Post-Bac Research Communications and Operations Associate
The WAM Lab is seeking a post-baccalaureate associate to contribute to our John Templeton Foundation–funded research on AI, character virtues, and well-being. This role will focus on two key areas: research communications and lab operations. The associate will help share our work with broader audiences by creating content for our website, blog, and social media, as well as producing short videos and interviews that highlight our projects and team members. They will also play a role in keeping the lab running smoothly by coordinating meetings, tracking project milestones, and supporting research activities such as literature reviews, manuscript editing, and IRB submissions.
This position is ideal for someone who enjoys blending creativity and organization, and who wants to build skills at the intersection of science communication and research management. Working closely with Dr. Tay and the lab team, the associate will gain experience in how a research lab operates, while also learning to translate complex research into engaging formats for both scholarly and public audiences. Past post-baccalaureate associates from the lab have gone on to graduate programs and professional opportunities at institutions such as Harvard Business School, the University of Illinois, Fordham, Penn State, and Purdue.
Those interested in this opportunity are encouraged to send a cover letter, CV, and the names of three references to Dr. Louis Tay (stay@purdue.edu) with the subject line: “WAM Lab Post-Bac – [Your Last Name]”.
Undergraduate Research Experience
We welcome motivated undergraduate students who are interested in industrial-organizational psychology research — or psychological research more broadly — to apply to our lab.
Research projects have included data science type projects (e.g., annotation of video interview data for building machine learning algorithms; annotation of social media data), well-being projects (e.g., systematic reviews of physical health and psychological health), and measurement (e.g., creation of new psychological scales and measures).
Over the years, we have had more than 30 undergraduate students participate in various research projects in our lab. Many of our undergraduate lab alumni have gone on to pursue graduate work in industrial-organizational psychology or related areas (e.g., clinical psychology, social psychology) or fields (e.g., human resource management).
If you are interested in obtaining research experience, please email Dr. Tay with your CV, an outline of your research interests, and the type of experience you hope to gain. We prefer to have students join us for a minimum commitment of 2 semesters of 8-10 hours per week. Our laboratory is open during the summer as well. You can sign up as a PSY 390: Research Experience in Psychology or PSY 498: Senior Research.
Prospective Graduate Students
The Purdue Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology program is one of the oldest programs in the world. We have an amazing reputation and enjoy strong support from our storied alumni. The I-O faculty are research active, collegial, inclusive, and student-centered. We strive toward an environment that helps students achieve their full potential and provide them substantial resources to do so. More info on our program can be found here.
I am passionate about mentoring students. I work closely with students to develop their interests and expertise within the broad topics of well-being, methodology, and data science. We have a lab culture that is collaborative, positive, and fun! Students are exposed to multiple disciplines and perspectives, and I believe that I-O psychologists should contribute to our world more generally, ranging from science to policy. My goal is to guide students toward independence, training them to pursue their ideas as tenure-track academics when they graduate. Graduate students will have deep knowledge of relevant theory and methodology, have a strong publication record, and make a positive academic and societal impact.
I am most keen on admitting students pursuing research/academia. The selection process to the Purdue I-O program is very competitive and our selection ratios tend to be low (i.e., less than 5 percent). Prior research experience and methodological training are valued. Students who have working experience and/or a master’s degree in associated fields will also be considered favorably.
For the Fall 2026 admission cycle, I am recruiting two graduate students to join the WAM-Lab. These positions will focus on the study of AI conversational agents and their role in fostering character virtues and human flourishing. Students will engage in interdisciplinary projects supported by major grants, combining cutting-edge psychological science, data science, and technology design. This is a unique opportunity to be part of pioneering work at the intersection of well-being, measurement, and AI, contributing to both the advancement of scholarship and the development of ethical, evidence-based technologies that can positively impact society.
Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about our research or the I-O program at Purdue.