The University of South Carolina offers a strong cognitive neuroscience program, with strengths especially in language, perception, and attention. Students and postdocs have the opportunity to work with internationally renowned scientists in a collaborative environment and have access to excellent infrastructure. DeLab is affiliated with the Institute for Mind and Brain (IMB), which consolidates cognitive neuroscience faculty and research and offers collaborative opportunities.

Current Open Positions:

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is currently open in DeLab, starting around Fall 2024 or Spring 2025.

A vibrant student and postdoc community, great weather, plentiful recreational opportunities, and being a couple of hours away from beaches and mountains are added benefits of being at USC.

Undergraduate RAs: Typically, DeLab has 1-3 undergraduate RAs that participate in all aspects of research. Beginning of the junior year is a very good time to join DeLab as an undergraduate RA to gain research experience. Students at the end of their sophomore year, those at the beginning of the senior year, or graduates who are looking for research experience before applying to grad school can also be considered. You should expect to commit at least 10 hrs/week. RA is a volunteer position, but it can be converted to a paid assistantship, if progress is strong and if funding is available. Please write to Dr. Desai (rutvik at sc dot edu) if you are interested.

Graduate Students: Though DeLab does not accept new grad students every year, every few years there is often an opening for well-qualified students. Background and interest in concept representation, semantics, psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, or cognitive neuroscience is important. Relevant research experience and strong GRE scores are very helpful for these very competitive spots. To increase your chances, try to gain research experience in one or more of cognitive neuroscience methods (e.g., fMRI, TMS, tDCS, MEG, EEG) or at least in behavioral cognitive psychology research. Programming experience (e.g., in Python, Matlab, shell scripting, or R) is always helpful and will definitely increase your chances. In addition to psychology majors, students with background in engineering or computer science are also welcome, if they have a strong interest in concept representation, cognition, and brain function. You can write to Dr. Desai (rutvik at sc dot edu) if you are interested in applying.

Postdocs: When available, postdoc positions are usually advertised on the lab website and in relevant society newsletters (such as SNL and CNS). Postdocs usually have experience with cognitive neuroscience methods, a strong background in relevant areas such as language and semantics, and a promising publication record. 

Address: DeLab, 227 Discovery I, 915 Greene St, Columbia, SC 29208.
Phone: 803-777-6486
Email:  rutvik at sc dot edu