Undergraduate Students


If you would like to join the lab as an undergraduate research assistant, email a completed application to Dr. Witte at tracy.witte@auburn.eduWe no longer have positions open for Fall 2017. Please contact Dr. Witte in mid-November to inquire about positions that may be available in Spring semester.


Graduate Students


Prospective students with broad interest in suicidal behavior would be a good fit for Dr. Witte's lab. Additionally, Dr. Witte is actively pursuing a line of research focused on negative mental health outcomes, including suicide, in the veterinary profession. Results from ongoing research projects in this area will be used to develop and test interventions in the coming years. Thus, prospective students with an interest in this topic are especially encouraged to apply, although an interest in this area is not required. Further, Dr. Witte's research lab is equipped to conduct psychophysiological research; as such, prospective students wtih interest and/or experience in this type of research are encouraged to apply. Please note that Dr. Witte’s research is primarily, albeit not exclusively, focused on adult populations. Therefore, if you have a strong focus on child or adolescent populations, you may not be the best fit for this research laboratory.  


Dr. Witte strives to provide opportunities for her Ph.D. students to publish in order to facilitate their ability to secure academic positions upon graduation. Prospective students with a strong interest in a research career are particularly encouraged to apply. Instructions for applying to the Auburn University Clinical Psychology PhD program can be found here.  Auburn's Clinical Psychology program follows a scientist-practitioner model, and as such, research is a key component of graduate training.


Auburn, AL is a wonderful place to live and was designated by U.S. News as one of the top 10 places to live in 2009 and the #2 college town in the country according to Yahoo Travel. Additionally, Auburn University was recently ranked #4 on the Princeton Review’s list of colleges with the best quality of life. More information on local living conditions can be found here.


Mentorship Style


Dr. Witte takes an active approach to mentoring that is tailored to each student's individual needs and abilities. During the first year, graduate students are encouraged to take the lead on a research project in addition to developing a master's thesis proposal and assisting with other ongoing research projects. Given Dr. Witte's expertise and interest in data analysis, graduate students in this laboratory develop competence in a variety of advanced statistical methods, as can be evidenced in our recent published manuscripts. Especially during the early years of graduate training, Dr. Witte provides intensive feedback and guidance with statistical analyses in addition to scientific writing. This feedback is provided during bi-weekly individual meetings, bi-weekly group meetings, and through email correspondance. Throughout the course of graduate training, students become increasingly independent as they gain the skills to become independent scientific investigators.

Join The Lab