Research Opportunities
There are many research projects ongoing in our department, many of which involve undergraduate psychology students in a variety of roles. Students typically get involved in research in their 3rd or 4th year, but it’s possible to do it earlier. This page contains the listings of psychology professors who are currently accepting applications for research assistant positions. These are great opportunities to learn, make connections, and sharpen your research skills. Research in psychology is very diverse and we hope you find an exciting match with your interests.
RESEARCH LABS
See a full listing of our 30+ labs housed in the state-of-the-art Psychology Research & Training Centre (PRTC)
Participate In Research
Now recruiting TMU undergrads for paid study sponsored by the National Science Foundation that aims to examine strategies for improving the quality of online learning. Click (PDF file) here (external link) for details.
Volunteer RA Positions
Volunteering in a professor’s lab is often the first step toward gaining research experience for those who want to pursue that route. Students usually get an idea of who they might want to work with based on a course that they take, so you should plan on taking a few psychology courses to experience a range of research areas. You can also get a feel for our faculty members’ interests by reviewing their brief research descriptions, and by clicking on their individual links to learn more about their current projects and any possible volunteer opportunities.
See below to view available volunteer positions. Be sure to follow the instructions for applying. If a position offers monetary compensation, it will be indicated. Also, note that not all faculty members advertise positions on this site, so it may be helpful to contact potential supervisors directly.
Paid RA Positions
Call for Research Assistants (current TMU students eligible): (PDF file) Click here to find out more deatils.
Government of Ontario Work-Study: Ryerson maintains a list of ORS RA positions available to undergraduates on a competitive basis. Please inform yourself about the eligibility requirements, application process, etc. on that site.
Other Funded Positions: Additional paid RA positions may be available to undergraduates through other funded programs or grants held by faculty members. For availability of paid positions, please contact potential faculty supervisors directly.
Research Assistant Positions
The Brain and Early Experiences (BEE) Lab is seeking a Volunteer Research Assistant (Part-Time)
The Brain and Early Experiences Lab (https://psychlabs.torontomu.ca/beelab), directed by Dr. Margaret Moulson is seeking a part-time Volunteer Research Assistant to begin immediately.
The research assistant will assist with data collection for a research project that investigates how the neural representations of familiar and unfamiliar faces differ and whether these representations differ depending on whether the faces are from more familiar (i.e., own-race) versus less familiar (i.e., other-race) categories. Responsibilities will include participant screening, scheduling, and testing using EEG technology (training will be provided).
Requirements:
- Self-identify as Black*
- Completed or in progress BA/BSc in Psychology or related field
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to complete work in person at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
*Due to the nature of this study, we will only consider applications of those individuals who self-identify as Black. This has been outlined as a requirement with the intent to ensure that the research assistant reflects the participant selection criteria with respect to race*
Contract length: October 2024 to April 2025, approx. 8-10 hours per week, with the possibility of extension. Hours will vary depending on participant availability.
Interested applicants should send an email, unofficial transcript, and current C.V. to Dr. Margaret Moulson at mmoulson@torontomu.ca. Review of applications will begin immediately. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
With age, elderly people commonly experience decline in cognitive functioning. The Cognitive Aging Lab conducts research on age-related changes in cognitive functions and the intervention or training programs to overcome age-related declines. We are currently looking for 2-3 part-time volunteer Research Assistants (RAs). They are expected to work in the Cognitive Aging Lab for 8-15 hours per week and attend the weekly lab meetings. They will be involved in participant recruitment, scheduling, testing, data collection, scoring, and data entry. They may also have opportunity to contribute to literature review, data analysis, and research presentation. The RAs should feel comfortable working with elderly people. The positions will be a good fit for students in such programs as psychology, nursing, and social work and particularly for those who are planning to pursue graduate study in similar areas. For more information on the Cognitive Aging Lab, please visit: http://psychlabs.ryerson.ca/cal/
To apply, please contact the Lab Director:
Dr. Lixia Yang
Department of Psychology
Ryerson University
416-979-5000 x6522
lixiay@psych.ryerson.ca
The Early Childhood Cognition (ECC) Lab (http://psychlabs.ryerson.ca/ecclab/) studies how infants and young children understand the world and the people around them. We are currently seeking undergraduate volunteers who are highly motivated, have a strong interest in gaining research experience, and enjoy working with young children. A time commitment of 6-10 hours per week is required. Preference will be given to students willing to commit at least 2 consecutive semesters.
