Dr. Nikolas WILL BE recruiting a graduate student for Fall 2025.  

Dr. Nikolas is affiliated with the Clinical Science training area, the Developmental Psychopathology Research Group, the DeLTA Center, and the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Training Program.  Dr. Nikolas is especially interested in recruiting graduate students with a strong background in the natural sciences, particularly biology and genetics, statistics and quantitative methods, and/or developmental psychopathology. The Clinical Science Ph.D. program at the University of Iowa follows a clinical-science model, with an emphasis on research training and the development of evidenced-based assessment and intervention skills. Our goal as a program is to train future clinical scientists whose research and clinical work will strongly impact the field. Students are also encouraged to develop their skills in statistics and quantitative methods.

Research in the ADHD and Development Lab is collaborative by nature – we work with other faculty here in Psychology as well as in Psychiatry and Pediatrics. We also routinely collaborate with colleagues in both the U.S. and abroad. Graduate students in the lab are encouraged to develop their own projects and present at national and international conferences and are actively publishing their work and communicating their findings to colleagues and the public.

One way to learn more about our lab culture and norms is by reading our Lab Manual.  

FAQ About Applying to the Lab!

Graduate students in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences matriculate into different training areas.  Dr. Nikolas currently accepts students in the clinical science and individualized training tracks. However, there are also several broad research groups in the department.  Dr. Nikolas is primarily affiliated with the clinical science and developmental psychopathology research groups.

Am I a good fit for the Iowa ADHD and Development Lab?

Generally, I am interested in taking students with interdisciplinary interests in clinical science and developmental psychopathology and those who have or want to develop strong skills in quantitative methods. Since much of the work also focuses on biological processes (i.e., genetics, psychophysiology, cognitive/neuropsychological functioning), students with those interests are encouraged to apply as well.  While much of our work focuses specifically on ADHD, we often have students with broad interests in psychopathology and comorbidity that involves ADHD.  You do not need to have a sole focus on ADHD to be a good fit for the lab.

Students who are competitive for admission generally have a strong undergraduate training record in psychological science and some experience working in research, usually as both an undergraduate and as a post-baccalaureate research assistant.  I do not expect students to have publications prior to graduate school.  However, I am interested in students who want to focus on research training and are interested in pursuing science-oriented careers once they have completed their PhD training.  Evidence of independent research experience (i.e., Honor’s thesis/projects, co-authored manuscripts) are desirable but not the only way to demonstrate research interests. I am interested in your ideas and goals.

What topics can I study in the lab as a PhD student?

Given that the work in the lab focuses on multiple levels of analysis, there are generally a wide range of topics we are pursuing.  Generally, we tend to focus on different risk and protective factors and pathways that led to heterogeneous clinical presentations of ADHD and comorbid profiles across different stages of development.  Dissertations in the lab have focused on (1) comorbidity between ADHD and substance use in young adults, (2) the impact of pubertal development on ADHD and comorbid mental health problems, (3) sluggish cognitive tempo and transdiagnostic links between ADHD and internalizing psychopathology in adults, (4) pre- and perinatal risk factors for ADHD and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders, (5) self-regulation and psychopathology among LGBTQ young adults, and (6) between and within-person variability in internalizing psychopathology in young adults.  We have ongoing data collection and several archival data sets that allow students to pursue a variety of questions related to genetics, cognition, emotional processing, comorbidity, psychosocial adversity, and development as they relate to ADHD.

What current research is happening in the lab?

We are continuing to conduct research that focuses on multilevel risk processes for ADHD and comorbid outcomes among youth and young adults.  We are currently actively collecting data for our Teen Transition Study that focuses on pubertal development, cognitive and emotion regulation, peer and parent relationships, and psychosocial context for ADHD and comorbid problems during early adolescents.  We implement multiple methods, including genetics, psychophysiology, cognitive testing, and multi-informant clinical assessment.  We are also using ecological momentary assessment to measure within-child and within-parent variability in mental health and stress in an intensive longitudinal framework.  In the coming years, this line of work will likely continue in addition to other studies that focus on continuation of ADHD during early adulthood. 

What should I do before applying?

You should read through this manual to gain a sense of expectations and email Dr. Nikolas to discuss your interests further.  I would also encourage reading some of our prior publications to gain a sense of the type of work we do.

What should I include in my application?

1. Be sure to list Dr. Molly Nikolas as a prospective mentor on your application.
2. Develop your application materials (CV, personal statement, and letters) with the above information in mind.
3. If you have a writing sample (Honor’s thesis, college paper, publication) that reflects your work, please include it in your materials.

What should I include in my Personal Statement?

Generally, I find the following to be helpful to include in your personal statement.

1. A clear statement of your general research interests and how they relate to our lab’s mission and work
2. A clear statement of why you are interested in our lab and some ideas about topics/questions you may want to pursue
3. A statement about your career goals (even if they are approximate/might change, it is helpful to see your thinking!)
4. Description of your prior research experience, emphasizing the skills you developed and how those experiences informed your research questions.

Please contact Dr. Nikolas with any additional questions about graduate training in the lab.