Professional and Academic Events

We offer a range of events for undergraduate Psychology majors each quarter during the academic year. Explore the offerings below, such as our introduction to the major, applying for research funding, exploring careers in mental health, and many more!

1ST WEEK
Completing Honors in Psychology
Tuesday, October 1, 6:00 pm, Beecher 101
All students interested in honors are welcome to attend this informational session but it is especially important for seniors planning on graduating with honors this year. To make sure you understand the process for completing the honors program in Psychology, we will go over what to expect from your research advisor and graduate student mentors involved, what your responsibilities are, and how to manage your project to be sure your thesis will be approved in time. Essentially, you will learn what you should be doing, when you should be doing it, and how to get it done.

2ND WEEK
Orientation to the Psychology Major
Tuesday, October 8, 6:00 pm, Harper Memorial 284
If you are interested in psychology, attend our welcome reception and orientation to the major. Find out more about the field of psychology, our undergraduate program, getting involved in research, graduating with honors, double majors, our UG Psychology RSO, and plans for our new Collegiate Psychology Fellows program. There will be plenty of time for students to ask questions and meet the director of UG Studies, Anne Henly, as well as other helpful individuals from the department.

Lab Night: Getting Involved in Research
Thursday, October 10, 6:30 pm, Stuart Cox Lounge
Whatever your career interests, research experience is an invaluable way to strengthen your psychology education. Lab night is an annual fall quarter event to help match students looking to acquire research experience with research labs looking for assistants. Researchers from a wide variety of psychology-related labs across the university will be present to describe the research projects in their labs and the types of opportunities available to undergraduates. Representatives of labs in Psychology, Neurobiology, Psychiatry, Economics, Booth School of Business, Crown School of Social Work, and others will be present. Even if you aren't ready to start looking for a research position yet, come and learn about the many different kinds of psychology-related projects going on.

3RD WEEK
URIP Workshop: Applying to Graduate School
Tuesday, October 15, 6:00 pm, Zoom
This workshop is especially important for students currently in the process of applying to graduate school but will be useful for any student who thinks they may eventually go to graduate school. We will discuss the admissions process and what admissions committees look for in applicants, as well as what you should look for in choosing programs to apply to. We'll share advice on contacting faculty in graduate programs, preparing personal statements, approaching letter writers, etc. Students considering applying for graduate school in future years are welcome to attend; learn what you should be doing now in order to be ready to apply in the future. Please register for this event to get the link.
Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrk2_GnpIv5B9Dw6LU0Jw5xTC4HAQINUOKhPmbBn5zdIIUBw/viewform?usp=sf_link

URIP Workshop: Writing a Statement of Purpose
Thursday, October 17, 6:00 pm, Zoom
This is a hands-on writing workshop to help students currently preparing personal statements and CVs for their graduate school applications. If you plan to attend, please email Professor O’Doherty to let her know of your interest and to receive the Zoom link.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/eAiJtra1nKYEBy2S8

5TH WEEK
UG Research Roundtable
Tuesday, October 29, 6:00 pm, location TBA
Are you involved in research? Dozens of students are working in psychology-related research labs on campus doing everything from designing stimuli, programming experiments, and running subjects to helping code video and analyze data. Join your fellow students to hear about their research projects, compare notes and find out about each others’ research experiences.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/dxbbNd89hLHAggRe6

6TH WEEK
Undergraduate career discussion with Laura D. Lewis, PhD
Friday, November 8, 12:30 - 1:15 pm, Green 410
RSVP here by Monday, November 4
Laura Lewis will deliver the Marylyn C. Grabosky Lecture "Imaging the causes and consequences of sleep in the brain" on Thursday, November 7, 3:30 pm in the Friedman Hall of the Rubenstein Forum. Dr. Lewis is the Athinoula A. Martinos Associate Professor in the Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences at MIT. She received her BS in Cognitive Science from McGill University, and her PhD in Neuroscience from MIT. Her research develops approaches for imaging the human brain, and applies them to the neural circuitry that controls sleep.

