Get Involved

Undergraduate research assistants are an integral part of the lab. All undergraduate students can expect to participate in lab meetings and discussions and to receive research supervision from myself or graduate students in clinical psychology. The specific tasks that students might work on will vary depending on need, availability, student experience level, and ongoing studies. The types of tasks students might expect to complete includes data entry and cleaning, data scoring and coding, participant recruitment and scheduling, data collection, administering research procedures, and conducting literature reviews. Depending on the specific ongoing studies, students may have the opportunity to receive training on cognitive and psychological assessment measures for populations experiencing psychosis or other severe mental illnesses. 

To the extent possible, student activities will be assigned to match student interests and goals. Students who are a part of the lab for multiple semesters will have the opportunity for more in-depth training. Often, students express a desire to join the lab to gain experience working directly with clinical populations. Because our participants may be discussing sensitive experiences and many may have had negative interactions in healthcare settings, students typically must complete multiple semesters in the lab before taking on direct participant-facing roles. This ensures that students have the appropriate training and supervision to support all participants respectfully and consistently. 

We understand that students who join the lab may have diverse career goals, including uncertainty about what they would like to pursue in the future. The PAIR Lab is committed to providing mentorship that supports students in defining their research interests, developing relevant skills, and exploring various chosen career pathways.

Research volunteers are typically expected to commit to 8-10 hours per week to lab-related tasks. While there is some flexibility for hybrid and remote volunteering, certain tasks do need to be completed on-site within the lab. 

Students at all stages of training are encouraged to apply to the lab. While general research experience is a bonus, it is not a requirement that students have other research experience before applying to the lab. There is no expectation that students have previous research experience in severe mental illness when applying. What I am most interested in is what makes you want to join the PAIR Lab specifically. It is a great idea to review our Research Aims and Publications to help see if our research is a good fit for your learning goals.

In general, we are looking for applicants that demonstrate skills relating to teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving and attention to detail, communication, and inquisitiveness, as well as a commitment to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and destigmatization. 

Volunteer research assistants: The lab is currently accepting applications for undergraduate volunteer research assistants. Students who wish to join the lab should complete the application and submit their cover letter, CV, and unofficial transcript to the application form here. Applications sent elsewhere will not be considered. If you submit an application during a time when we are not accepting new volunteers, your application will remain on file and I will contact you should the lab re-open for applications. You are welcome to apply again if there has been meaningful change to your application. Only students who are invited for interviews will be contacted.

Supervised research course applicants: I regularly supervise students completing research experience courses (PSYC 499, PSYC 504, PSY 505). Students who wish to apply for these positions specifically can email me directly at stephanie.woolridge@ucalgary.ca. Please include your cover letter, CV, and unofficial transcript with the email; emails that do not include these materials will not be considered. More information about these courses can be found here.

Undergraduate thesis applicants: I will be accepting Honours students for Fall 2027. As such, I will be meeting with students for initial interviews in Fall 2026. I expect to supervise two Honours thesis students each year. Information about the Honours Program at the University of Calgary, including application instructions and deadlines, can be found here.

Paid staff: We are not currently accepting applications for a research coordinator or other paid positions. 

I will be accepting a graduate student for the 2026-2027 application cycle. General information about applying to the Clinical Psychology graduate program at the University of Calgary can be found here.

The research foci of the PAIR Lab intersect aspects of clinical, social, and cognitive psychology using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Graduate students are not expected to be interested in all the lab’s research topics or methods. Prospective graduate students should, however, be able to clearly articulate their specific research interests and how they overlap with the research we conduct in the PAIR Lab. It is acceptable if your interests align with one or multiple of the lab's research aims. Graduate students in non-clinical areas of psychology are also welcome to apply to the lab should their research interests align with the lab's aims. I recommend reviewing the Research Aims and Publications sections of this website to get a stronger sense of our past and ongoing work. When applying, it is important that you clearly outline your research interests and goals, relevant skills and responsibilities, and how they complement and build upon the research aims of the lab. 

Graduate-level applicants should have foundational research skills from either bachelor’s or post-bachelor’s research training. This may include experience in designing and implementing research studies, recruiting and running participants, working with clinical populations, applying or disseminating research in community settings, conducting cognitive and clinical assessments, conducting statistical or qualitative analyses, managing datasets, and contributing to scientific presentations or writing.

While it is an asset to have either clinical or research experience relating to severe mental illness (or even specifically psychosis), this is not a requirement for applying. Research and clinical training for specific populations is provided as part of graduate training in the lab.

While our work is clinically informed and certain projects in the lab might focus on clinical interventions, research is the primary focus of the lab. Students who are likely to thrive most in the lab are those who are highly interested in research and hoping to pursue a research-focused career.

Prior to contacting me, please review the information provided on this website thoroughly. Questions regarding supervision availability and research fit can be answered by reviewing this site, particularly pages regarding research aims and lab publications. 

I do not generally meet with students prior to the University of Calgary’s application deadline, and I do not preferentially evaluate students that have reached out to me in advance via email. In the interest of fairness, I do not pre-review or provide feedback on applications prior to the university deadline. I will review all submitted applications to me equally, regardless of prior contact. 

If you have a question about joining my lab as a graduate student that is not answered elsewhere on this site, you are welcome to email me at stephanie.woolridge@ucalgary.ca. I appreciate your patience as I am not always able to reply to these emails promptly.