate their personal and family lives within the context of maintaining financial and/or employment stability. The primary objective of this course is to provide a realistic ‘job’ preview (RJP) of the ways in which we can plan our career and personal life and the extent to which we cannot anticipate how our work-life interfaces unfold (e.g., “life comes at you fast”)

In this class, we will read and hear from experts about the evolving workplace and workforce and its implications for our non work lives. Further, we will assess beliefs, attitudes, and expectations regarding work-life interfaces (current and anticipated) in order to enhance awareness of the range of possible life scenarios and applications of psychology.

Section 6 - Dr. Sam Hunter: Creativity and Innovation

Reviews influences and antecedents of creativity at the individual level. Also examines team and organizational factors that impact the implementation of creative ideas.

Section 7 - Dr. Rick Gilmore: Neuroethology: How Animal Brains Make Animal Behavior

In this course, we will study the biological systems that participate in the adaptive, real-time behavior of animals. Topics will include the neural mechanisms for spatial orientation and sensory guidance, motor control, communication, and memory. Previous coursework in neuroscience or perception are strongly recommended.

Section 8 – Dr. Alysia Blandon: Families and Close Relationships

This course focuses on the intrapersonal and interpersonal processes as well as the contextual factors involved in the development and maintenance of families and close relationships over the life course. Family theories, research methods, and current research findings will be emphasized.

I/O Information Night

Learn more about Industrial/Organizational Psychology by attending I/O Info Night on Tuesday, April 1st at 7:30 PM in 453 Moore Building. This session includes a question and answer session about the field of I/O as well as life as a graduate student in I/O. We will also be discussing the graduate application process and tips for studying for the GRE.

Summer Internships Available at the Health & Psychophysiology Lab at Harvard University

We are currently accepting applications for summer interns at the Health and Psychophysiology Lab at Harvard University. We offer a ten-week summer internship program designed for undergraduates who are interested in conducting research at the intersection of social psychology, emotion, psychophysiology, and neuroendocrinology. Interns work approximately 30 hours a week, which includes weekly tutorials and lab meetings. Most interns receive funding from their own university, but there will be a few stipends available.

If you are interested in applying to be a summer intern, please email your resume/vita to the Lab Manager, Carrigan Denny-Brown, carrigandb@wjh.harvard.edu
Summer Internships in Social Psychology at University of California Santa Barbara
Application deadline is April 15. For information, see http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/~major/lab/sum_res_internship.html

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - March 7, 2008

Fall 2008 registration

Registration for Fall 2008 is coming up soon (it begins March 20, except for those with registration priority). Your time to register can be found through eLion or the registrar's home page. Remember that a full-time load is 12-19 credits. Registration for more than 19 credits normally requires a visit to your adviser for consultation and a signature.

Also, remember that any changes to your schedule after the first 10 days of the semester (late drops and late adds) incur a fee of $6.

I will be sending out another note very soon (probably while you're away on spring break) listing the instructors and topics for PSYCH 490 (Senior Seminar) for the fall.

A note on controlled courses

PSYCH 301W, and a number of our 400-level courses, are controlled to allow Psychology majors the first opportunity to enroll. Minors and others wishing to register for these courses should complete this form: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/PsyWaitListRequest.pdf and drop it off in 111 Moore Building.

The Pennsylvania State University Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Conference 2008
Date: Monday, April 7th, 2008
Location: Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Avenue, State College, PA 16803
Submissions due: 3/7/2008*
*Note: Submissions are currently being excepted by snail mail (Psi Chi Honor Society, Penn State Chapter, c/o Elaine Prestia, 111 Moore Building, University Park, PA 16802) through March 14th to allow for submissions from students located at a distance.

Enjoy Spring Break! We look forward to seeing you at the Conference….

Industrial/Organizational Psychology Info Night

Learn more about Industrial/Organizational Psychology by attending I/O Info Night on Tuesday, April 1st at 7:30 PM in 254 Moore Building. This session includes a question and answer session about the field of I/O as well as life as a graduate student in I/O. We will also be discussing the graduate application process and tips for studying for the GRE.

AAA S Study Abroad Program summer 2008

A three week program centered in the Republic of South Africa. Penn State. Students will work with University of Limpopo students in Geography, who are serving as research assistants for the project. The Penn State Students will have the opportunity to visit two local communities, which have applied for land under the government's land Restitution program, meet with community leaders, interact with community community members, and obtain hands-on experience in social science field research methods.

Eligibility: Applicants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria;
-Full time Penn State student
-Junior standing or higher
-Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
-Major or minor in AAA S or students who have taken at least one prior course in AAA S
-Must have written at least one college research or term paper on a topic dealing with African or African American issues

Deadline: March 14, 2008
Application process: Please contact Maureen Mulenga, the Academic adviser for AAA S as soon as possible at mmm323@psu.edu or go to room 133 Willard building or call 814-863-8435.

