The MPSI Pre-doctoral Training Program is a two-year program (pending renewal after one year) open to a limited number of graduate student fellows who typically have completed most or all of their coursework, have finished their master’s thesis or program-specific equivalent requirements and are committed to a career involving research related to family, children, and/or community settings.

Benefits

The Training Program provides a significant number of benefits and opportunities in an interdisciplinary research environment. Its apprentice model focuses on essential experiences in research, education, and community engagement related to infant, child and adolescent development. The Training Program also provides students with structured professional development opportunities. Fellows are cultivated as junior colleagues and work closely with faculty research mentors in shared scholarly pursuits.

Specific benefits for fellows include:

• $1,500 award per semester (students are permitted and encouraged to have other sources of funding)
• Advanced training and preparation for a research career, including:
  •  A focus on research publications and national presentations
  • Opportunities to interact with nationally known experts
  • Broad-based professional development
  • Training in grant writing and publication preparation

Fellow Responsibilities and Expectations

MPSI Fellows are required to attend events at MPSI each Thursday from noon until 2:00 pm. Additional expectations include:

• Maintain solid academic progress in home department/school
• Develop MPSI Individual Development Plan and report progress

• Be actively engaged in relevant research
• Submit one peer-reviewed publication per year
•  Attend regular MPSI Research Colloquia (usually two per month)
•  Attend Writing Accountability Groups
• Present at the annual MPSI/IOG Lifespan Alliance Research Day
• Present research at a National or Regional conference

• Attend the MPSI-IOG Professional Development series presentations
• Participate in hosting scientific visitors to MPSI

• Participate in community engaged activity relevant to research and education goals

Applications are normally accepted from mid-March to mid-April. For information on how to apply, contact Training Director Julie Wargo Aikins, Ph.D.

Contacts

• Graduate Predoctoral/Graduate Training: Director Julie Wargo Aikins, Ph.D.
• Infant Mental Health Dual-Title program: Director Ann M. Stacks, Ph.D.
• General information about specific postdoctoral research, please contact individual faculty members.

MPSI Fellows

A select group of advanced, post-master's graduate students are chosen each year to be MPSI Fellows. The Fellow designation is open to academically strong students currently enrolled in doctoral degree programs at WSU and actively involved in research on development, children and families in the laboratory of a MPSI or MPSI-affiliated faculty member. Fellows commit to participate fully in the training activities above, and to be actively engaged in productive relevant research. MPSI Fellow privileges include:

• A supplemental stipend of $1,500 per semester
• Additional funds to defray expenses to present research at an approved scientific meeting

MPSI Fellows also agree to: 

• Produce one publication per year
• Attend an approved national or regional science meeting annually
• Participate actively in the MPSI Graduate Student Organization (GSO)
• Participate in MPSI governance as a periodic representative to faculty meetings
• Make at least one community presentation for Healthier Urban Families during the training
• Submit a competitive NRSA or similar grant application