Teaching

Graduate Courses

PSYC 932: Quantitative Methods for the Behavioral Sciences II, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

PSYC 971: Data Management, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

PSYC 971: Graduate Writing Group, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

EDUC 465: Developmental and Psychological Sciences Faculty Student Seminar, Stanford University

Undergraduate Courses

PSYC 289: Developmental Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

PSYC 392: Data Management and Analysis for the Social Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

CHAD 165: Risk and Resilience in a Community Context, San Jose State University

Mentoring

Undergraduate Research Assistants

While we are not actively recruiting new research assistants for the LADR Group, we frequently hire motivated undergraduate students to serve as volunteer research assistants. Undergraduate RAs have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the research process including literature reviews, data entry, analysis, presentation at conferences, and involvement in the writing of academic publications. RAs will be assigned to tasks and projects based on the current needs of the lab, their skills, and their interests. Currently, the lab is not collecting data, so undergraduate RAs will be involved in data coding and analysis projects.

Generally, undergraduate RAs are expected to volunteer 8 hours per week, including a 1 hour lab meeting. We frequently work with students to find funding for their research with the lab, including through the FYRE, UCARE, and Ronald E. McNair programs. Students who have been with the lab for at least a year can also conduct thesis projects. Please see the Alumni page to learn more about what our lab alumni have pursued after graduation.

Interested undergraduate students are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Finch via email (jenna.finch@unl.edu) to see if there are opportunities to get involved! No prior research experience is needed (and for most of our RAs, this is their first time doing research).

Graduate Research Assistants

Dr. Finch is accepting applications for doctoral students to begin in Fall of 2024. Graduate students are admitted to the Developmental Psychology Program.

My lab puts a strong emphasis on producing science. I am best prepared to train students for research careers in academic and non-academic settings. I review applications holistically, and look for students who express curiosity and passion for conducting research. Ideal candidates are those who have prior research experience, are interested in applied research focused on the development of children's self-regulation skills, and are excited about learning complex quantitative methods. I encourage prospective students to clearly state how their prior experiences led to their decision to pursue a Ph.D. and how their specific research interests align with current work being conducted in the LADR Group.

I consider myself to be a “hands on” mentor and meet regularly with my graduate students. I view graduate students as junior colleagues and look forward to opportunities to co-create students’ research agendas. The Department guarantees a stipend for five years via teaching assistantships (TA) during the academic year, though I try to augment these with research assistantships (RAs) that fit with students’ interests. I encourage students to apply for fellowships and grant funding and will happily support students in preparing these applications.

In unique circumstances, there may be opportunities for co-mentorship with another faculty member in the Psychology department.

Please reach out to Dr. Finch ahead of submitting your application via email (jenna.finch@unl.edu) to learn more about what the lab is currently focused on and to ensure that you are a good fit for the program.