Join Our Lab

Join Our Lab

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Interested in joining the Cuenta Lab?

The Cuenta Lab provides LMU undergraduate students with opportunities to gain hands-on experience conducting research on children’s early learning and development and family engagement. Research assistants work alongside Dr. Bermudez and other members of the research team on projects involving children, families, educators, and community partners. 

 

What do research assistants do?

Research assistants (RAs) contribute to different stages of the research process. Depending on the project and their level of experience, RAs may:

  • Conduct literature reviews and contribute to the selection of measures and the development of protocols and study materials.
  • Help design playful learning activities that build on families’ funds of knowledge.
  • Support participant recruitment and community outreach, working with teachers and community partners to connect with children and families. 
  • Administer individual assessments of children’s cognitive abilities. 
  • Support data collection and research activities in school and community settings.
  • Assist with the facilitation of family workshops, co-design sessions, and community events. 
  • Enter, organize, and clean research data.
  • Contribute to quantitative and qualitative data analyses. 
  • Contribute to the dissemination of research findings through presentations, writing, and other research products. 
What research training is available?
RAs receive hands-on training and mentorship. Students may develop experience with participatory, experimental, quantitative, and qualitative research methods, as well as data collection and analysis, working with children and families, and scientific writing and communication. Because much of our research is conducted in partnership with schools, families, and community organizations, students also learn about community-engaged, culturally responsive, and strengths-based approaches to research. This includes learning to build respectful and trusting relationships with community partners, develop cultural humility, recognize and value the strengths and knowledge that all families bring, and listen to and learn from families’ diverse perspectives and expertise. Students are encouraged to critically examine deficit-based views of historically marginalized and low-income families and instead engage in research with diverse families through a relational approach that centers their knowledge and lived experiences. 

 

Who should join the Cuenta Lab?

We welcome LMU undergraduate students majoring in Psychology, Sociology, Education, and related areas who are curious about research and interested in early childhood, playful learning, education, and working alongside children, families, educators, and communities. We especially value students who are interested in equity-focused, culturally responsive, and community-engaged work and who are open to listening to and learning from people whose backgrounds and experiences may differ from their own. We look for students who are reliable, thoughtful, collaborative, and willing to learn. An interest in contributing to research that expands equitable learning opportunities for children and families is especially important. Experience working with children and families is helpful but not required, and Spanish-language skills are desired but not required. 

 

Complete the form below to tell us a little about yourself and your interest in the lab.

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Do you plan to commit more than one semester to working with the Cuenta Lab?
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