Undergraduate Student Internship: Effects of Early Life Stress on Brain and Behavioral Development
Dr. Kelli Dickerson and Dr. Charles Nelson, Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience (LCN), Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School
spring 2022

The Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience (LCN) at Boston Children’s Hospital are committed to improving the lives of children throughout the world. Our multidisciplinary team of researchers brings together experts from a wide range of fields – including neuroscience, psychology, and medicine – who are working on expanding our knowledge of the developmental consequences of early life stress to translate what we learn into better outcomes for all children and families. The Undergraduate Student Intern will assist with day-to-day operations and implementation of research procedures for two studies examining the effects of early life stress on child brain and behavioral development. Both studies employ a range of neuroimaging, physiological, and behavioral tools, including electrophysiology, eye tracking, biomarker monitoring, and developmental assessments. Responsibilities: Primary responsibilities will include testing infants and children following established research protocols and assisting with data maintenance, processing, and analyses. The intern will work closely with the Clinical Research Coordinator on the coordination and administration of both projects under the direction of Post-doctoral Fellow Dr. Kelli Dickerson and Principal Investigator Dr. Charles Nelson. Requirements: These include (1) undergraduate student status at Harvard College; (2) availability to work in the lab for about 10 hours per week, with evenings and weekends preferred; (3) strong desire to develop research and quantitative skills; (4) excellent written and verbal communication skills; (5) high level of motivation; (6) ability to work independently and as part of a team; and (7) excellent organization and attention to detail. Preferred qualifications: (1) experience working with infants and young children; (2) fluency in Spanish; (3) experience working with diverse populations and study teams; (4) demonstrated empathy and listening skills; and (5) interest in continuing position in the summer and/or future semesters through alternate funding,

course credit, or as a volunteer. Additional Information: This is a paid position with a one-time semesterly stipend of $1,000. To Apply: Interested candidates should email Study Coordinator, Saúl Urbina-Johanson (saul.urbina-johanson@childrens.harvard.edu), and Post-doctoral Fellow, Dr. Kelli Dickerson (kelli.dickerson@childrens.harvard.edu), with a resume and cover letter. Questions are welcome as well. (posted 2/2022)