As a first-generation college graduate, I strive to generate a culture within the B-BAL that values diversity and inclusivity. We treat one another respectfully and value your personal background, life history, and all those things that make you unique! The B-BAL prides itself on cultivating an inclusive, professional, fun, and productive environment. We welcome individuals who can challenge themselves to learn new skills and knowledge and make interesting research discoveries about aging, memory, and the brain!
–Scott Hayes, B-BAL Director
Hiring full-time Research Assistant to Start Summer 2025
Applications are being sought for a full-time research assistant position in the Buckeye Brain Aging Lab (B-BAL) directed by Dr. Scott Hayes. The B-BAL studies the relationships between aging, physical activity, cognition, and the brain [using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) metrics]. We also examine neural correlates of memory in healthy and clinical populations. The Research Assistant 1 assists in the general coordination and conduct of research in the B-BAL, including: recruitment, screening, and scheduling and coordination of participant appointments (cognitive, MRI, and physical fitness assessments), subject payments, and submission of IRB amendments; assists with research lab purchases and maintains lab supplies; administration of neuropsychological tests and/or questionnaires to young and older adults; assists with cognitive, MRI, and physical fitness data collection, including obtaining informed consent, cognitive testing (computer and paper and pencil based testing), MRI data acquisition, and record keeping; assists with cognitive and MRI data processing and analyses, supervises undergraduate research assistants.
Desired qualifications include: Bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, data science, engineering, or physics; Additional desired (but not required) skills: programming experience in Bash, Python, and/or Matlab, as well as experience in neuroimaging data analyses; knowledge of software packages, such as FreeSurfer, FSL, AFNI, SPM, CONN, R. The position is available for one year with the possibility of extension for additional years based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds.
If you are interested in being considered for the position, please submit a cover letter, current CV, course transcripts, and a writing sample (research paper from course, poster presented at a conference) as a single pdf file to bbal@osu.edu
If you have questions about the position or the lab, please email bbal@osu.edu .
Graduate Students
Dr. Hayes accepts doctoral students from the clinical and cognitive neuroscience program (program overview). Students with interests in one or a combination of the following may be a good fit for the lab: memory, structural MRI, functional MRI (fMRI), aging, neurodegenerative disease, and health factors (aerobic fitness, strength, mobility). Check out our publications page to learn more about our research.
If you want to know more about what life is like in Columbus and at Ohio State University, check out this video from Jessica, a current B-BAL grad student, to learn more:
Undergraduate Students
If you are interested in working as a team member in the B-BAL for course credit, please send us an email according to the instructions below. Duties may include testing participants, assisting with website design and social media, community outreach, programming in Bash, R, and MATLAB, data entry and verification, reading papers, and presenting at lab meetings. If these sound like opportunities that would benefit your academic development, fill out the application below.
Requirements:
- > 3.5 GPA
- Ability to commit for 10 hours a week for 4 semesters (summers can count as a semester)
- Ability to register for 3 credit hours for 2 semesters
Please email a cover letter describing your interests in the BBAL, a resume/CV, your advising report, and a sample of your writing to BBAL@osu.edu .