Postdoctoral Positions / Graduate Opportunities

A postdoctoral position is available in the Social Attention Group in Education (SAGE) at Simon Fraser University (SFU), in Vancouver, Canada (https://sagesfu.ca/)

The postdoctoral researcher will collaborate and develop projects on the topics of social attention, facial expression production and perception, and interpersonal synchrony of behaviour during face-to-face interactions.  Many of the studies will initially be conducted remotely, due to the pandemic-related restrictions on in-person research with human participants.  SAGE is an interdisciplinary group of graduate, undergraduate, and faculty researchers spanning departments of psychology, education and engineering.  Researchers have access to state-of-the art eye tracking systems (e.g. SMI ETG2, SR Research Eyelink 1000), video recording, and facial expression analysis software (iMotions).  SAGE has strong links to the Departments of Psychology at SFU and University of British Columbia with ongoing collaborations and opportunities for training.

The candidate should have a Ph.D. in Psychology or a related field (e.g., cognitive science, neuroscience, computing science) with experience in programming (e.g., Matlab, Python, R), and/or eye tracking methodologies. Knowledge of automated facial expression analysis and advanced statistical techniques for analysing time series data (e.g. cross-recurrence quantification; windowed cross-lagged correlation analysis) would be an asset, although a propensity for statistics and an eagerness to learn new techniques is more important.  The initial appointment will be made for 6 months to 1 year, with a possibility for renewal. Salary will be according to SFU guidelines. Start date is flexible but the goal is to begin the position between November 2020 and January 2021. 

To apply, please send your CV, the expected date of availability, a short statement of research interests, and contact information for three referees. For any inquiries about the post, please email ebirming@sfu.ca. 

Please feel to share this announcement with those you feel may be interested. 

We anticipate an opening for a postdoctoral position in my Attention & Social Cognition group at the Department of Psychology, McGill University (Montreal, Canada).

We are seeking qualified individuals to collaborate and develop projects on the topics of human attention, social cognition, and interactive (group) cognition using behavioral, neuroimaging (EEG), and eye tracking methods. The A&SC group includes a vibrant team of graduate, undergraduate, postdoctoral, and visiting researchers and houses dedicated equipment for investigating attention and interactive behaviors including the dual TOBII eye tracking eye glasses, an SR Research EyeLink eye tracker, and a 64-channel BioSemi EEG system. 

The candidate should have a Ph.D. in Psychology or a related field (e.g., Cognitive Science, Neuroscience) with experience in programming (e.g., Matlab, Python, R), and EEG and/or eye tracking methodologies. The initial appointment will be made for one year, with a possibility for renewal. Salary will be according to McGill guidelines. Start date is flexible.

Along with the Department of Psychology, the MNI and other satellite institutes, the students within the A&SC lab are uniquely affiliated with the NSERC-CREATE network in complex dynamics of biological systems  (https://cd-create.org/home) and the HBHL initiative (https://www.mcgill.ca/hbhl/), both of whom provide multiple networking, training, career, and funding opportunities. 

To apply, please send your CV, the expected date of availability, a short statement of research interests, and contact information for three referees. For any inquiries about the post, please email jelena.ristic@mcgill.ca. 

Please feel to share this announcement with those you feel may be interested. 

Jelena Ristic, PhD
Associate Professor & William Dawson Scholar
Department of Psychology
McGill University
1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue
Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1
Canada
Phone: 514.398.2091
Fax: 514.398.4896
Email: jelena.ristic@mcgill.ca

Web: asc.mcgill.ca

A 3-year PhD scholarship (18,000 CAD /yr) is available at the University de Montréal under the supervision of Dr Benjamin Pageaux (School of Kinesiology) and Dr Pierre Rainville (Faculty of Dentistry). The PhD student will be a part of a unique multidisciplinary research centre, the Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM).

Applicants should have, or anticipate having, a MSc and a strong research background in motor and/or cognitive performance. Knowledge or expertise in pain, transcranial magnetic stimulation or peripheral muscle/nerve stimulation will be an asset. A strong interest in integrative neuroscience and multidisciplinary research is essential.

The successful applicant will be responsible, with the help of her/his supervisory team, for:

• Developing an integrative and multidisciplinary expertise merging the fields of neurophysiology, psychology and kinesiology.
• Independently carrying out research and completing a PhD dissertation within three years.
• Collecting and analyzing perceptual, behavioral and neurophysiological data.
• Reporting the results at conferences and in international peer-reviewed journals.
• Actively contributing to the life of the laboratory and CRIUGM.

The yearly renewing of the scholarship is conditioned by the continuous application to nominal scholarships offered by national and international funding agencies.

There are no citizenship restrictions for this PhD scholarship. Additional information about tuition fees and living expenses are available via the following link: https://admission.umontreal.ca/en/student-info/tools-and-tips/tuition-and-fees/

It is not compulsory to speak French at the onset of the scholarship. However, it is expected that the successful applicant will commit to learn French as part of actively contributing to and participating in the Université de Montreal and the CRIUGM communities.

Starting date is planned for January 2021. Flexibility can be given for an earlier or later start if carefully justified. Selected applicants will be interviewed via videoconference.

