Thursday, March 4, 2021

Wilson Center Undergraduate Summer 2021 Internship


The Wilson Center for Science at Justice at Duke University is offering multiple paid, remote research internships for Summer 2021. You can read more about their work on their website.

The internship will run from May 31 until July 31, 2021) start and end dates are flexible for other commitments). Interns will assist in the Center’s research efforts and projects, on topics such as: bail and pretrial, juror decision-making, eyewitness research, perceptions of forensic evidence, fines and fees, plea-bargaining, and policing. Research assistants are trained to complete a range of tasks including assisting in empirical data collection and processing, literature review, legal research, and more. Interns will also be expected to partake in weekly lab meetings and seminars. In addition to gaining skills relevant to criminal justice work, as an intern at the Wilson Center you will learn about the research relevant to policing, forensic science protocols, jury decision making, and other research topics relevant to the legal system. You will also learn more about how the Wilson Center engages with current issues in criminal justice by applying our research to issues and events as they occur in real time.

Interns will be expected to work 40 hours a week for $13.50 an hour. Interns can expect to acquire skills relevant to empirical social science research and legal research, including identifying research questions, finding and reviewing literature, creating research materials, working with data, and writing on empirical and non-empirical topics.

Interested applicants should send:

  1. a resume or CV; and
  2. cover letter expressing why they are interested in working at the Wilson Center (maximum of 2 pages, single spaced).

Applicants need not have any specific skills to apply, but those with an interest in graduate school or law school, experience with criminal justice topics, and/or data are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will demonstrate an interest in data-driven criminal justice reform and long-term goals (career or otherwise) in using the experience of the internship. Previous experience with criminal justice topics and research skills, including course work, volunteer experience, research experience, etc., is desirable.

Application materials, should be sent to the Wilson Center Research Director, Dr. William Crozier at william.crozier@duke.edu (and cc the Wilson Center at wcsj@law.duke.edu) by April 1, 2021. Materials will be reviewed as they are received, and applicants may be contacted for a brief interview over Zoom. Final decisions and successful applicants will be notified by April 15, 2021. Full details about the application process, including materials and dates, can be found attached and on their website