See below for an interesting new interdisciplinary PhD program! If that kind of thing appeals to you, you can do something related right here as an undergrad. I have openings in my lab for research assistants for spring semester. These are paid positions and we use social science research methodologies to look at various aspects of diversity in computing. Let me know if you are interested. Happy Holidays to all! Maureen Biggers Join the Northwestern University PhD program in Technology and Social Behavior! The Graduate School at Northwestern University is seeking exceptional applicants to join the Ph.D. program in Technology and Social Behavior (TSB) in the Fall of 2008. TSB is a joint Ph.D. program in Communication and Computer Science that draws on Northwestern's strong support for interdisciplinary study, benefits from talented faculty who contribute to a tradition of collaboration, and attracts unique students who are eager for academic experiences that cross traditional departmental boundaries. The combined degree benefits students by providing training in social science methods to study human behavior, experience designing and implementing new technologies, practice incorporating the results of empirical research into these technologies, and preparation for the widest range of academic and industrial jobs. We recruit students from a variety of backgrounds and provide rigorous training in humanities, social sciences, computer science, and human-computer interaction methodologies. The core faculty in the TSB program come from the department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in the McCormick School of Engineering, and from the Media, Technology & Society (MTS) Program in the School of Communication. Noshir Contractor and Paul Leonardi have recently joined our active faculty that includes Larry Birnbaum, Justine Cassell, Ken Forbus, Darren Gergle, Eszter Hargittai, Ian Horswill, Don Norman, Bryan Pardo and a number of other faculty from affiliated departments. Faculty and students are currently addressing a broad range of topics including: * The digital divide from sociological, policy, and engineering perspectives * Interactive technologies for children with special needs * Trust development in computer-mediated communication environments * The structure and function of social networks in knowledge dissemination * Psychology of virtual humans * A role for virtual peers in literacy development * Self-generating music videos * Language and behavior in on-line communities. * Teens on-line For more details on the program, faculty, and admissions requirements see: http://tsb.northwestern.edu/ The deadline for admissions materials is: December 31st, 5pm CST