Costs: Paid by AAAS Department: Round trip ticket $2,000 for successful applicants
Students will be responsible for: Accommodations $400; Food $325; Trip to Kruger National Park $130

There are many funding sources within the university that students can tap into. One of them is the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Education Abroad Scholarship. This scholarship provides recognition and financial incentive to undergraduate and graduate students from Penn State who are enrolled or planning to enroll in officially recognized short-term, faculty-led international programs. These programs are embedded as an add-on or supplement to a semester-length residential course, for which participating students earn credit. Programs usually last from a few days up to a number of weeks. All such programs must involve at least one Penn State faculty leader. If your program is not listed among the 2007-2008 Embedded Programs and you believe it meets this criteria, please notify the program's faculty leader or coordinator. Application PA Commonwealth EA Application Deadlines Rolling (Application must be received no later than two weeks prior to departure.) Award Amount $500

Summer jobs at the National Science Foundation

NSF's summer vacancy announcement has been posted to USAJOBS and will be opened until March 12, 2008. The announcement can be found using the following link to USAJOBS and can also be found on the NSF website under current clerical vacancies. Feel free to forward the following vacancy link to interested students: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobId=69024698&AVSDM=2008%2D02%2D27+00%3A03%3A04

As in the past, each Directorate/Office will be allocated 3 summer student slots for a total of 30 open summer positions. All returning summer students must apply under the vacancy announcement to be considered. Divisions/Offices interested in hiring a summer student should submit an FPPS action to request a certificate of eligibles. If an organization has a name request or a returning summer student, please add this information to the Notes section in the FPPS request. Remember, neither a returning student nor a name requested candidate can be hired without applying to this announcement by the closing date. Certificates will be issued after the closing date.

The earliest start date for summer students will be Monday, May 19, 2008 and each Monday thereafter. All summer appointments are not to exceed September 30, 2008.

For pre-med students

Registration will open for the June through September MCAT test
dates on Tuesday, March 11 for testing locations in the U.S., Africa,
Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia, including new locations
in China. We regret that we cannot post a specific registration
opening time March 11th. For more information, see http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference

The Psi Chi Chapter at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey would like to invite your students to present their research at our Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference on April 18, 2008 in Pomona, NJ. We are in South Jersey about 10 minutes from Atlantic City. Undergraduate students are encouraged to present original, empirical research at the conference. Registration is free and lunch will be provided. The deadline for presenter registration is Friday, March 28. If you have questions or would like more information contact christine.ferri@stockton.edu or 609-626-6040

Summer Internship Opportunity in North Carolina

Davidson College sponsors an eight-week summer academic program for undergraduates at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, N.C., a state psychiatric facility serving western North Carolina. The program is an internship in clinical settings at the Hospital; students earn credit for one course from Davidson College as Practicum in Psychology (PSY 290). This course is taught by the Psychology Department Director at Broughton Hospital who is an adjunct faculty member at Davidson College. Besides working in the hospital, students have periodic discussion sessions with the faculty member and attend a weekly seminar with presentations by clinical staff at the Hospital. Because these times are arranged once the class arrives in Morganton, students should plan on being on site five days a week for the duration of the program. The program will run from May 27 to July 18, 2008. Participants work with hospital professionals as observers and assistants in patient treatment programs. Students may have the opportunity to participate in other hospital trainings and/or field trips to settings where activities relevant to clinical psychology are occurring. Service to the hospital is an important aspect of all placement options. In past years placement options have included the Adult Admissions Division, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Division, or Specialty Services Division, which includes the adolescent, geropsychiatry, and medical units. Program size is 8 students. The number of applications for the program has progressively increased over the last several years. Criteria for admission, therefore, are driven in part by the number of applicants and can become competitive. Applications from students enrolled at Davidson College will receive some preferential weighting. Applicants should have completed Abnormal Psychology prior to the program's start. Tuition and room fees total $800. No financial aid from Davidson College is available; students needing financial help should inquire at their home institutions.

For detailed information, visit the Davidson College Department's webpage: http://www.davidson.edu/academic/psychology/broughton.htm . The application form is also there. Deadline: APRIL 1, 2008. Visiting the Broughton Hospital web site at http://www.broughtonhospital.org/index.html may be helpful.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - February 21, 2008

Final Exam Conflicts

Your final exam schedule should now be available on eLion. The period for filing exam conflicts through eLion is Monday, February 18th through Sunday, March 9th. Please note that instructors will generally be unable to accommodate requests for early exams.