7TH WEEK
Preparing for a Career in Mental Health
Thursday, November 14, 6:00 pm, Zoom
Join the discussion in this quarterly workshop for students interested in clinical psychology or other mental health professions. This quarter we will discuss how to structure your undergraduate courses and activities for a future career in mental health. What is the right major? Do I need research experience? How do I get hands-on clinical experience? Why are there no clinical courses offered in psychology? What courses should I take?
Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJM9lsaKwLrR8rSAN707UlDHuqH7ap-nZj6DAbl-T7qAXx7g/viewform?usp=sf_link

UC Psychology Club (UC PSYCH) RSO
for more info visit ucpsych.mystrikingly.com and sign up for our listhost, ucpsych@lists.uchicago.edu
UC Psych’s weekly meetings will give students a chance to meet with other undergraduate students who are interested in psychology, regardless of whether or not they are majoring in it. At these meetings, members will take turns leading discussions about areas of psychology they are interested in, collaborate on a biannual UC Psych journal, and also get a chance to talk to upperclassmen about their experiences with classes and the major.

Summer Plans: Internships and Research Opportunities
TBD
Learn about summer activities, internships, and programs, including educational programs at other universities, community service, business internships, research assistantships, etc. Although we distribute a handout of resources, websites, and common sources of information, the focus is on how to do the legwork to find the right position for you. Representatives from Career Advancement, SISRM, and the College Center for Research and Fellowships will attend to talk about the resources and services available through their offices.

Preparing for Graduate School in Psychology
TBD
We aim to provide structured guidance for students who are considering applying to Psychology PhD programs in general and our Psychology PhD program in particular. We will offer insights into attributes of competitive applications, including advice on how to research and craft a successful candidate statement and communicate your valuable “hard” and “soft” skills. We will also discuss how to apply for research assistant positions. Finally, the webinar will include a panel discussion with current PhD students, who can provide some first-person thoughts on transitioning to a PhD program. There will also be time set aside for Q&A.

Info Session: Honors in Psychology & the Earl Franklin Fellowship
TBD
Students interested in completing honors in Psychology and/or applying for the Earl R. Franklin Research Fellowship should attend this meeting. The director of UG Studies in Psychology will discuss the benefits of these programs and how to apply. This is also a great opportunity for anyone interested in psychology to ask questions about the role of research in the major and in the field and learn how to make the most of their research experiences.

URIP Workshop: UG Research Round Table
TBD
Are you involved in research? Dozens of students are working in psychology-related research labs on campus doing everything from designing stimuli, programming experiments, and running subjects to helping code video and analyze data. Join your fellow students to hear about their research projects, compare notes and find out about each others’ research experiences.

URIP Workshop: Proposal Writing for Fellowships and Grants
TBD
This workshop is targeted at students currently in the process of writing research or project proposals for applications to summer programs such as the Earl R. Franklin Fellowships, QUAD grants, or external internship and funding programs.

UC Psych UG RSO!
for more info visit ucpsych.mystrikingly.com and sign up for our listhost, ucpsych@lists.uchicago.edu
UC Psych’s weekly meetings will give students a chance to meet with other undergraduate students who are interested in psychology, regardless of whether or not they are majoring in it. At these meetings, members will take turns leading discussions about areas of psychology they are interested in, collaborate on a biannual UC Psych journal, and also get a chance to talk to upperclassmen about their experiences with classes and the major.

Spring Lab Night: Getting Involved in Research
TBD
Are you looking for a summer research position in a psychology-related lab? If so, it is not too late! Please join us to hear from labs looking for research assistants over the summer months. Representatives from a variety of labs will talk about the projects and positions (including paid and part-time opportunities) they have available. Food (with gluten-free and vegetarian options) will be provided.

Honors Day Symposium
TBD
The Honors Day Symposium is a poster session for honors students to present their honors research projects and celebrate their accomplishments with department members as well as friends and family. All department members — majors, grad students, post-docs, and faculty — are invited to attend.

Science Communication Workshop
TBD
Are you interested in learning more about how to translate your knowledge of psychology from the classroom or lab to the real world? Join this workshop on science communication! We will discuss what makes effective science communication, strategies to craft compelling narratives, and how to avoid common pitfalls to accurately and effectively communicate cutting edge research. We will also explore a variety of formats for science communication, such as news articles, Op-Eds, blogs, books, and podcasts.
Register here and let us know if you’ll be able to join us! Registration is not required, but it helps us to plan for refreshments