Project Mentor

Dr. Kevin Manning
Department of Psychiatry

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Description

Project Description	This is a clinical research opportunity for students interested in geriatric psychiatry or clinical neuroscience. We (a collaborative group of psychologists, psychiatrists, and neuroscientists) have an ongoing clinical trial aimed at understanding whether cognitive fitness (computerized brain games) improves both depression symptoms and cognitive functioning in a sample of older adults with treatment resistant major depression. The student will learn about the day to day operations of clinical neuroscience research by learning to administer behavioral tests and measures / entering in data to a database / and observing MRI assessments and psychiatric interviews.
Project Direction	The student will apply what he or she learns to an independent research project with the help of the PI (Dr. Kevin Manning) and colleagues. Our past HRP students have gone on to utilize the data towards presentations at national scientific conferences (the International Neruopsychological Society Meeting, the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry Meeting). There is a large amount of behavioral and neuroimaging data with which interested students can use towards scientific presentations, senior theses, etcetera, and we highly encourage students to work with our group towards writing a manuscript based upon his or her summer work.
Mentorship and Supervision	The student will learn study assessments and questionnaires by observing and interacting with senior research assistants, the PI, and other research staff (e.g., geriatric psychiatrist). We believe the student best develops a sense of the study and data collection through administering measures and observing data collection. Then, through weekly lab meetings, the student will work with his or her mentors in developing a research question and project. The student will then sit with PI and / or the statistician to run statistical analyses before presenting those findings at a later lab meeting.
Student Qualifications	We are seeking someone who is diligent, hardworking, and enjoys spending time with older adults.
Summer Schedule Options	Research Dates: May 26 to July 31, 2020 We offer a flexible schedule during Monday through Friday.
Project Continuation	Fall 2020, Spring 2021
Academic Year Time Commitment	9 hours/week
Possible Thesis Project	Yes

Application

Submit an online application for this research opportunity at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/HRP20-16. The application deadline is Monday, February 3, 2020.

This application requires a cover letter, a resume or CV, a brief statement of research interests, and a brief statement of career interests.