Scheduling and Advising Notes

  • Scheduling for Fall 2008 begins shortly after spring break. Scheduling seniors, The PSYCH Advising Center strongly encourages you to stop in or call now to schedule an appointment if you wish to discuss your academic plans in the near future. Appointment slots will fill very quickly the week after spring break. If you want to ensure that you have an opportunity for a more extended discussion session than a 10 minute walk-in session allows, we advise you to call Elaine Prestia at 814-865-9514 as soon as possible to schedule an appointment with your advisor. Please bring a current copy of your audit with you when you attend an appointment or walk-in session.
  • Senior Seminar (PSYCH 490) section topics for Fall 2008 will be announced before spring break. Watch this listserv for that information.
  • Summer Course scheduling is underway. If you are considering enrolling in summer courses, the sooner you schedule, the more likely it will be that your course preferences will still have openings.

NEW APA SUMMER SCIENCE FELLOWSHIPS FOR STUDENTS

The APA Science Directorate has announced a new program for 2008­the Summer Science Fellowships (SSF). An offshoot of the successful Summer Science Institute, SSF aims to immerse advanced undergraduates in the science of psychology by exposing them to the excitement and promise of the best psychological science. An expenses-paid, intensive summer training program, the purpose of SSF is to allow 12 talented students to be placed in the psychology laboratories of some of the most outstanding researchers in the Washington, DC, area for up to six weeks. Students will explore the intellectual, personal, and social processes of scientific inquiry and experience cutting-edge psychological research through hands-on laboratory activities. The program is expected to run from late June to early August. APA will pay students a summer salary and will cover all travel and living expenses in order to make the program financially feasible for most college students. Eligibility is strictly limited to rising college seniors. Applicants should be psychology majors, although students with related preparations may apply if they expect to enter a psychological science graduate program. Students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is March 3, 2008. Visit http://www.apa.org/science/ssf.html for details and an online application.

Centre County Youth Service Bureau Summer Internships

For details, see http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Internships/postings/CentreCountyYouthServiceBureau.shtml

Undergraduate Research Conferences

Designed to showcase recent research by undergraduate psychology students, the Second Annual Mid-Hudson Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference will be held Saturday, March 29th, 2008 on the campus of Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. Interested undergraduates are encouraged to electronically submit their proposals by February 28, 2008. More details regarding the conference and the submission process may be found at the conference website: http://www.msmc.edu/midhudsonpsyconf/ Additional questions may be directed to the conference coordinator, Dr. Paul Schwartz (schwartz@msmc.edu).

Call for abstracts: 2008 Columbia Undergraduate Research Symposium. The symposium is sponsored by the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal and is open to undergraduate students at tri-state-area universities who have conducted original and significant scientific research. Accepted abstracts will be selected for either talks or poster presentations, and all abstracts will be published and archived online. The recommended deadline for abstract submission is Friday, February 22, and the final deadline is Friday, March 7. Participants will be notified regarding their presentation type by March 20. The symposium will take place on Thursday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Broadway Room of Lerner Hall on Columbia University's Morningside Campus (Map: http://www.columbia.edu/about_columbia/map/). We respectfully ask that you forward this e-mail on to students and professors who you think might be interested in participating in this event. For more information and submission guidelines, please visit http://cusj.columbia.edu/symposium.shtml. We also ask that anyone interested in attending the symposium and/or submitting an abstract to e-mail me at ejo2109@columbia.edu by April 1. The Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes outstanding undergraduate research at Columbia. The Journal is published by the Columbia University Libraries and can be viewed at http://www.cusj.columbia.edu/viewissue.php.
Employment Opportunity

The Yale Cognition and Development Lab, under the direction of Professor Frank Keil, anticipates a Lab Manager position opening beginning in July 2008. The position involves hands-on research and training opportunities in the fields of cognitive and developmental psychology. The Lab Manager (i.e., RA) conducts research-related tasks for projects investigating cognition and development in preschoolers, school aged children, and adults. Additionally, the RA sets up and maintains liaisons with greater New Haven are schools and preschools, interviews children in those settings according to research protocols, recruits children and their parents, ensures they arrive to the research center at Yale, and interviews them. Furthermore, the RA aids in the design of stimuli, the scoring and entering of research data on computer, and in the analysis of collected data. Competitive applicants will have a bachelor's degree in either a natural or social science area. Prior experience in experimental psychology research, especially with children, is an asset. Course experience in cognitive psychology or cognitive science is preferred. A genuine interest in the lab's research questions is highly desired. A current summary of our research projects may be found online at http://www.yale.edu/cogdevlab/newResearch_Overview.html. The full-time position carries a competitive salary as well as health care benefits. It also provides excellent experience for students considering attending graduate school in psychology. Please include a cover letter, CV, three letters of recommendation with signatures across seals, and official transcripts from all colleges attended. If possible, we ask that all applicants make an effort to submit all of the aforementioned materials together. Materials submitted via email will not be accepted. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send completed application materials to:

Yale Cognition and Development Lab
c/o Eric Smith
Department of Psychology
Yale University
PO Box 208205
New Haven, CT 06520

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at cogdevlab@yale.edu


PAID research participation opportunities (one lab, 3 projects)

The Vision, Memory, and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory is looking to recruit paid research participants for experimental studies of the interaction of vision and memory. You must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, unencumbered use of both hands, and be 18 years of age or older. The experiments involve viewing simple visual patterns and making simple judgments (e.g., present/absent). The experiments run for 10-15 1-hour sessions, and you will be paid $8 per hour. If you are interested, please contact Halley Maxin, VMCN Laboratory Manager, hcm126@psu.edu.

