When Maxwell began searching for an internship, the goal was clear: to find a formal, intensive research experience that would build upon previous hybrid internships and support future doctoral study. After several weeks of searching without finding the right fit, Maxwell considered returning to a previous position. Then, an opportunity arrived through an important academic connection: The University of Michigan’s Emotion and Self Control Lab shared an internship announcement from Yale University. Faculty guidance was also critical during the application process. Mentors reviewed Maxwell’s curriculum vitae and offered expert advice on presenting his research experience effectively. The Yale position focused on research topics similar to Maxwell’s work at U-M, while offering training in methods and skills that were new to him.
Conducting Psychophysiology Research at Yale
Maxwell served as a research assistant in Dr. Wendy Berry Mendes’ Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology Laboratory at Yale University. Interns rotated through several responsibilities, including serving as experimenters and operators. Experimenters applied physiological sensors and guided participants through studies. Operators, on the other hand, worked behind the scenes, collecting and monitoring physiological data. Although every intern learned to cover multiple positions, Maxwell became particularly adept in the background work of the operators.
Working from the laboratory’s control room, Maxwell monitored data transmitted from participants’ physiological sensors. He adjusted data-collection parameters to correspond with specific portions of each experiment, modified collection times, and troubleshot technical problems. He also recorded participant behavior, coordinated with experimenters, and helped clean physiological data using a MindWare software.
Connecting the Brain, Body, and Mind
The internship was centered on psychophysiology—the study of relationships between psychological processes and physiological responses. Although the experiments were not exclusively focused on cognition, their theoretical foundations involved the cognitive mechanisms underlying behavior. Maxwell’s interdisciplinary education shaped the inquiries he developed throughout the program. As a Cognitive Science and Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience double-major, he considered how the brain processes stressors and how those computational systems produce downstream effects in the autonomic nervous system. His philosophy-focused cognitive science coursework further elucidated the cognitive frameworks he was studying, also contributing to the dimensionality of this field. While observing physiological responses, Maxwell considered whether the mind, the brain, or both were responsible for initiating them. The investigation did not yield a simple answer, rather, it deepened questions he has been exploring throughout his undergraduate career, including whether the mind and brain should be considered mutually distinct. .
Developing New Technical Skills
The internship introduced Maxwell to several research methods that he had yet to be exposed to. Before arriving at Yale, he had not worked with BIOPAC hardware or software, collected physiological data, or analyzed time-series data in a cognitive science context. Maxwell’s previous work with psychophysiological literature reviews, physiological datasets, and the research process gave him a strong foundation, helping him understand the laboratory’s work and better preparing him as an applicant. Learning to collect and analyze time-series data was especially valuable. The experience relates closely to neuroimaging, an area Maxwell is currently pursuing and hopes to continue studying during doctoral training.
Building Professional Maturity
Beyond technical knowledge, Maxwell developed what he describes as professional maturity. The internship’s intensity showed him that succeeding in research requires more than scientific ability. It also requires consistency, initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to exceed expectations.Maxwell learned the value of arriving early, staying late when needed, requesting additional work, and remaining fully invested in a project. He initially found it challenging to manage the fear of disappointing mentors who had been supportive and generous. Rather than allowing that concern to overwhelm him, he used it as motivation to become a more diligent researcher. Genuine passion, sustained effort, intellectual engagement, and a commitment to producing high-quality work are equally important.
Designing a Psilocybin Research Proposal
One of Maxwell’s proudest accomplishments was the internship’s final project. During the program’s closing days, each intern developed a research proposal using methods learned throughout the experience. Because of his interest in psychedelic research, Maxwell proposed a randomized, controlled-trial design examining psilocybin as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. He combined the psychophysiological methods introduced during the internship with information gained through meetings with his mentors. The project allowed him to explore the intersection of clinical trials, psychedelic research, and psychophysiology. Presenting the proposal also gave him an opportunity to integrate newly acquired technical knowledge with an established area of intellectual interest.
Planning Internships With Long-Term Goals in Mind
Maxwell advises cognitive science students to pursue opportunities that directly support their future plans. Rather than applying without a clear direction, students can identify a long-term goal and divide it into smaller, achievable steps. For Maxwell, the long-term objective is a doctorate in cognitive psychology. Because time-series data are important in that field, the Yale internship provided relevant experience. That preparation then helped him pursue work in a neuroimaging laboratory, which can strengthen future applications to doctoral programs led by faculty conducting the type of research he hopes to engage in.
He recommends that students build vast research résumés demonstrating varied skills, an understanding of the scientific process, and sustained investment in their fields. Once students obtain an internship, it's imperative that they take initiative- meet regularly with mentors, develop meaningful professional relationships, support their fellow interns, and approach every task as an opportunity for growth.
Using Cognitive Science as an Interdisciplinary Strength
Maxwell sees cognitive science’s interdisciplinary nature as a significant advantage for internship applicants. The field encourages students to examine the same issue through multiple lenses, such as psychology, neuroscience, computation, linguistics, and philosophy. This flexibility is especially useful when studying the brain, whose complexity cannot be explained adequately through a single disciplinary perspective. A student who can consider both computational and philosophical dimensions of brain function, for example, may identify questions or interpretations that would otherwise be overlooked.
A cognitive science background can also signal curiosity and intellectual range to prospective mentors. Exposure to varied research approaches helps students determine which questions and methods they find most compelling. Once identified, that genuine interest can become one of the strongest parts of an application.
Looking Ahead to Doctoral Study
The Yale internship strengthened Maxwell’s commitment to pursuing a doctorate. It also gave him a clearer understanding of the application process, what faculty seek in prospective doctoral students, and how aspiring researchers can prepare for advanced study. Perhaps most importantly, the experience encouraged him to keep asking questions. Even in a primarily psychology-focused laboratory, he continued thinking about the cognitive processes underlying the physiological data. That open-minded perspective shaped how he interpreted the research and generated new questions. His advice to other students reflects that experience: approach findings from multiple perspectives, remain curious, and continue questioning what the evidence means. For Maxwell, the internship was more than a summer research position. It was a meaningful step toward becoming the kind of scientist he hopes to be—technically capable, intellectually curious, collaborative, and prepared to investigate the complex relationships among the mind, brain, body, and behavior.
