The Sociotechnical Equity and Agency Lab frequently hires current Northeastern University undergraduate and master’s students to join us as junior research associates and apprentices. We are interested in working with students who are highly aligned with the core mission and pillars of the lab, and who want to learn how to do qualitative, design, and critical research on technology. Students from all areas of the university are welcome to work in the lab.
Current Master’s Students & Non Co-Op Undergraduates
We also welcome and highly encourage applications from students through Northeastern’s various research funding mechanisms. Current MS students interested in working with SEALab are HIGHLY encouraged to apply to the Khoury Research Apprenticeship and should also reach out to Dr. DeVito directly.
Prospective PhD Students
***The lab is not actively recruiting PhD students at this time, and is unlikely to recruit during the Fall 2025 cycle. We do not admit PhD students at any other time during the year other than the Fall cycle, no exceptions.***
In general, the lab hires students who are strongly aligned with our lab’s goals and our research pillars, and we are especially interested in students who intend to carry out member-research and/or want to train as research leaders and mentors. In general, PhD students will start with an initial period of assisting the PI with her research agenda, eventually progressing to taking direct charge of key elements of the agenda, then proposing and leading their own work related to the PI’s agenda (and available funding sources), leading to a dissertation.
We are interested in applications from students with a variety of technical, design, and critical backgrounds. Heavy technical skills are not required to be part of the lab (though they are welcome and often helpful). We primarily train students in qualitative computer science, design, and critical methods.
To apply to join the lab, prospective PhD students should apply to either Khoury College’s Computer Science PhD program or the College of Arts, Media and Design’s Interdisciplinary Design and Media PhD program. Be sure to mention our director, Dr. Michael Ann DeVito, as one of the faculty members you are interested in working with in your application (this functions as a sort of internal routing mechanism). Prospective PhD students are also highly encouraged to reach out to Dr. DeVito via email with a CV and a short description of your research interests as they relate to the mission and pillars of the lab.
Dr. DeVito will not be able to respond to applications and requests that do not clearly demonstrate a very close alignment with the topics, methods, and philosophical/research pillars described on the rest of this website.