The Vision, Memory, and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University is looking to recruit research participants for experimental studies of the interaction of vision and memory. You must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision and memory, and unrestricted use of both hands. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate. The experiments involve viewing simple visual patterns and making simple judgments (e.g., present/absent). During some of the experimental sessions, EEG data will be recorded. The experiments typically require up to 20 one-hour sessions, and you will be paid $8 per hour for your time. If you are interested, please contact Halley Maxin, VMCN Laboratory Manager, hcm126@psu.edu.

The Vision, Memory, and Computational Neuroscience (VMCN) Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University is looking to recruit research participants for experimental studies of visual perceptual learning. You must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, normal (unaided) hearing, and free use of both hands. You must be at least 18 years of age. The experiments making simple judgments (e.g., present/absent) about simple grayscale images. The experiment requires 10-15 experimental sessions, and you will be paid $8 per hour. If you are interested, please contact Halley Maxin or Kelsey Maxin, VMCN Laboratory Managers, hcm126@psu.edu, ktm133@psu.edu.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - January 25, 2008

ANNUAL PSI CHI UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

If you are a psychology major and have a research project/paper from a class or lab, you can…
-Get experience presenting at a conference
-Get $$CASH prizes for top posters
What to do:
-Submit a brief summary of your paper: see http://www.clubs.psu.edu/psichi/ for guidelines
-Due: March 7th, to Elaine in 111 Moore
-Conference: April 7th at the Nittany Lion Inn
Questions? Contact Jeff Lavenberg at JAL5014@psu.edu


CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Free hotline training in return for volunteer commitment.

Training topics include active listening, feeling awareness, and problem solving. Deliver appropriate support regarding issues related to emotional well-being, mental health, drug and alcohol, and referrals and transfers to community resources. Great on-the-job experience for HDFS, psychology, rehab ed, sociology, business administration or any career in which experience working with varied customer/client population will be critical for employment and success. Volunteer work may lead to part-time paid positions. Applications due Wednesday, February 6. Come to Community Help Centre, 139 S Pugh St for an application. For more information, call: 237-5855.

Study Abroad 101
Wednesday, February 6, 4:30-5:15 PM, 410 Boucke
Interested in studying abroad? At this info session, we'll give you the basic information you need to start planning a semester, year or summer abroad. Did you know that Penn State offers about 190 programs in over 40 countries on six continents? We'll help you understand the differences between all the different program options. We'll tell you about the application process and the costs of studying abroad. You'll hear from students who studied abroad in the past and have the opportunity to ask them questions about their experiences.

Summer Science Fellowship Program

The APA Science Directorate is pleased to announce a new program for 2008 -- the Summer Science Fellowships (SSF). An offshoot of the successful Summer Science Institute, SSF aims to immerse advanced undergraduate students in the science of psychology by exposing them to the excitement and promise of the best of psychological science. Our principal objective is to inform these students about the science of psychology and its promise for the future, and help prepare them for the rigors of graduate study in psychological science.

An expenses-paid, intensive summer training program, the purpose of SSF is to allow 12 talented students to be placed in the psychology laboratories of some of the most outstanding researchers in the Washington, DC area for up to 6 weeks. The SSF program gives students an opportunity to explore the intellectual, personal, and social processes of scientific inquiry and to experience cutting-edge psychological research through hands-on laboratory activities. SSF offers promising students the opportunity to equip themselves with skills essential to succeed in graduate school, and gives students who plan to pursue advanced degrees in psychological science the opportunity to be mentored by nationally-known faculty. The program is expected to run from late June to early August. APA will pay students a summer salary, as well as cover all travel and living expenses. This should make the program financially feasible for most college students.

Eligibility is strictly limited to rising college seniors. Applicants should be psychology majors, although students with related preparation may apply if they expect to enter a psychological science graduate program. Students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.
The application deadline for this program is Monday, March 3, 2008. Visit www.apa.org/science/ssf.html for complete details about the program and online application.

Johns Hopkins University Summer Child Development Internships

http://psy.jhu.edu/fieldplacement/internship.htm

http://psy.jhu.edu/fieldplacement/position.htm


Internships with the Penn State Human Resource Development Center downtown.

