The standard in our program is for students to complete their Ph.D. in 5 years. Students in my lab sometimes take 6 years depending on the complexity of the research project and the nature of the sample (e.g., clinical, community, undergraduate).

No, I do not maintain an overnight sleep lab as part of my research facility. Any overnight sleep study conducted by my lab would take place in participant homes and would not require overnight monitoring. However, we do have access to an overnight sleep lab at NDSU which might be utilized if a project required overnight monitoring.

Definitely! Seeing your independent research ideas through from developing a question to finding the answer is an essential process for young scientists! My students do have the opportunity to analyze existing data and work with me on my projects in the lab, but also to design their own projects, manage their own data collection, and disseminate their findings in collaboration with the research team.

It depends on the project, but we have access to a broad range of assessment tools. In addition to questionnaires and electronic sleep diaries for self-report assessment of sleep, the lab owns 2 in-home polysomnography (PSG) systems, approximately 50 actiwatches, and approximately 50 commercial accelerometers with sleep trackers.

Absolutely! Publication in peer-reviewed journals is extremely important when you are searching for jobs or post-docs and my students are actively engaged in manuscript preparation and publication, both as first-author and co-author.

Yes, conference travel is another important activity for graduate students. Typically, graduate students in my lab present at 1-2 national scientific conferences each year. This includes poster presentations, data blitzes, and oral presentations. Some of our favorite conference include Society of Behavioral Medicine, American Psychosomatic Society, and SLEEP, though we mix it up from time to time. Conferences are also a great way to network and get involved in professional service.

Funding for conference travel is, of course, contingent upon availability of funds in any given year. In the past, my graduate students have received financial support for conference travel from sources including the NDSU Department of Psychology, NDSU College of Science and Mathematics, NDSU Graduate School, and grant funding. Competitive travel awards are also offered through many professional organizations. I understand conference travel is expensive and try to help as much as I can.

My lab typically includes 8-15 undergraduate research assistants. These students are bright, dedicated, and an integral part of our team. Graduate students in my lab typically manage lab research projects that involve training, coordinating, and supervising the undergraduate research assistants. In addition, there are many informal opportunities for mentorship, including working with RAs to analyze data or write poster abstracts for our regional psychology conference or advising them on applying to graduate school. Undergraduate research assistants may also assist you with your independent research projects and are an extremely valuable resource to our lab!

Well, you will have an office that is down the hall from the lab, but whether or not it is your own office or shared with another student depends on space and availability. When possible, I like for my students to share an office, in part because I think it is nice to have someone around for a quick question or opinion and in part because it means I have only one doorway to pop in when I have something to discuss with my students! Either way, all graduate students have their own desk, chair, and personal computer.

Students in NDSU’s Psychology Ph.D. program receive training in both univariate and multivariate statistics. My research tends to use intensive longitudinal designs, and I encourage my students to take an additional course in multilevel modeling.

Yes, our program does require that all Ph.D. students submit a fellowship at some point in their graduate career. My students would most likely submit an NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship application to fulfill this requirement, though we will discuss alternatives to identify the best fit for your research interests and professional goals. Regardless of whether the fellowship is funded, this is an extremely valuable experience that will help boost your CV when you are out on the job market! Note – just to alleviate any unnecessary anxiety, NDSU students are not required to receive a fellowship, only to apply for one.

I find that people who have never traveled to Fargo are usually surprised to find out how much is here. It is a small, rural city, but the population of the greater Fargo-Moorhead area is approaching 250,000 and growing more each year. There is plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment, 3 universities, and an international airport. Downtown has a charming feel to it with eclectic local shops and restaurants whereas south Fargo offers the mall and all your standard stores and restaurants. Sports fans will enjoy the local minor-league baseball and hockey teams and, of course, the NDSU Bison. The Minnesota Lakes region is less than an hour away which offers a range of outdoor recreation. It’s true that Fargo may not be the most exciting destination you’ve experienced, but it is safe, affordable and feels like home.

Yes, I can teach you about sleep! Sleep is a novel and rapidly growing research area within psychology, and it is common for psychology departments to lack expertise in sleep research, and therefore many undergraduate students are not exposed to it. What is most important to me is that you want to learn about sleep now, and that your research interests are well aligned with the goals of my lab. I also value a strong history of successful teamwork, strong work ethic, effective problem solving, and excellent oral and written communication skills.