JOIN THE BOREDOM LAB

Are you interested in boredom? Would you like to be part of the boredom lab? If you are a highly motivated and strong student, please read on to find out about how you can get involved. We aim to train psychology researchers who are able to articulate interesting, important and feasible research questions and then develop rigorous and innovative methods for exploring those questions. Mentorship will vary depending on your level of research experience and your training goals.

Undergraduate students typically work closely with a graduate student on a topic related to the graduate student’s work. Conducting research is highly rewarding but it also demands a lot of hard work and dedication. You can expect that our team will be responsive and committed to helping you achieve your goals; and in turn we expect the same level of commitment and engagement from you. Please take a look at our home page, and our current projects to see if we are a good fit for you.

Interested in Joining Us?

If you are interested in applying to become a volunteer Research Assistant, please contact us using the form on this page.

    MORE INFO

    The Boredom Lab has a preference for working with students in the specialized honours stream who have previously worked in our lab; however, exceptions are sometimes made for strong applicants. We only accept students who wish to complete their thesis between September and April. Honours thesis students are selected in March/ April for the following Fall Term. Successful applicants are expected to begin preliminary planning for their thesis in the summer preceding the start of the Fall Term.

    Application requirements:

    • GPA of 7.5 or above
    • Strong performance in statistics and research methods courses
    • Strong work ethic and dedication; that is willing and able to devote approximately 1 day per week to thesis work
    • Able to attend meetings during the day – typically Lab meetings are Mondays between 10:00-11:30am

    Application process:

    • Ideally get involved in the lab a year before you wish to complete your thesis
    • Contact Dr. Eastwood in March to express your desire to do a thesis during the upcoming Fall Term. Include a CV or resume, unofficial transcript, and a cover letter describing any previous research experience and why you are interested in working in the Boredom Lab.

    Independant Study Students

    The Boredom Lab has a preference for working with students in the specialized honours stream; however, exceptions are sometimes made for strong applicants. We only accept students who wish to complete their independent study between September and April. Independent study students are selected in March/ April for the following Fall Term. Successful applicants are expected to begin preliminary planning for their project in the summer preceding the start of the Fall Term.

    Application requirements:

    • GPA of 7.5 or above
    • Strong performance in statistics and research methods courses
    • Strong work ethic and dedication; that is willing and able to devote approximately 1 day per week to independent study project
    • Able to attend meetings during the day – typically Lab meetings are Tuesdays between 12:30-2:00pm

    Application process:

    • Contact Dr. Eastwood in March to express your desire to do an independent study during the upcoming Fall Term. Include a CV or resume, unofficial transcript, and a cover letter describing any previous research experience and why you are interesting in working in the boredom lab

    The Boredom Lab has a preference for working with students in the specialized honours stream; however, exceptions are sometimes made for strong applicants. Research Assistants (RAs) must be willing to devote approximately 3 hours per week to working in the lab. Research Assistants must possess good communication skills and the ability to work well as part of a team. They must also possess a high level of conscientiousness and organization ability. Research Assistant opportunities become available throughout the year, however the lab seeks to develop longer term working relationships with RAs that span multiple projects. Interested students are encouraged to contact Dr. Eastwood in March and at other times during the year. When you contact Dr. Eastwood please include a CV or resume, unofficial transcript, and a cover letter describing any previous research experience and why you are interesting in working in the boredom lab.

    Graduate Students

    *Please note that Dr. Eastwood is not accepting any new graduate students at this time *

    Dr. Eastwood supervises Masters and Doctoral students in the ‘Clinical’ and ‘Behaviour, Brain and Cognitive Sciences’ graduate programs at York University. Potential graduate students are encouraged to contact Dr. Eastwood to express their interest and explore a possible fit BEFORE submitting their formal application. The ideal applicant to work in the Boredom Lab has an interest in both clinical and cognitive psychology. In general, successful applicants:

    • Are planning for a career as a researcher not a clinician
    • Have an A or A+ average
    • Have worked in 2-3 distinct research labs as an undergraduate
    • Have applied for scholarships, fellowships, and awards (e.g. OGS, SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) in the Fall preceding potential their start date
    • Have strong letters of reference
    • Possess strong quantitative skills

    Potential postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to contact Dr. Eastwood directly to explore possibilities.