Liberal Arts internship opportunity (LA 495.1) for anyone thinking about going into HR. http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Internships/postings/HRDC08.shtml

Penn State-UP's Office of Career Services GRE prep course

Penn State-UP's Office of Career Services will be offering its popular (and low-cost) GRE prep course again on the weekend of Feb. 2-3, 2008. A flyer with registration form can be found at http://www.sa.psu.edu/career/PDF/GRE_Prep_Courses.pdf.

Pre-health and pre-med advising workshops

The Academic Advising Center in the Eberly College of Science is pleased to announce the inaugural semester of academic advising workshops.
There will be four sessions this semester, and your attendance is encouraged. An outline of sessions is below. A flyer is attached, and is also posted on our news site: http://www.science.psu.edu/advising/news/academic/flyer_all_spring_2008.pdf

_*Health Professions Advising*_Monday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. 100 Life Sciences Building

The focus of this workshop is explaining the process of preparing for and applying to medical and dental schools. It will help students understand the application process, the characteristics of a competitive applicant and how Penn State assists students in applying and gaining admission. It will also explain the functions of the Health Professions Office including advising services and the committee letter which is required by medical and dental schools.

_*Study Skills and Time Management*_Wednesday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m.111 Wartik Lab

This program will acquaint students with the learning environment at University Park and will focus on strategies and skills designed to maximize academic success. All students, no matter how successful they have been in the past, will benefit from this program.

_*Scholarships and Fellowships*_Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. 119 Osmond Lab

Learn more about how the University Fellowships Office (UFO) can assist you and other qualified Penn State students with the process of successfully competing for prestigious scholarships, fellowships, and awards. Penn State's scholarship and fellowship applicants are very competitive and continue to experience success -- awards received by Penn State students in the past include the Goldwater, Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell Scholarships, Fulbright Grants, and Gates Cambridge, National Science Foundation and National Defense Science and Engineering Program Fellowships to mention just a few.

_*Maximizing Your Advising Experience*_Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. 214 Boucke Building

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss important and timely academic advising issues and how they relate to academic success. These include choosing the right major, eLion applications, late dropping courses, understanding degree audits, scheduling techniques, how to find your advisor, transferring credits, university and college degree requirements, policies and resources.

Paid research opportunities

The Vision, Memory, and Computational Neuroscience (VMCN) Laboratory at Penn State is looking to recruit research participants for experimental
studies of the interaction of auditory perception and memory. You must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, normal (unaided) hearing, and free use of both hands. You must be at least 18 years of age. The experiments involve listening to simple melodies and making judgments about what you hear. The experiment requires one experimental session and you will be paid $8/hour. If you are interested, please contact JUSTIN EROH, VMCN Laboratory Manager, jxe202@yahoo.com.

The Vision, Memory, and Computational Neuroscience (VMCN) Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University is looking to recruit research participants for experimental studies of visual perceptual learning. You must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, normal (unaided) hearing, and free use of both hands. You must be at least 18 years of age. The experiments making simple judgments (e.g., present/absent) about simple grayscale images. The experiment requires 10-15 experimental sessions, and you will be paid $8 per hour. If you are interested, please contact Halley Maxin or Kelsey Maxin, VMCN Laboratory Managers, hcm126@psu.edu, ktm133@psu.edu.

We're conducting a Penn State research study that needs participant volunteers. In our study, we are interested in finding out whether people's attention can be captured differently depending on whether images presented to them are familiar or unfamiliar. Your participation would involve solving very basic math problems and viewing images on a computer screen and making responses while being recorded by a video camera and infa-red camera to capture movement and temperature.
The infared camera's software is extremely sensitive, so the only time people can run the study is on the weekend when the Moore building's very quiet. You need to be 18 years or older to participate. The experiment will take 30 minutes, and you'll get paid $10. If you are available on weekends and interested in running the experiment, please email Brie Sullivan at bms287@psu.edu.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - January 9, 2008

About these messages

You are subscribed to this listserv because University records list you as a Psychology major or minor at University Park. Only messages approved by the Psychology Department will be sent to this listserv, and are selected to be of special interest to Psychology students. No legitimate message from this address will ever include an attachment. If you are receiving these messages in error, or simply do not wish to receive them, you can find instructions for unsubscribing here: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/listserv.html

Previously posted messages are archived here: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/listservarchive.html

Advising Information

The advising office will be open for walk ins in both the morning and the afternoon (8:30 - 11 and 1:30 to 3:30) for the first two weeks of classes. That will be from January 14 - January 25. No appointments will be made during these weeks. During the first few days we frequently have trouble running audits. If at all possible please bring a fresh copy of your degree audit to walk ins if you come during the first week of classes. Beginning January 28, we will go back to our regular schedule of appointments and walk ins. Appointments may be scheduled by phoning 814-865-9514. Regular walk in hours are Monday and Tuesday 1:30 - 3:30; Thursday and Friday 8:30 - 11:00. Come to 111 Moore to sign in for walk ins. Remember that we keep walk ins to 10 minutes each, so please be prepared.

