Dr. Peggy Zoccola, Assistant Professor of Psychology, is seeking an undergraduate research apprentice for a project on daily stress and resiliency in sexual and gender minorities, who are at elevated risk for multiple mental and physical health conditions which may result, in part, from the experience of and responses to stigma and discrimination.
Dr. Peggy Zoccola
College of Arts & Sciences freshmen, sophomores and juniors are eligible for the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Pilot Program 2015-16. The program hires students to work on faculty members’ research projects.
Zoccola’s apprenticeship is for 25 hours a week for 12 weeks during the summer,
The Honors Tutorial College, in partnership with the Vernon R. and Marion Alden Library Endowment, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Health Sciences and Professions, the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education, the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, the Scripps College of Communication, University College, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, invites all interested Athens freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to apply for the 2015-16 research apprenticeships.
How to Apply
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 13. To apply for this internship, you must email Dr. Peggy Zoccola at zoccola@ohio.edu. The email should briefly explain your qualifications and interest in the project (no more than three paragraphs) and have an attached resume. It is strongly recommended that you meet with an adviser in the Career and Leadership Development Center in Baker Center 533 to help you compose your letter and resume before applying for a position.
Biopsychosocial Profiles of Daily Stress and Resiliency in Sexual and Gender Minorities
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons are at elevated risk for multiple mental and physical health conditions which may result, in part, from the experience of and responses to stigma and discrimination. In rural areas, increased stigma and lack of LGBT community support and resources may exacerbate psychobiological stress processes and confer health risk. This project will measure daily stress and resiliency processes and biological stress markers using a week-long period of online daily dairies and ambulatory collection of salivary cortisol specimens with a sample of LGBT young adults from rural and urban regions of Ohio and surrounding areas. Results from this project will be used to inform scientific models of stress and health and to identify points of intervention to help reduce existing health disparities.
Student’s Role in Project and Benefit to Student
Role: Under the close supervision of Dr. Zoccola, the student will coordinate administrative components of the project, including preparing and maintaining participant records, managing participant payments and mailings, and training and providing technical assistance to participants. The student will also assist with data processing and management. In addition to carrying out these duties, the student will be expected to participate in weekly meetings with Dr. Zoccola and the research team.
Benefits: Through this project, the student the will learn and develop sophisticated research, technical, and professional skills to enhance his or her future prospects for higher education and/or employment. Research team meetings will provide training, mentorship, and feedback as well as foster leadership and communication skills. The student will also be given the opportunity to participate in research presentations at regional and/or national conferences and will be invited to contribute to scholarly publications.
Desired Qualifications for Apprentice (e.g. course background, skills, computer expertise, interest, etc.)
This position requires that the student is motivated to learn and fully participate in research with human subjects in an ethical and responsible matter (successful completion of Ohio University’s training in human subjects protections will be required). Previous experience with research or completion of a course on research design is desired. This position would be most ideal for a student with interests in Psychology or other health or social science disciplines (e.g., Social Work, Health Communication).
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