LIBR Accelerated Summer Research (LASR) Internship
The LASR Internship Program is open to current undergraduates or recently graduated students residing in the US who have not yet started a graduate program and are interested in pursuing careers related to mental health research. The program provides an opportunity to spend the summer working in an environment devoted exclusively to research. Interns work for eight weeks between June and July with a variety of research participants, scientists, and research professionals. This position is a full time (40-hour/week) paid position. All interns will complete a collaborative research project culminating in a poster presentation at the end of the program. Experiences also include professional development and training related to graduate school applications and conducting research.
The internship is expected to run from June 2, 2025 through July 31, 2025. Given the limited time of the internship and accelerated nature of the program, absences should be kept to a minimum. Selected candidates are expected to have CITI training and employee paperwork completed prior to starting the program. The onboarding process includes a background check and drug screening. It is the responsibility of the intern to secure housing in Tulsa for the duration of the internship.
The following investigators are considering applications for Summer 2025:
- Maëlle C.M. Gueguen
- Emily M. Choquette
- Hannah Berg
- Evan J. White
Application ProcedureThe LASR Internship Program is highly competitive. Applications will be accepted from January 1, 2025 to April 1, 2025. Candidates will be notified on acceptance status in late April or early May.
An application should include:
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Application materials should be emailed to Dr. Leandra Figueroa-Hall with the subject line LASR internship application. Please email Dr. Figueroa-Hall for any questions. |
Internship ActivitiesIn addition to their own research project (i.e., analyzing a dataset, creating a poster to convey findings), interns will have the opportunity to be involved in some of the following research-related activities:
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2025 LASR Interns
Samia Aguilar
Samia Aguilar graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Psychology in May 2025. During her time at OSU, she demonstrated a strong commitment to both research and social impact. She founded a student organization dedicated to combating human trafficking and was actively involved in several campus clubs.
As a research assistant in Dr. Dian Yu’s Self-Regulation Development in Ecological Dynamic Systems (SeEDS) Lab, Samia studied socioemotional development in children from diverse backgrounds. She was also awarded the Wentz Research Grant for her independent project, Behavioral Outcomes of Exposure to Aggressive Stimuli, conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Sayuri Hayakawa in the Language, Cognition, and Behavior Lab. Samia’s research interests focus on identifying neural mechanisms underlying psychopathology, examining the consequences of maladaptive cognitive processes, and developing evidence-based interventions. She is particularly interested in how early life experiences influence brain development and contribute to mental health outcomes. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to further explore the intersection of neuroscience and mental health. Samia will be working with Dr. Maelle Gueguen for this year’s LASR program. Mentor: Maëlle Gueguen, Ph.D.
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Nate Mungunkhet
Nate will graduate in December of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience from the University of South Dakota. Currently, he is an undergraduate research assistant investigating the Emotional Experiences during Activities of Daily Living scale (EEADLs), a tool that seeks to assess subjective emotional ratings of ADL completion as potential targets for intervention in people with traumatic brain injuries or other functionally impairing conditions.
Nate’s interests include the cognitive mechanisms underlying emotional processing and maladaptive threat behavior. He plans to apply to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs, wishing to continue with research related to affective neuropsychology for clinical populations. Nate will be working with Dr. Hannah Berg for this year’s LASR program. Mentor: Hannah Berg, Ph.D.
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Collin Gray
Collin Gray will graduate in July 2025 from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science. A member of the Bear Clan of the Wyandotte Nation, Collin is inspired by traditional stories of healing and is passionate about integrating culture with modern medicine. He founded Missouri Southern’s first Native American Association and was recognized at the Artful Medicine Symposium for his work on Native healing practices. Collin has worked in various tribal health settings, including the Bearskin Medical Clinic, where he observed firsthand the disparities and barriers Indigenous communities face in accessing mental health care. Collin plans to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and aims to improve mental health outcomes in Indigenous communities through holistic, culturally informed care.
Mentor: Evan White, Ph.D.
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2024 LASR Interns
Katherine RaglandKatherine will be graduating in June of 2025 from Royal Holloway, University of London with a bachelors sciences degree in clinical psychology and mental health. She is currently an undergraduate research assistant studying the development of bird songs and how their song changes over time. Her primary interests focus on eating disorders, but she is is also interested in social media usage in regards to disturbed body image. She is interested in continuing her education with more focus on nutrition and dietetics, as well as clinical psychology.
Katherine looks forward to expanding her knowledge of eating disorders and lab based research throughout the summer. Mentor: Emily Choquette, Ph.D. 
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Wesley VaughtWesley graduated from the University of Arkansas in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with minors in medical humanities, psychology, and gender studies. At the University of Arkansas, he worked with Drs. Matt Judah and Grant Shields in their research involving event-related potentials (ERPs) in the context of substance abuse, depression, and anxiety and cognition during stress, respectively. Wesley's research interests are characterizing neurocognitive correlates – using EEG and ERPs, fMRI and BOLD signals, and other neuroimaging techniques – of psychological trauma, affective disorders, and substance abuse. His hopes are to synthesize these correlates and biomarkers to assist in understanding "how," "why," and even "if" pharmacological interventions like SSRIs and psychedelic-assisted therapies have their therapeutic effect. He hopes to apply to MD-PhD in Neuroscience programs in the near future.
Mentor: Evan White, Ph.D. 