Research Opportunities

Some faculty are still looking for students to help in their labs for Spring semester. For information about research opportunities for Psychology students, please visit http://psych.la.psu.edu/faculty/researchopps.html

Resources for PSYCH career and research planning:

  • Review the Undergraduate PSYCH web-site for academic, faculty research and career information. http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/index.html
  • Visit Career Services on campus to discuss these issues, explore career related options and use their career library. http://www.sa.psu.edu/career/
  • Schedule an appointment with the PSYCH advising Center. http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/advising.html Appointment dates begin January 28.

    Important Dates for Spring 2008
  • January 14: Classes Begin
  • January 2-28: Activate intent to graduate via eLion for May graduation
  • January 21: Martin Luther King Day - No classes
  • January 23: Last day of free drop/add (schedule changes after this date incur a fee and drops will use late-drop credits)
  • March 10-14: Spring Break
  • May 2: Classes end
  • May 17: Liberal Arts Spring 2008 Commencement (6:00 p.m., Bryce Jordan Center)

Commencement information

You will find all sorts of information regarding commencement at http://www.registrar.psu.edu/graduation/graduation_index.cfm You will see
instructions for setting your intent to graduate, requesting an alternate graduation location, and the schedule of ceremonies. Please check to be
sure your local address is correct on elion. This is the address the registrar will use to send graduation information to you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - December 3, 2007

Fall Graduates

You should be receiving your graduate information packet from University Relations soon - note that if your local address is not listed correctly, this may go astray. If you have not received your information packet by the beginning of finals week, December 17 (but please wait until then!), please contact Sherri Gilliland, sbg4@psu.edu, for assistance.

Withdrawal Deadline

The late drop deadline has passed, but it is still possible to withdraw completely for the semester. The deadline for withdrawal is the last day of classes, December 14. If you are considering withdrawal, we recommend that you consult your adviser to discuss the implications. Students with financial aid who plan to withdraw must consult the Financial Aid office.

Advising

As usual, beginning a few days before classes begin on January 14 and continuing for the first two weeks of classes in Spring 2008, the Psychology Advising Center will operate on a walk-in only basis. If you have advising issues, especially those that are lengthy and require an appointment, you may want to see an adviser in the next few weeks before leaving for the holidays.

GRE Prep Course from Career Services

Penn State-UP's Office of Career Services will be offering its popular (and low-cost) GRE prep course again on the weekend of Feb. 2-3, 2008. A flyer, with registration form, is available at http://www. sa .psu.edu/career/PDF/GRE_Prep_Courses.pdf.

Summer 2008 Research Opportunities (from the National Science Foundation)

Paid Summer 2008 Undergrad Research Placements!!!
Over 600 programs -Undergraduate REU and Other Summer Research Opportunities: See www.agep.us/summer.asp or www.igert.org/summer.asp

FOR THOSE CONSIDERING GRAD SCHOOL in 2008:
Opportunities at over 100 colleges and universities

Professional Development and Support: Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP): see www.agep.us

For Financial Support in New Interdisciplinary PHD Programs Graduate School IGERT Opportunities: www.igert.org
IGERT programs provide generous stipend ($30,000 per year) and tuition support for students through the National Science Foundation.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Rome, Summer 2008

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/t/3/t3b/projects/Rome%202008/rome2008.html

In the summer of 2008, the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences at Penn State University will offer a seven-week study-abroad program in Rome. The International Program in Communication Arts & Sciences offers a unique opportunity for students to explore the sights and sounds of contemporary Rome while taking courses in Italian film, the rhetoric of travel and tourism, and the rhetoric of arts, architecture, and urban life of Rome and Italy. Classroom work is enhanced by guided explorations in Rome, so that students may experience for themselves the complex layering of history, art, and culture that has drawn travelers to Rome for centuries as pilgrims and tourists. Students will visit archeological sites, streets, buildings, piazzas, and museums. The central focus of the summer will be on Rome, with free time built into the program for travel in Italy.

Study Abroad 101 - Wednesday, December 5, 4:30-5:15 PM, 410 Boucke

Interested in studying abroad? At this info session, we'll give you the basic information you need to start planning a semester, year or summer abroad. Did you know that Penn State offers about 190 programs in over 40 countries on six continents? We'll help you understand the differences between all the different program options. We'll tell you about the application process and the costs of studying abroad. You'll hear from students who studied abroad in the past and have the opportunity to ask them questions about their experiences.

