RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA–LINCOLN
The overarching goal of the REU program is to offer concentrated research training in psychology and law to a diverse group of undergraduates recruited primarily in the Midwest, but also from across the United States. The program will prepare students for graduate training in scientific psychology and ultimately for careers in academic and applied settings. This REU project will offer direct experience in all phases of the research process.
A second goal is to identify a diverse group of promising students and prepare them for further training in psychology and law. Too often undergraduate students in large land-grant institutions fail to learn about available research opportunities until it is too late for them to obtain the training needed to become viable candidates for graduate programs in scientific psychology. Law and psychology offers an excellent training mechanism because it involves theoretical and basic education in scientific and applied psychology.
The third goal is to increase the interests of psychology and law researchers in minority issues and concerns. The current psychology and law faculty members at UNL are sensitive to minority concerns; however, as at other major institutions, the research interests of faculty could benefit from broadening in these areas. The diverse group of students in the REU program will bring a unique set of life experiences and a broader understanding of cultural issues.
The fourth goal of the UNL REU project extends beyond the campus. Among the most important contributions this REU can make to the profession of scientific psychology is to provide a pool of trained, diverse students to become future research scientists in psychology and law. Promising psychology undergraduates trained with the research skills necessary for successful completion of quality graduate programs will ultimately become the university faculty and applied scientists of tomorrow. We hope to train these students to become top applicants to graduate psychology and law programs at UNL and elsewhere across the United States.
