We are often looking to recruit undergraduates, Master's or PhD students, and postdocs to join the lab. There should be a strong overlap between a prospective lab member's interests and our group's areas of focus and research resources. We are broadly interested in cognition and cognitive evolution, with a particular focus on humans, nonhuman primates, and dogs. The bulk of our work employs noninvasive experimental techniques to characterize cognitive mechanisms and their underlying representations. Current research topics include: theory of mind, metacognition, representation of agents and their relationships, episodic memory, future planning, imagination, foundations of politics and morality, and the content, format, and properties of mental representations.
Prospective Postdoctoral Scholars
Those interested in exploring postdoc opportunities within the lab are encouraged to reach out to [email protected] to discuss potential projects and funding sources.
Prospective PhD Students
Dr. Krupenye will be reviewing applications for new PhD students during the current application cycle (fall 2026 deadline for 2027 start).
General Process:
By December 1, interested students should apply (here) to the PhD program in psychological & brain sciences at JHU, indicating Dr. Krupenye as a prospective supervisor and clearly articulating in their materials the match between their background and research interests and the resources and interests of the Social & Cognitive Origins group. The option also exists to work across labs (e.g., for students interested in both developmental and comparative research, or with interests that bridge to another lab in the department). Decisions are made at the department level with admitted students receiving five-year funding packages. Prospective students are encouraged to review the lab website (the site you are currently reading) as well as the PhD admissions page.
Prospective students are welcome to reach out with questions or to introduce themselves.
Students who have attended HBCUs or minority-serving institutions (which includes many large state schools; see list here) may also be eligible to apply (at the same time as they apply to our PhD program) to the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative, which provides exceptional funding and resources to students trained at these institutions. Please note that the VTSI program also requires applicants to submit by December 1.
General Process:
By December 1, interested students should apply (here) to the PhD program in psychological & brain sciences at JHU, indicating Dr. Krupenye as a prospective supervisor and clearly articulating in their materials the match between their background and research interests and the resources and interests of the Social & Cognitive Origins group. The option also exists to work across labs (e.g., for students interested in both developmental and comparative research, or with interests that bridge to another lab in the department). Decisions are made at the department level with admitted students receiving five-year funding packages. Prospective students are encouraged to review the lab website (the site you are currently reading) as well as the PhD admissions page.
Prospective students are welcome to reach out with questions or to introduce themselves.
Students who have attended HBCUs or minority-serving institutions (which includes many large state schools; see list here) may also be eligible to apply (at the same time as they apply to our PhD program) to the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative, which provides exceptional funding and resources to students trained at these institutions. Please note that the VTSI program also requires applicants to submit by December 1.
Prospective Master's Students
Dr. Krupenye will be reviewing applications for new Master's students during the current application cycle (spring 2027 deadline for 2027 start).
General Process:
By March 15, interested students should apply (here) to the Master's program in psychological & brain sciences at JHU, indicating Dr. Krupenye as a prospective supervisor and clearly articulating in their materials the match between their background and research interests and the resources and interests of the Social & Cognitive Origins group. Prospective students are encouraged to review the lab website (the site you are currently reading) as well as the Master's admissions page.
Prospective students are welcome to reach out with questions or to introduce themselves.
General Process:
By March 15, interested students should apply (here) to the Master's program in psychological & brain sciences at JHU, indicating Dr. Krupenye as a prospective supervisor and clearly articulating in their materials the match between their background and research interests and the resources and interests of the Social & Cognitive Origins group. Prospective students are encouraged to review the lab website (the site you are currently reading) as well as the Master's admissions page.
Prospective students are welcome to reach out with questions or to introduce themselves.
Undergraduates
We are always excited to welcome undergraduates into our lab, and to provide them with opportunities to explore the field of animal cognition and get involved in research. Students typically participate in weekly lab meetings, in which group members and outside speakers present their research or we discuss journal articles or issues relevant to research or professional development. Additionally, we often have opportunities for students to help with outreach, video coding of experiments, and experimental testing of humans and pet dogs. Interested students should email [email protected] and our lab coordinator, Abbie Hendrzak ([email protected]), to express interest, be added to our lab mailing list, and learn about current opportunities for involvement.