Potential graduate students – please note that due to the number of applications we receive, I am unable to respond to emails outside of the application process.
For answers to common questions, please see below.
Are you accepting graduate students this year?
No, I will NOT be considering applicants for the 2024-2025 application cycle. The FAQ below may be helpful for future years when I am accepting applicants.
Through what programs may applicants apply to your lab? In years when I am accepting applications, prospective students may apply through the clinical science or cognitive and computational science areas in the department of psychology. If my lab is your top choice at Emory, please make that clear in your application where you are asked to rank potential faculty mentors.
Which students are a good fit for your lab?
We are looking for students with strong interests in cognitive and computational neuroscience, decision-making, experimental therapeutics and their application to psychopathology and its treatment. Individuals whose interests are primarily limited to descriptive psychopathology, intervention outcomes, or who are not interested in working on multiple levels of analysis (e.g., behavioral, neuroimaging, proteomic, genetic) would not be a good match for the lab.
Can I email you to discuss my interests with you before applying to see if I would be a good fit?
Unfortunately no. Due to the number of applications I receive, I generally can’t have individual conversations with prospective students until after applications are submitted, at which time I invite top applicants for an initial phone interview. That said, I recognize that the application process is expensive and applicants understandably want to know if Emory will be a good match prior to applying. Please be aware that you can apply for a need-based waiver of application fees. You can learn more about that here.
What makes an applicant competitive?
Most applicants have typically completed a BA/BS degree in psychology, neuroscience or a related field, but this is not strictly required (I was a music major who discovered my love for psychology and neuroscience much later). What’s more important is your research interests, experience and skills. The most competitive applicants have achieved an intermediate-level or higher with at least one statistical computing language such as python, Matlab, or R, and have completed several post-bacc years working as a full-time research assistant or lab manager. In your application, be sure to highlight your research skills (especially those pertaining to coding and data analysis) and research experience, as these are often weighted most heavily.
My long-term goals are primarily related to providing clinical services. Would I still be a good fit?
No. While we have great admiration and appreciation for our colleagues working in clinical practice, graduate training in this lab is reserved for individuals who are passionate about science and seeking to pursue a research career in academia or industry. This lab would not be a good fit for individuals whose long-term career aspirations are geared towards providing services to clinical populations.
Please describe the role of students in your lab and your mentorship style.
Students will have opportunities to both contribute meaningfully to ongoing projects as well as develop their own areas of research within the lab’s broader focus. As part of the latter, students will be expected to run studies from start to finish, including developing a question, designing an experiment, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing results for publication. All students are additionally expected to attend conferences, write manuscripts, and submit grant applications. For students in the clinical science area, intensive clinical training is provided through our in-house counseling center as well as a number of excellent practicum sites in the Atlanta area (Grady Hospital, Atlanta VA, etc.) I seek to adopt a “hands-on” mentorship style, particularly in the first few years. Students can expect to have weekly one-on-one meetings with me to develop project ideas, learn methods, and review progress.
This website answered most of my questions, but I’m wondering if I should still email you to let you know I’m interested in applying?
I am very grateful to all potential applicants for considering our lab, and I appreciate that many of you receive the advice that it might be a good idea to email “just in case”. But I ask that you please don’t email outside of the application process. I look at every application I receive. Thanks for considering TReADLab!!!