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Lakin GreenLakin is a rising junior at the University of Tulsa. She will graduate in the spring of 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Neuroscience. While at TU, Lakin worked in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department, conducting research involving the centrosomes of C.elegans and cell division. She has also volunteered at LIBR in Maria Ironside's lab for the past eight months.
Lakin's research interests are in neuropsychopharmacology and neuroimmunology. She hopes to apply to a PhD program in the stated fields after graduating from The University of Tulsa. Mentor: Maria Ironside, D.Phil. 
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2023 LASR Interns
Athena KleinAthena graduated from Northeastern State University in May 2023 with a bachelor's of science in psychology and a minor in political science. Her interest in research propelled her to become a research assistant under her professor concerning the topic of Native American students and their retention rates in higher education. She also has served as a volunteer research assistant at LIBR in Dr. Aupperle's NEUROCaTT laboratory. She is drawn to social psychology, as her research interests include investigating gender role traits and LGBTQ+ populations. Athena plans to get her doctorate in Experimental Psychology and aspires to conduct research out of an institution or a university in the future.
Mentor: Robin Aupperle, Ph.D. 
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Catherine ScalesCatherine will be graduating in the Fall of 2023 from The University of Arkansas with a major in psychology and a minor in philosophy. She is currently an undergraduate research assistant in the Cognition of Depression and Anxiety Lab, as well as Arkansas's Stress, Cognition, and Affective Neuroscience Lab. Catherine's research interests focus on neurophysiological predictors of affective and other psychiatric disorders, as well as predictors of treatment success or barriers. After
graduation, she will be pursuing post-baccalaureate positions prior to applying to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs. Mentor: Robin Aupperle, Ph.D.
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Ethan CheraghpourEthan graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a bachelor's in psychology in May 2023. Through his lab and volunteer work, he has gained clinical and research experience working with individuals with diverse backgrounds. His research interests include affective neuroscience, eating pathology, substance use/addiction, and PTSD. His ultimate goal is to obtain a Ph.D.
in clinical psychology with a neuroscience concentration to further the scientific community's understanding of the brain concerning behavior and mental illness. Mentor: Maria Ironside, D.Phil. 
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2022 LASR Interns
Nicole BaughmanNicole is a rising senior at The University of Tulsa studying psychology with a minor in biology. She is currently an undergraduate research assistant in the Psychophysiology Lab for Affective Neuroscience, which has strengthened her interests in studying the neurobiology of mental illness, electroencephalography, and identifying specific risk and protective factors in underserved populations. In the future, she will be applying to clinical psychology programs and working toward her Ph.D. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and trying new recipes. She is looking forward to growing as a scientist and expanding her research experience.
Mentor: Evan White, Ph.D. 
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Sherille BosfieldSherille is from Los Angeles, California. She will graduate from Pepperdine University in June 2022 with a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology. Since her undergraduate career, she has been involved in various research labs that have focused primarily on enhancing trauma-based treatments for children and adults in marginalized communities. She is currently researching the predictors of child mental health services utilization and developing interventions to improve clients’ adherence to treatment. Sherille’s experiences have strengthened her desire and commitment to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.
Mentor: Robin Aupperle, Ph.D.
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Allie MurphyAllie will be graduating in the spring of 2023 at Oklahoma State University with a major in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. She has always had an interest in studying the human brain. Allie is a research assistant in two pediatric focused labs on campus that involve child-parent relationships and resilience. She has also been employed at a child learning center where she was responsible for the care and developmental growth of young children in her community. Her goal is to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an emphasis in child development. She hopes to continue her career engaging in research relating to mental illness in adolescents while incorporating neuroscientific evidence.
Mentor: Evan White, Ph.D. 
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2021 LASR Interns
Grace CardenasGrace is from Dallas, TX. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis majoring in cognitive neuroscience. She is currently in the process of applying to medical school. She has experience working in a research lab studying Parkinson’s disease at the Washington University School of Medicine. Grace looks forward to expanding her experience through studying psychiatric disease treatment and diagnosis with respect to neurobiological processes.
Mentor: Salvador Guinjoan, M.D., Ph.D. 
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Jayla MelvinJayla graduated from Oklahoma State University with a major in psychology and a minor in social justice. Since her freshman year, she has been involved in various research labs, during which time she has had the chance to explore several fields within psychology. Her overall goal is to attend a Ph.D. program in developmental psychology, focusing on risk factors, learning, and neuroscience. She is looking forward to staying in the world of research and academia, always learning and asking more questions.
Mentor: Namik Kirlic, Ph.D. 
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Samantha RamirezSamantha graduated from Oklahoma State University in May 2021 with a bachelor’s of science in psychology. Her interest in research sparked while working as a research assistant for the Laboratory of Emotion and Psychophysiology between 2018 and 2019. Her research interests include investigating psychophysiology among LGBTQ+ populations, mindfulness, and the relationship between mirror neurons and mental illness. In the future, after earning her master’s degree in counseling in the pacific northwest, she aspires to practice counseling and research in either Oregon or Washington while tending to her garden and chickens in her free time.
Mentor: Evan White, Ph.D. 
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2022 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Summer Research Internship
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Megan PoseyMegan Posey is from Lawrence, KS. She is going into her senior year at The University of Tulsa, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education and Health Science. Her overall goal is to attend a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology, with a special interest in trauma and addiction research. She hopes to eventually go into research and counseling- helping people and making a difference in others’ lives. Megan looks forward to expanding her research experience throughout her time at LIBR. She has a strong desire to learn and ask questions.
Mentor: Jennifer Stewart, Ph.D. |