If you are interested in joining our lab as a volunteer research assistant please send your application to Dr. Lili Ma (lilima@torontomu.ca) along with your CV and an unofficial copy of your transcripts.
Dr. Lili Ma
Department of Psychology
Ryerson University
416-979-5000 ext.2694
lilima@psych.ryerson.ca
This project is part of an ongoing 5-year research program examining the intersection of motivation and cognition across the adult lifespan. The RA will be involved in day-to-day operations of the project, including preparation of study materials; maintenance and organization of study records; participant screening, scheduling, and testing; data management and cleaning; and assistance with data analysis and interpretation.
This position is a paid opportunity offered by the Work Study Research Assistant Program
For full position details and to apply, click here
We do not have any postings at this time.
Volunteer RA Opportunity SHiFT Lab
The Sexuality Hub: Integrating Feminist Theory (SHiFT) Lab is seeking a volunteer Research Assistant to aid in conducting a qualitative study on men’s relationship to masculinity. Research assistants will learn about participant recruitment, qualitative research methodology and design, critical psychology, and contemporary gender theory. Main duties will include managing participant recruitment and transcribing digitally-recorded interviews, with the opportunity to receive training in and contribute to qualitative interviewing.
We are seeking a highly motivated, self-directed, detail oriented, and interpersonally professional RA who can commit to 8-10 hours per week for at least 6 months. Undergraduates who are in their third year or above, or individuals who have completed undergraduate studies, are encouraged to apply. Prior experience as an RA in a social studies lab, as well as knowledge of – or interest in – critical, feminist psychology and methodologies (particularly Discourse Analysis) is preferred.
To Apply: Please send an updated CV, current (unofficial) transcript, and cover letter detailing your experience and availability to:
Stephanie Cosma stephanie.cosma@psych.ryerson.ca
The Sleep and Depression Laboratory is seeking volunteers to help with two separate studies. Both involve volunteers who are highly organized, interpersonally comfortable with interacting with individuals who may have depression or other disorders, self-directed, and motivated. One study is a prospective trial that is evaluating cognitive vulnerability factors for relapse from remitted insomnia. Volunteers would be involved with data entry as well as the potential for in-person structured clinical interviews with study participants, as well as leading participants through study-related procedures.
The second study is run by doctoral student Angela Lachowski, who requires a highly motivated, self-directed, and organized volunteer who can coordinate a study that is investigating the relationships between sleep, nutritional choices, stress, hunger and satiety. This volunteer must be flexible with their time and able to be on campus more than one day per week, though a full day at a time is not required (I.e., meeting with participants for an hour at a time, performing general study-related tasks).
If interested, please submit a current CV, brief cover letter, and unofficial transcript to Olya at olya@arts.ryerson.ca. We welcome applicants who are currently completing their undergraduate degree or who have already graduated.
The SMART lab provides a unique interdisciplinary environment for exploring basic and applied research in music and emotional speech. We are currently looking for volunteers to engage in several lines of research. The first line involves basic research into the cognitive neuroscience of music and emotional speech. The second line involves applied research in hearing science, and the third line involves the use and development of novel technologies and interventions to support human communication and well-being. For more information on these projects and others, please visit our lab website: https://www.smartlaboratory.org/ (external link)
To apply, please contact the Lab Director:
Dr. Frank Russo
Department of Psychology
Ryerson University
416-979-5000, x. 2647
russo@psych.ryerson.ca