The Social-Personality Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Program was originally created as a summer research internship for students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in social-personality psychology. In 2021, the program transitioned into a March to December model with a similar mission—to expand opportunities for research experience for students from historically underrepresented racial backgrounds. Notably, the new SPUR program seeks to foster training and community engagement through virtual interconnections.

Now Seeking the Next SPUR Coordinator

The SPSP Diversity & Climate Committee is in search of a new Coordinator for the Social-Personality Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Program! The SPUR Coordinator position offers a rewarding opportunity to mentor undergraduate students from historically excluded and underrepresented racial backgrounds.

This one-year position (with the possibility of a second-year extension) includes a $6,000 USD stipend. Materials/workshops from prior years are available to the incoming coordinator. Administrative support is provided by SPSP staff.

Interested SPSP members (with a completed PhD) should complete the application below by September 15, 2023. The SPUR Coordinator's term will begin on November 1, 2023.

The work of the SPUR coordinator includes: selecting and matching mentee/mentors (up to 13 mentees are selected each year); managing mentee/mentor conflicts; being responsive to student stress and anxiety concerns; providing feedback for mentees on their various projects including their grad school and work applications; coordinating speakers and guests for SPUR activities; providing an outcomes report to the DCC at the end of the 2023 program (December 2024); possibly applying for additional program funding to support the program; and onboarding the next year's coordinator.

The ideal candidate will have a track record of the following experiences, though those who do not meet all of these qualifications are still encouraged to apply:

  • Direct mentoring and training of undergraduate students on research projects from start to finish (possibly evidenced by advising senior theses, poster presentations with student authors, coordinating an undergraduate lab, etc.)
  • Promoting inclusive mentoring practices and supporting student mentees with marginalized identities (possibly evidenced by mentoring/teaching philosophy, area of research, specialized engagement with the Scholarship of Learning, success of mentees applying to graduate school, etc.)
  • Managing professional conflicts or mediating disagreements within research teams
  • Coordinating speakers/programming (departmental, institutional, convention, etc.) and/or organizing research teams or cross-lab collaborations