Diabetes and Obesity Team Science – Behavioral Economics (DOTS-BE) Lab

We’re conducting an ongoing study examining the effects of physical activity on appetite, food choices, and cognition in obese African American teens. Faculty collaborators include Dr. Mark Greenwald in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Dr. Paul Burghardt in Nutrition and Food Sciences, and Dr. Elizabeth Towner in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences.

In this study, adolescent participants complete 3 study visits that are 3-4 hours each. The first visit is longer than the other 2 due to the consenting process and completion of pencil/paper questionnaires. In all sessions, participants complete a physical activity session on a treadmill, have blood drawn (by a phlebotomist), complete subjective measures of how they're feeling, complete cognitive tasks on a computer and pencil/paper, complete a computer-based food choice task, and are then given time to consume their earned food.

Student research assistants can volunteer or register for directed study credit if appropriate for your department.

If you are interested, please email Dr. Tiura:
(1) your transcripts;
(2) your CV/resume including two references that we can contact;
(3) brief description of career goals and how working in this lab will help you achieve them;
(4) your availability/class schedule.

Research assistants must have:
1. 3.00 cumulative GPA.
2. B or better grade in at least 3 social, behavioral, and/or health science courses. We would prefer that students have completed some sort of research methods or statistical methods course as well.
3.
Potential research assistants must also:
4. have at least 1 four hour block of time during the week during afternoon and evening hours that aligns with the CRSC data collection availability, currently Monday and Thursday.
5. be reliable and punctual.
6. be able to work independently but also follow instructions.
7. wear “business casual” clothes in the lab.
8. make a two semester commitment.

Highly motivated and productive students may have the opportunity to develop a poster presentation for a local or national conference.

We will be collecting data at least through the Winter 2018 semester, possibly into the Spring/Summer 2018. Highly motivated and productive students may have the opportunity to develop a poster presentation for a local or national conference.

One of the primary responsibilities is to assist with data collection sessions held at the Clinical Research Service Center in the Integrative Biosciences Center (IBio). During data collections sessions, the research assistants engage with adolescent participants who are asked to complete written and computerized questionnaires regarding their thoughts around food, eating, and physical activity. Participants are also asked to complete a food choice task and an exercise session on a treadmill at each visit.

Research assistants will develop skills in:
• conducting data collections with adolescent participants, which includes
o accurately reading and recording height and weight,
o explaining and obtaining adolescent assent and caregiver consent,
o following exercise session protocols,
o explaining written questionnaires, computer and written executive functioning exercises, and a computer-based food choice task
• managing data (including data entry).

January 12, 2018