Join the lab

LÉPSIS is a laboratory where several research projects evolve simultaneously, and where teamwork is at the heart of daily operations. By joining the laboratory, you will have the opportunity to develop a diversified research experience by collaborating on different projects, beyond the one that will form the core of your own research path.

Regular attendance at weekly meetings is essential for engaging with a diverse group of about ten people, including undergraduate assistants, doctoral students, postdocs, and laboratory leadership. These meetings facilitate progress updates on tasks and projects, promote learning about ongoing work, and encourage active involvement in the lab.

Smaller group meetings may also take place during the week for specific tasks or projects. We encourage laboratory members to express their interest in the collaborative opportunities presented during the weekly meetings.

The laboratory values a culture of continuous learning. All team members, including the director, are constantly called upon to learn and develop new skills. It is therefore completely normal for certain tasks to be less familiar to you at first. We encourage you to seek help from other team members when necessary.

The laboratory coordinator is your first point of contact if you have questions or do not know who to turn to; this person will be able to guide and support you as needed.

Professor Véronneau participates in the weekly team meetings to which all laboratory members are invited. These meetings provide an ideal opportunity to ask her questions, discuss project progress, or, if necessary, schedule an individual meeting.

For individual meetings, it is best to schedule them in advance, as Professor Véronneau’s schedule is often fully booked several weeks ahead.

For laboratory members completing an honors thesis, a doctorate, or a postdoctoral fellowship, Professor Véronneau is committed to providing prompt feedback at every stage of project development. To promote steady progress and regular communication throughout the process, it is recommended to establish a submission and meeting schedule spanning several months right from the start.

A research laboratory is first and foremost a learning environment. In addition to fostering a deeper understanding of human psychology, research activities offer each member the opportunity to develop new skills and become familiar with various tools and working methods on a daily basis.

Each year, several new people join the laboratory. The director ensures regular contact is maintained with all members to support them in completing their research project, but also more broadly in their academic journey, particularly regarding program progression, scholarship applications, or graduate school admissions.

That being said, given the size of the laboratory, a significant part of the mentoring also relies on exchanges between more experienced members and new recruits. This approach fosters more accessible, diversified, and enriching support, allowing members to benefit from the guidance and experience of the entire team, rather than solely from the director.

Students completing their doctoral research under the supervision of Professor Véronneau commit to disseminating the results of their dissertation (Psy.D.) or thesis (Ph.D. or combined profile) in the form of scientific article(s) in peer-reviewed journals.

As the publication process often continues beyond graduation, members must be prepared to remain involved until the necessary submissions and revisions are finalized.

Furthermore, for students enrolled in the Psy.D. program or the combined profile, articles must be written and submitted before the start of clinical internships.

Future doctoral students enrolled in a program leading to a thesis (rather than a doctoral dissertation) can submit funding applications to granting agencies such as the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), or other similar organizations. It is possible to obtain this type of funding as early as the first doctoral semester, provided that applications are prepared and submitted during the competitions preceding entry into the program. As these applications require significant preparation, it is essential to begin the process several months in advance.

These scholarships generally allow students to dedicate themselves to doctoral studies full-time, without having to hold outside employment. For students who do not receive them, the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) offers a universal support scholarship paid during the first three years of training. Other smaller scholarships, offered by UQAM or various organizations, may also be accessible.

Professor Véronneau actively encourages students to apply for funding and assists them in preparing their application packages. However, it remains important to address this planning as early as possible, ideally at least one year before the target period for obtaining FRQSC or SSHRC scholarships.

Students can also work a few hours a week in the laboratory as research assistants. The workload generally varies between 7 and 15 hours per week for individuals who do not receive a major scholarship, and tends to be lower for those who do.

Students, postdocs, and occasionally laboratory assistants are encouraged to present their work at scientific conferences. Depending on available resources, financial support may be offered to cover a portion of registration or travel expenses. Interested individuals are invited to discuss their scientific communication projects with Professor Véronneau as early as the planning stage of a conference submission.

The laboratory also provides its members with several computer workstations in shared office spaces. Workspaces are also available for individuals wishing to work on their own laptop, and the UQAM wireless network is accessible on site. When conditions permit, in-person work is favored, and a minimum presence of three days per week is expected from doctoral students, postdocs, and the laboratory coordinator.

Beyond research work, informal exchanges play an important role in the life of the laboratory and contribute to developing a spirit of collaboration within the team. A common space, including a refrigerator, a microwave, and a dining area, is therefore available to members to foster these moments of sharing on a daily basis.

The soul of LÉPSIS rests above all on the dynamics built between its members. Individuals who are ready to invest themselves fully in the life of the laboratory, collaborate within a large team, ask questions, push their limits, and learn through challenges and mistakes will find here a research experience that is both stimulating and rewarding.

New rules have been adopted by the departmental assembly regarding the admission of doctoral candidates starting in Fall 2023 and for subsequent years :

• For profiles with a clinical component, a limited number of doctoral positions are distributed each year across the different sections. Each section must allocate these positions among its laboratories.

• A waiting list will be created to allow for the admission of a larger number of doctoral students within the section if additional positions become available.

On average, one to two positions are available in programs with a clinical profile (3291 and 3191) in Professor Véronneau’s laboratory each year. There is no limit on positions for the doctoral program focused solely on research (3091).

Admission requirements

In addition to the official requirements set out by the registrar and the department of psychology, the selected candidate must be able to successfully carry out a rigorous research project (thesis or doctoral dissertation) based on quantitative analyses, the results of which will be submitted for publication as a scientific article prior to the initial submission of the thesis or doctoral dissertation.

Express your interest : Candidates are invited to send their most recent transcript, CV, and reference contact information to the laboratory director at veronneau.marie-helene@uqam.ca. The subject line of the email must be: Doctoral Application. Candidates should state in the body of the email, in a few lines, their primary research interests related to the themes studied at LÉPSIS. Please also mention that you have read the information available on this page. Please note that Professor Véronneau receives a large volume of emails and cannot reply to all messages received. You are permitted to submit an official admission application following the procedure below even if you have not received a direct response to your email.

Submission of the admission application : Candidates must complete their application submission following UQAM’s official procedure.

• Important note : The responsibility to be properly informed about the application process rests with the candidates, not the professors. This information is available through the university at: https://etudier.uqam.ca/admission

For the 2026-2027 academic year: No position available.

Recruitment : Stay tuned for upcoming recruitment opportunities.

Every year : 1 to 3 positions available. Please note that students from UdeM can also participate as part of courses PSY3008 and PSY3009 (lab 2 and lab 3).

Recruitment : Students interested in completing this workshop within our laboratory must register for PSY4905 during the 2nd or 3rd year of their bachelor’s degree in psychology. Assignment to the different laboratories within the section takes place during the first session of the course. Although registration for the workshop must be done in the fall semester, most students choose to complete this course over two semesters (fall and winter) to gain a better overview of all the activities carried out in the lab over a full year. Occasionally, openings for the workshop may become available during the summer preceding registration.

Stay tuned for upcoming recruitment opportunities.

Individuals interested in completing a graduate-level research internship or a postdoctoral fellowship at the laboratory are invited to email Professor Véronneau. Limited funds may be available to support postdoctoral fellows, but it is recommended to contact Professor Véronneau at least 1 year before the start of the postdoctoral fellowship to discuss the possibility of applying for funding from granting agencies.