HOW TO APPLY?
Please send the following documents in a single email to labodouleur@gmail.com:

• Cover letter detailing the interest for this specific scholarship as well as the potential starting date.
• Detailed CV.
• Two reference letters.
• The completed application form and the associated enclosed files. 

PROJECT SUMMARY
Every day, when we perform voluntary physical and mental tasks, such as climbing the stairs or solving a complex puzzle, we perceive effort. The perception of effort is associated with voluntary actions, contributes to the sense of agency, and provides crucial information on the perceived cost of personal actions. Interestingly, while it seems obvious that when we perceive pain the tasks of our everyday life become more effortful (or harder), this assumption has not been investigated.

The proposed work uses a multidisciplinary approach to understand how pain impacts performance and the perception of effort during cognitive, physical and dual tasks. The PhD project will benefit from the expertise of the supervisory team in effort, pain and performance; allowing the development of a unique research project breaking the traditional barriers between the cognitive and motor domains.

The overall experimental plan is to explore the effects of pain on effort perception and performance in young and older healthy adults. Neurophysiological mechanisms will be explored with the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?
Université de Montréal : https://www.umontreal.ca/en/udem/#facts-and-figures
Études supérieures et postdoctorales - Université de Montréal : https://esp.umontreal.ca/english/home/
CRIUGM: http://www.criugm.qc.ca/en.html

Une bourse de doctorat de 3 ans (18 000 CAD /an) est disponible à l'Université de Montréal sous la supervision du Dr Benjamin Pageaux (École de kinésiologie) et du Dr Pierre Rainville (Faculté de médecine dentaire). La doctorante ou le doctorant fera partie d'un centre de recherche multidisciplinaire unique, le Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM).

Les candidates ou candidats doivent avoir, ou prévoir d'avoir, une maîtrise et une solide expérience de la recherche sur les performances motrices et/ou cognitives. Des connaissances ou une expertise en douleur, stimulation magnétique transcranienne ou de stimulation musculaire/nerveuse périphérique seront un atout. Un intérêt marqué pour les neurosciences intégratives et la recherche multidisciplinaire est essentiel.

La candidate ou le candidat retenu(e) sera responsable, avec l'aide de son équipe de supervision de:

• Développer une expertise intégrative et multidisciplinaire fusionnant les domaines de la neurophysiologie, psychologie et kinésiologie.
• Mener des recherches de façon indépendante et réaliser une thèse de doctorat dans un délai de trois ans.
• Collecter et analyser des données perceptuelles, comportementales et neurophysiologiques.
• Communiquer les résultats dans des revues et des conférences internationales à comité de lecture.
• Contribuer activement à la vie du laboratoire et du CRIUGM.

Le renouvellement annuel de la bourse est conditionné par l'application continue aux bourses nominales offertes par les organismes de financement nationaux et internationaux.

Il n'y a aucune restriction de nationalité pour cette bourse de doctorat. Des informations supplémentaires sur les frais de scolarité et les frais de subsistance sont disponibles via le lien suivant : https://admission.umontreal.ca/info-conseils/outils-et-astuces/prevoir-son-budget/

La date de début est prévue pour janvier 2021. Une certaine souplesse peut être accordée pour un début plus précoce ou plus tardif si cela est soigneusement justifié. Les candidates et candidats sélectionnés seront interviewés par vidéoconférence.

COMMENT POSTULER?
Veuillez envoyer à l'adresse labodouleur@gmail.com les documents suivants dans un seul courriel :

• Lettre de motivation détaillant l'intérêt pour cette bourse spécifique ainsi que la date de début potentielle.
• CV détaillé.
• Deux lettres de référence
• Le formulaire de candidature complété et les fichiers joints associés.

RÉSUMÉ DU PROJET
Nous percevons un effort lorsque nous réalisons une tâche mentale ou physique, tel que monter des marches ou résoudre un puzzle complexe. La perception de l’effort, présente lors d’actions volontaires, contribue au sentiment de contrôle de nos actions (i.e., agentivité) et nous apporte des informations cruciales sur le coût de celles-ci. Alors qu’il apparait évident qu’en présence de douleur les tâches de notre vie quotidienne nous demandent plus d’effort (tâches perçues comme plus difficiles), cette hypothèse n’a jamais été testée.

Le projet utilise une approche multidisciplinaire pour comprendre comment la douleur affecte la performance et la perception de l'effort lors de tâches cognitives, physiques et doubles. Le projet de doctorat bénéficiera de l'expertise de l'équipe de supervision en matière d'effort, de douleur et de performance ; permettant ainsi le développement d'un projet de recherche unique brisant les barrières traditionnelles entre les domaines cognitifs et moteurs.

Le plan expérimental global consiste à explorer les effets de la douleur sur la perception de l'effort et la performance chez des adultes jeunes et âgés en bonne santé. Les mécanismes neurophysiologiques seront explorés à l'aide de la stimulation magnétique transcrânienne.

DES INFORMATIONS COMPLÉMENTAIRES?
Université de Montréal : https://www.umontreal.ca/l-udem/
Études supérieures et postdoctorales - Université de Montréal : https://esp.umontreal.ca/accueil/
CRIUGM : http://www.criugm.qc.ca/