Join the ASAP Lab

Open Call for Applications: ASAP Lab Community Advisory Board Research Assistant  

Are you passionate about bridging the gap between autism research and the autistic community’s needs? Do you have lived experience with autism (i.e., have a diagnosis of autism or a family member with a diagnosis)? Join our lab and help us run a Community Advisory Board (CAB) at the UBC Anxiety, Autism, Stress, and Autism Program (ASAP) Lab! Click here to learn more about the Community Advisory Board at the ASAP Lab.

About the ASAP Lab’s Community Advisory Board
The ASAP Lab’s community advisory board was developed to create a space where autistic individuals and autism-related community partners can draw upon their personal and professional experiences to inform our research initiatives.  This initiative is both a community-driven project and a research endeavor, as we aim to better understand its processes and impact by collecting data on participants’ experiences of being involved in the CAB. Research assistants for this project will not be part of the CAB membership; rather, we are seeking individuals to both help support the CAB’s operations and participate as research assistants. For this initiative, we are looking for undergraduates with lived experience with autism (i.e., have a diagnosis of autism or a family member with a diagnosis) to join our team and  help with recruitment, data analysis, research dissemination, and communications.

Note: While most tasks can be completed remotely, in-person attendance is strongly preferred. Candidates must plan to be living within driving/transiting distance of the campus for the duration of the position.

Specifically, we are looking for current UBC students with:

  • lived experience of autism (i.e., have a diagnosis of autism or a family member with a diagnosis)
  • a strong work ethic and willingness to learn research experience (e.g., thematic analysis, research dissemination) is an asset but not required
  • experience working alongside people from the autistic community or other marginalized communities
  • an ability to commit six hours per week for a minimum of one year

If you have any questions about this process, please email asaplab@psych.ubc.ca.

If you are interested in helping us run the board, please fill out this form here by Friday, April 11th. Note that you are not required to fill out the general application linked below. Please ensure that you complete the whole form and upload your CV at the end of the form. If you have any questions about this process, please email asaplab@psych.ubc.ca. 

Volunteer RA, Directed Studies, or Honours Thesis Supervision

If you are interested in volunteer positions, Directed Studies, or Honours Thesis supervision in the ASAP Lab, please fill out the below form. Currently we do not have any positions available, but a member of our research team will reach out to promising candidates if and when we have positions that become available. Click here to apply!

For Prospective Graduate Students

Dr. Kerns will be accepting graduate applicants for the 2025/2026 academic year. We will update our website as soon as we have this information. Thank you for your interest in working with the UBC Anxiety, Stress & Autism Program! Due to the overwhelming amount of interest in our lab from prospective graduate students, we ask that you consult this page fully before reaching out to us with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Applying to the ASAP Lab

If I am applying for the UBC Clinical Psychology program and hoping to work in the ASAP Lab, should I send Dr. Kerns an email? Will she meet with students individually to discuss whether the lab is a good fit?

Each year, many highly-qualified students reach out to Dr. Kerns via email with the intention of further discussing their research interests. Although we appreciate your interest in working with the ASAP Lab, it is not feasible for Dr. Kerns to establish a relationship with every prospective student, and it would not be equitable for Dr. Kerns to connect with some students and not others. As such, please be aware that emailing Dr. Kerns prior to or during the application process will not affect the strength of your application.

Reading our lab’s recent publications will help you better understand if you would be a good fit for our lab. If you have specific questions about the lab that are not addressed on our website, you can instead contact the ASAP Lab Manager at asaplab@psych.ubc.ca.

If not by email, how do I make sure Dr. Kerns knows that I am interested in working with her?

When you apply to the UBC Clinical Psychology graduate program, one section of the application will ask you to list three faculty members whom you are interested in working. Make sure to include Dr. Kerns as one of your three selections. However, if Dr. Kerns’ name is not listed in the drop-down menu for this section of the application, it means she is likely not planning to take on a student for that cycle of admissions.

If you list Dr. Kerns as a potential faculty supervisor, you should also ensure that a portion of your Statement of Interest discusses what specifically draws you towards working with the ASAP Lab. It is important to clearly communicate the ways in which your interests and past experiences align with the lab’s mission, research objectives, and current projects.

What does Dr. Kerns look for when considering prospective students? Do GRE scores matter?

Admission into the UBC Clinical Psychology program involves a holistic process that considers all parts of the application package (learn more about the required application materials here). Your Statement of Interest and Curriculum Vitae (CV) should both showcase how your past research and clinical experiences have prepared you for doctoral-level work in subfields relevant to the ASAP Lab, such as autism, stress, and anxiety. Your academic transcripts should also reflect a readiness and capacity to succeed in rigorous graduate-level coursework. Finally, you should ensure that the references you provide are people who can adequately speak to your research potential, professionalism, and ability to work effectively with others.

Note that Dr. Kerns often prefers to take on students who have conducted relevant research and/or clinical work in a post-baccalaureate setting (i.e., experiences pursued in the years after obtaining one’s bachelor’s degree). The ASAP Lab focuses primarily on exploring anxiety and stress among autistic populations. As such prior experience with those populations may benefit your application but is not required if you have other relevant clinical research experience. 

GRE Scores: On a program-wide level, the UBC Clinical Psychology admissions team strongly advises that you include your scores for the General and Psychology GRE examinations on your application. On an individual level, Dr. Kerns does not consider GRE scores to be a valuable indicator of graduate student success. As such, those applying to the ASAP Lab who do not submit their GRE scores will not be at a disadvantage when their application is reviewed by Dr. Kerns. If you believe that including your GRE score can improve your application, Dr. Kerns will review and consider your score. Lastly, applications endorsed by Dr. Kerns will still be subject to evaluation by the general admissions committee.

Resources for Apply to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology

We know that the process of applying to graduate school can be stressful and confusing, especially for first-generation students and those applying for the first time. Below are some resources that can help you get started! Although many of these resources are US-based, their guidance is generally applicable to Canadian applicants as well.

  • Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology is one of the best known and most comprehensive introductions to the clinical psychology application process.
  • APA – Careers in Psychology: This resource package by the American Psychological Association provides a comprehensive overview of different types of psychologists, including personal accounts from a diverse group of psychologists currently working in the field. If you are still deciding between pursuing clinical psychology versus other subfields of psychology (social, developmental, forensics, etc.), this is a great guide for you!
  • APA – Becoming a Psychological Scientist: The American Psychological Association has also created an excellent YouTube video series on becoming a psychologist scientist, which focuses primarily on the ins and outs of the graduate school application process.
  • So You’re Applying to Clinical Psychology Graduate Programs: This document has been created by Jasmine Mote, PhD and shares her opinions, experiences and advice regarding clinical psychology graduate programs.