Join Our Team

We welcome motivated undergraduate students who want hands-on research experience in developmental psychology. Our work focuses on resilience, identity, culture, education, and socialization among youth, with a particular interest in the cultural processes that operate within families. Research assistants are a valued part of the lab and contribute to real projects, including, but not limited to, data collection, coding and data management, literature reviews, and participant outreach.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for students who are genuinely curious about how culture and family shape youth development. The students who thrive in our lab tend to be:

• Interested in cultural processes in families. You don't need prior experience, but you should be excited about this area of research.
• Detail-oriented. Careful, accurate work matters in research, and much of what we do depends on it.
• Committed and goal-oriented. We look for students who take their role seriously and want to grow as researchers.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently. Much of the work is done on your own, so you should feel comfortable managing your time and following through without constant reminders.
• Collaborative and respectful. Our lab is a team, and strong communication and interpersonal skills matter with both lab members and the families and communities we work with.

Expectations and Commitment

To make sure students gain a meaningful experience, we ask all research assistants to:

• Commit to two consecutive semesters
• Contribute a minimum of 6 hours per week

Research takes time to learn, and this commitment allows you to build skills, take on greater responsibility, and see projects progress. Because of this, a two-semester commitment is also the basis for a letter of recommendation. Letters are written for students who have completed this commitment and demonstrated growth and reliability in the lab.

How to Apply

If you are currently an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student seeking additional research experience, please click HERE to complete the application.

Dr. La Barrie will be accepting graduate students for the Fall 2027 term through the Developmental Science program at Virginia Tech. We are looking for students who are excited to study how cultural and family processes shape youth development and who want to build a research career grounded in strong theory, rigorous methods, and community-centered values.

What We're Looking For

Successful applicants typically have:

• A clear research interest that fits the lab. This includes cultural processes in families (such as ethnic-racial socialization, familismo, and intergenerational transmission of cultural values), resilience and identity, discrimination and stress, and the experiences of Black and Latinx youth and families.
• Prior research experience. This might include work as a research assistant, an honors thesis, a master's thesis, or a similar project. Experience with quantitative methods, qualitative interviewing, systematic reviews, and data management is a plus, but we value curiosity and the ability to learn.
• Strong writing and critical thinking skills. Graduate training involves a lot of reading, writing, and refining ideas.
• Independence and follow-through. Students in our lab take ownership of their projects and manage their time well, while knowing when to ask for support.
• A collaborative, respectful approach. We work in teams and with families and communities, so strong interpersonal skills matter.

What You Can Expect

Graduate students in the lab can expect individualized mentorship, opportunities to lead their own projects and co-author publications, support in developing grant applications and conference presentations, and training in specific methods. We see mentorship as a partnership and work with each student to build a training plan that fits their goals.

How to Apply

Please review the Developmental Science program information and application instructions on the Virginia Tech Psychology website. In your application materials, we encourage you to describe your research interests, how they connect to the work of the lab, and the experiences that have prepared you for graduate study.

To keep the process fair for all applicants, Dr. La Barrie cannot meet with prospective students outside the official application process. Applicants who are invited to interview will have the opportunity to meet with her and current lab members.