Mentor Areas
My primary research interests are language development, social attention, and the interactive effects of language and social motivation on higher social cognition (e.g., Theory of Mind) - particularly in girls and women with autism. Recent projects in my lab include assessing social motivation and language development using infrared eye tracking, studying growth trajectories of receptive and expressive language in preschoolers with ASD, examining the moderating effects of language on intervention outcomes in 3- to 5-year-olds with ASD, applying computational linguistics methods to pinpoint a "linguistic signature" of autism, and identifying early vocalization features that distinguish infants later diagnosed with ASD in a high-risk population. My long-term research goals are to identify the mechanisms that underlie pragmatic language impairment and social communication difficulty in neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan, chart relationships between these domains and functional impairment, inform individualized treatments, and contribute to early identification efforts.
Description:
Work on all projects in my lab occurs at the Center for Autism Research, which is located in the Roberts Center for Pediatric Research at 2716 South Street. The Center for Autism Research (CAR) is a collaborative effort between the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. CAR's goals are to identify the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), develop effective treatments, and to improve quality of life for individuals with ASD and their families.
I am open to working with Freshmen through Seniors. Freshmen and students at any level are welcome to apply to join my lab, working on several of these existing projects and learning about linguistics, autism, and clinical research. Students interested in joining existing projects in the lab do not need to have any technical background. Interested students should contact the Center for Autism Research Student and Volunteer Manager, Leila Bateman, at batemanl@email.chop.edu with their cover letter and resume to find out what existing roles might be a good fit.
Juniors and Seniors interested in working with me on an honors thesis or independent study course are also welcome to apply. Students interested in a thesis or independent study project should have either introductory psychology/BBB/linguistics courses or programming skills (R, python). Interested students should contact me at parishmorrisj@email.chop.edu with their cover letter and resume, include a description of the course they are interested in taking, and the project or area they are interested in for a research project. Students with the most successful projects are generally those who have already had at least one year of experience in existing roles in my lab and are familiar with the research projects.
Preferred Qualifications
For all students:
- Motivation, dedication, and curiosity
- Interest in research
- Interest in psychology, child development, linguistics, or computer science
- Experience with transcription or annotation software (i.e. Xtrans, ELAN) is preferred
- Ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and pay attention to details
- Ability to type quickly and accurately
- Excellent organizational ability and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work hard and communicate with a team
For students interested in an honors thesis or independent study project:
- Introductory experience with R, python, or a similar language
- Self-motivated, independent, and pro-active
- Experience in an introductory statistics course is preferred
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.