Study Abroad in Ghana, Fall 2008, Info Session, Thursday, December 6, 6:00 PM, 105 Willard

Penn State undergraduates may now study in Africa for a semester on a program designed and directed by a Penn State professor. Prof. Francis
Dodoo of the Department of Sociology will be taking students to the University of Ghana. Of special interest to students in the social sciences, the program is open to students in all fields. The program is located at Ghana's premier university, The University of Ghana at Legon, in the capital city of Accra. Ghana is an English speaking nation; further, Ghana's political stability and healthy economic climate make it an ideal African site for a study abroad program. On this program, students will take one course on research methods from Prof. Francis Dodoo (or undertake an actual research project) and four other courses of their choice from among course offerings of 78 undergraduate programs at the University of Ghana.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - October 12, 2007

Final Exam Conflicts

The University defines a final exam conflict as three or more exams scheduled in a single day, or in 3 consecutive exam periods (for example, the last two on one day and the first period the following day). If you have such a conflict, you should file for a conflict exam through eLion no later than October 21.

Please note that other conflicts, such as conflicts with travel plans, are not recognized by University policy as a basis for alternative exam times, and faculty members likely will be unable to accommodate requests for alternative exam times for such reasons. You should plan to remain here through the scheduled times for your exams.

Registration for Spring 2008

Psychology majors wishing to take controlled courses should register as soon as possible. At the end of next week (on or about October 19), we will begin accommodating requests for these courses from Psychology minors. Some time the following week, the controls will be removed from most courses (but not from PSYCH 105, 301W, or 490), making them available to anyone who has the prerequisites.

Upcoming Career Events

The Fall Career Fair is coming up next week. The full calendar is located at: http://www.fairs.sa.psu.edu/. No pre-registration required but students MUST bring student ID. Dress is Business Casual. Some of you may be especially interested in these events:

Tuesday, October 16th from 3PM - 6PM - Law School Day (Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center)
Thursday, October 18th from 3PM - 6PM - Medical School Day (Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Centers) and Graduate School Day (Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center)

Many graduate school programs will be represented, and a number of these are particularly interested in Psychology majors. It is well worth a few hours of your time to check this out.

FREE practice GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT tests

Each semester, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions works with PSU Career Services to provide FREE practice GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT tests to anyone who is interested in pursuing Grad, Business, Law or Medical School. This fall the event will be held on Saturday 10/20 at 10am in the Forum Building on the PSU campus (rooms will be posted that morning).

The free practice tests give students an exposure to the exam content with no risk. Students get to see how they'd do on the exam content, without the test counting for anything. Only THEY will see their results. Each student who participates will receive a free printout of their results, detailing not only their scores, but showing them visually how they did on each section of the test and each question type. They will also receive an answer key so they can go back and review the exam. The practice test is free of charge to everyone, however, we do ask that students pre-register by calling 1-800-KAP-TEST or visiting our website at www.kaptest.com so we can assure we have enough materials for everyone.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - September 20, 2007

Spring 2008 registration

Registration for Spring 2008 is coming up soon. Your time to register can be found through eLion or the registrar's home page. Remember that a full-time load is 12-19 credits. Registration for more than 19 credits normally requires a visit to your adviser for consultation and a signature.

Also, remember that any changes to your schedule after the first 10 days of the semester (late drops and late adds) incur a fee of $6.

Senior Seminars for Spring 2008

Here is the section list for PSYCH 490 for Spring 2008. Please keep in mind that you must be a senior Psychology major to register for this course, and that the prerequisites are PSYCH 301W and 6 credits of 400-level Psychology. Section 7 is not yet staffed, and I am not confident that we will be able to keep it on the schedule.

Section/Professor/Time/Title
1 Dr. Sheri Berenbaum T R 9:45-11 Psychological Science in the Media
2 Dr. Ken Levy MWF 9:05-9:55 Developmental Psychopathology
3 Dr. Philip Atiba Goff T 3:35-6:35 The psychology of racism: Historical and contemporary perspectives
4 Dr. Keith Nelson MW 4:15-5:30 TBA (Developmental Psychology)
5 Dr. Rick Jacobs W 3:35-6:35 Assessment Centers: Research and Practice
6 Dr. Sam Hunter T R 8-9:15 Creativity and Innovation: Reviews influences and antecedents of creativity at the individual level. Also examines team and organizational factors that impact the implementation of creative ideas.
7 T R 11:15-12:30
8 Dr. Frederick Brown T R 4:15-5:30 Rhythmic Aspects of Behavior
9 Dr. Terri Vescio MW 9:45-11 Power, Stereotyping and the Maintenance of the Status Quo
10 Dr. Aaron Pincus MWF 12:20-1:10 TBA (Personality/Clinical)

A note on controlled courses

PSYCH 301W, and a number of our 400-level courses, are controlled to allow Psychology majors the first opportunity to enroll. Minors and others wishing to register for these courses should complete this form: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/PsyWaitListRequest.pdf and drop it off in 130 Moore Building.

