Shigemoto Lab · Counseling Psychology
This page describes what our lab works on and what kind of students tend to do well here, so you can judge for yourself whether this is the right fit before you apply.
Accepting doctoral students for Fall 2027. Deadlines and requirements are posted on the UF Counseling Psychology program site.
Fit
Students who fit well in this lab tend to share the following approaches and attitudes toward research.
Our lab studies individual and community resilience after adversity, including disaster, trauma, and public health crises. Naturally, we are looking for students who go beyond a broad interest in "trauma" or "resilience": students who can point to a specific paper or project of ours and think about what questions or hypotheses it raises for them.
You take initiative, manage your own timelines, and when you hit something you do not understand, your first instinct is to look it up, try something, and then bring me a specific question. I am here to advise and to work through hard problems with you. I am not here to assign you your next step each week.
Much of our work uses longitudinal, multilevel, and structural equation modeling. You do not need to be strong in statistics when you arrive, but you do need to be genuinely willing to learn.
Counseling psychology trains both scientists and practitioners, and students here go on to a range of careers. Students who fit this lab are those who invest seriously in research throughout their training, rather than treating it as a requirement to clear. Students considering research-oriented careers are especially welcome.
Applying
Admission decisions are made by the UF Counseling Psychology program as a whole, on the basis of your application materials. Emailing me first will not improve your chances, and applying without contacting me will not hurt them. So there is no need to contact me before you apply. Deadlines, required materials, and eligibility are all described on the program page.
The best place to tell me that you are interested in this lab and want to do research together is your application itself. That said, if you have read this page and still have a question, you are welcome to write to me at yshigemoto@ufl.edu. If our work interests you, please apply.
Undergraduate students
UF undergraduates interested in gaining research experience are welcome to reach out. Please email yshigemoto@ufl.edu with your CV and a brief statement of interest. In your email, please also describe any research experience you have. If you do not have research experience yet, you can describe related courses you have taken instead.