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Student volunteers

You can volunteer to help with the school's research in two ways:

  • Take part in an experiment: register with us to take part or log in if you already have a SONA account.
  • Volunteer as a research assistant: see projects listed below and use the contact details to get further information.

Research projects

Volunteer at the BodyLab (Body Representation Laboratory)

  • Contact: Professor Matthew Longo
  • Research in the BodyLab concerns our perception and mental representation of our body. We study a range of topics including the sense of touch, perception of limb position, body image and space perception. Research in the lab uses a range of methods: including perceptual psychophysics, adaptation aftereffects, EEG and fMRI. Volunteer research assistants in the lab help with setting up experiments, running experimental participants and analysing data. Find out more about research in the BodyLab. 
  • If you're interested in volunteering with the lab please contact

Student Volunteer Experience at the Birkbeck Babylab and ToddlerLab

  • Contact: Tamsin Osborne
  • At the Birkbeck BabyLab and ToddlerLab, CBCD, we study how babies and children learn and develop during the first two years of life and throughout childhood. Using a variety of research methods and cutting edge technology, we answer questions such as how do babies learn to focus their attention and how do children develop empathy.
  • Students can apply to volunteer on short-term projects at the BabyLab and ToddlerLab to work alongside researchers and PhD students with expertise in infant and child research. Specific duties may include helping to test infant or child participants using a variety of methods, recruitment and scheduling of participants, coding of data, and literature searches. Students can also benefit from attending reading groups and seminars on various research topics.
  • If you'd like to apply please download the application form and email a completed copy, along with your CV and two written references, to .

Volunteer at the CINE Lab (Cognition in Naturalistic Environments)

  • Note: project and contact details are subject to change.
  • Contact: Professor Tim J. Smith
  • At the CINE Lab we investigate how humans cognitively process naturalistic audiovisual scenes either in face-to-face scenarios or mediated experiences such as movies and Virtual Reality. We use a variety of methods including behavioural tests, psychophysiology and EEG but with a large focus on eye tracking, both screen-based and head-mounted. If you volunteer at the CINE Lab you will be involved in helping to run experiments with adults and infants as well as assisting in data preparation, coding and analysis. Volunteers must be able to commit to at least one day a week over a prolonged period of time (at least one term).
  • If you would like to apply, please email your CV, a statement about why you are interested in volunteering at the CINE Lab as well as two written references, to .