PSI CHI Applications

Applications for Psi Chi, the national honor society for Psychology students, are due in 111 Moore Building by 4 p.m. Monday, October 8. For details on eligibility and to download an application form, visit the Psi Chi web site at http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/psichi/

Graduate Study Information Sessions

The Psychology Department will be holding information sessions on various aspects of graduate study through the month of October. Mark your calendar:

Tuesday, October 9, 7 p.m., 106 Chambers Building: What is the PsyD degree? Is it for me? Presented by Dr. Ken Levy
Tuesday, October 16, 7:30 p.m., 254 Moore Building: Graduate Study in Industrial/Organizational Psychology Presented by the graduate students of the I/O Ph.D. program. This session includes a question and answer session about the field of I/O as well as life as a graduate student in I/O. We will also be discussing the graduate application process and tips for studying for the GRE."
Tuesday, October 23, 7 p.m., 106 Chambers Building: Writing your Personal Statement for Graduate Applications Presented by Dr. Ken Levy

Why hasn't the Advising Office returned my phone call?

Increasingly, we are finding that phone messages - generally those left by callers using cell phones - are unintelligible. If we can't hear your phone number on the message, we can't return your call. Remember that you can't always tell the quality of the connection as you're calling. Calls are normally returned within 2 business days - if you have not heard back by then, please call again.

New Opportunities web page

We are often notified of opportunities for Psychology students (ranging from paid research participation to graduate program announcements) that are not of sufficiently general interest to make it into these listserv messages, or that are standing opportunities (rather than events with specific dates). We have begun posting these to a special web page on our site, at http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/opportunities2.html You may want to visit this page from time to time to view the current list of opportunities.

Liberal Arts Networking Meeting

Networking with Penn State alumni is often a good way to learn about careers and career opportunities. The College of Liberal Arts is sponsoring a networking event at the Nittany Lion Inn on Thursday, October 4, 2:30-4:30 p.m. More detail can be found here: http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Alumni/NetworkConnections.pdf

Study Abroad

The Annual Education Abroad Fair will be held in the HUB Alumni Hall on Thursday, September 25, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available here: http://www.international.psu.edu/studioabroad/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ShowAnnouncements&Announcement_ID=3008

There is also a program on the basics of study abroad, held the first Wednesday of every month, 410 Boucke, 4:30-5:15 PM. Check here for details: http://www.international.psu.edu/studioabroad/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ShowAnnouncements&Announcement_ID=3007

Remember that study abroad has important deadlines; you can find them here: http://www.international.psu.edu/studioabroad/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewDeadlines

Financial Aid questions

We are frequently asked questions about financial aid. Unfortunately, we're not able to answer those questions. If you have questions about financial aid, you will need to direct them to the Office of Student Aid: http://www.psu.edu/studentaid/

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS - August 13, 2007

Summer commencement

Congratulations to those of you graduating this summer. Commencement will be held this Saturday, August 18, at 10 a.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Advising Office News

The Psychology Advising Center is moving to new, larger offices this week. We'll still be on the first floor of Moore Building, in 111 Moore. Please note that the move will disrupt our ability to provide our usual services this week, and phone and email service may be disrupted. For real emergencies, you can email me (racarlson@psu.edu); for anything else, please be patient with the moving process. We expect our advising operations to run more smoothly once the move is complete.

Note that information about Psychology Advising can be found on our web page: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/index.html Fall advising hours will be announced soon, but you can expect that - as usual - advising will be on a walk-in only basis for the first couple of weeks of the semester. If you have advising issues that require substantial time, please try to make an appointment for next week, or wait until after things have settled down at the beginning of the semester.

Courses added for fall

We were able to add some 400-level courses to the Fall schedule:

PSYCH 423 - Social Psychology of Interpersonal/Intergroup Relations T-Th 11:15-12:30
PSYCH 478 - Clinical Neuropsychology - T-Th 4:15-5:30

Both courses have open slots, and are available to both Psychology majors and minors who meet the prequisites. For complete details on the fall schedule of Psychology courses, see http://soc.our.psu.edu/soc/fall/up/p-z/psych.html

FALL 2007 Senior Seminars

I've received a number of requests to re-send the list of PSYCH 490 (Senior Seminar) sections for Fall 2007, so here they are. More complete descriptions of some sections are available in the Recently Posted Announcements section of our web site (http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/listservarchive.html) - scroll down to the announcements from February 22. As of today, slots are available in all sections.

  • Section 1 (Dr. Frank Hillary): Functional neuroimaging and higher order mental functioning: A window into the processes that make us human.
  • Section 2 (Dr. Rick Gilmore): How the Mind and Brain Develop Early In Life
  • Section 3 (Dr. Sheri Berenbaum): Psychological Science in the Media
  • Section 4 (Dr. Reg Adams): Social Vision
  • Section 5 (Dr. Sandy Azar): Marriage and Family
  • Section 6 (Dr. Amy Marshall) Relationship Research and Intimate Partner Aggression

 

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