Ongoing recruitment (we are always accepting applications on a rolling basis): 1 or 2 postdocs, 1 or 2 graduate students (PhD or MS/PhD combined preferred), 1 or 2 post-master or post-bachelor RAs, 1 or 2 undergrad research assistants



General information for applicants

Our lab investigates how the brain represents, processes, and regulates pain and emotions. Particularly, our research focuses on the development of clinically useful neuroimaging models and tools using machine learning and computational modeling approaches. Learn more about the lab by visiting our lab website (http://cocoanlab.github.io) or feel free to contact Dr. Choong-Wan Woo (choongwan.woo@gmail.com).

Our lab is a part of the Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR) at Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea. Since the IBS is a government funding research institute, our lab will have stable funding for the next few years. Most importantly, our lab will have a full access to the CNIR’s neuroimaging facilities and equipments for conducting cutting-edge research. The facilities include animal and human MRIs (3T and 7T for human, 9.4T and 15.2T for animal), EEG, TMS, psychophysiological measures, two-photon microscope, super high-resolution confocal microscope, high-performance computing clusters, electronic and machine shop, histology lab, and rodent and non-human primate animal housing. Our center and the lab have a strong emphasis on promoting an open, synergetic, multi-disciplinary, and creative research environment. Therefore, you will be able to experience active discussions and collaborations with other scientists from different fields of expertise.

To apply, please email Dr. Choong-Wan Woo (waniwoo@skku.edu) with your CV and brief statement explaining your research interests as well as specific interests in joining the Computational Cognitive Affective Neuroscience Laboratory.

Lab Website: http://cocoanlab.github.io

CocoanLab Work Ethic (1st draft)



Postdoctoral fellow

The Cocoan lab (director: Dr. Choong-Wan Woo) is seeking talented postdoctoral fellows.

Successful candidates should have Ph.D. in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, biomedical engineering, or related fields. Candidates should be highly motivated and also have a strong background in computational methods, neuroimaging experiments, data analysis, or artificial intelligence. Computer programming skills (Matlab or Python) will be essential, and other analysis skills (e.g., machine learning, network analysis, computational modeling, reinforcement learning) and a good publication record will be greatly helpful. Having growth, innovation, and collaborative mindsets will be crucial, and the ability to develop and express abstract ideas will be helpful. Writing skills are also important.

Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Four major public insurances (national pension, health insurance, unemployment insurance, industrial accident) will also be supported.

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Graduate Student

Computational Cognitive Affective Neuroscience Laboratory is accepting talented graduate students (PhD or MS/PhD combined preferred) through the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Brain Science and Engineering, or Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence (BK) at Sungkyunkwan University. If you are interested in pursuing grad degrees in the Cocoan lab, please email me in advance. It is strongly recommended to work in the lab as a research assistant for a few months (or even a year) before you actually apply for graduate school. Joining the lab in advance will be very helpful for a successful graduate life.

Successful candidates may have a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, psychology, biology, computer science, biomedical engineering, or a related field. However, I am very open to applicants from other academic backgrounds, so your undergraduate major should not discourage you from applying. More importantly, successful candidates should demonstrate a strong motivation to conduct research, run experiments, publish impactful papers, and collaborate with others. Experience in scientific research, computational modeling or data analysis, programming, or neuroimaging would be an advantage. However, strong motivation and a genuine willingness to learn these skills may be just as important. Writing skills are also important, so it would be very helpful if you could send me one or more samples of your academic or scientific writing. A growth-oriented, innovative, and collaborative mindset, together with the ability to develop and clearly articulate abstract ideas, will also be crucial.

You will receive a stipend and some support toward tuition, but the applicable funding arrangements vary across individual circumstances—for example, between PhD and MS students, international and domestic students, and students receiving external scholarships. I will therefore provide more detailed information about financial support and compensation at the appropriate stage of the application process.

For students considering the combined bachelor’s–master’s program (학석사 연계 프로그램), the integrated bachelor’s–master’s–doctoral program (학석박 연계 프로그램), or the master’s program (석사 프로그램), I strongly recommend joining the lab well in advance—ideally at least 6–9 months before the application deadline.

Why is this important? Graduate school is a major stage of your life, and choosing a lab for your graduate school can be a life-changing decision. Before formally entering a graduate program, both the student and the lab should have reasonable confidence that the student can succeed in the lab and have a productive and fulfilling graduate-school experience. One of the most effective ways to develop this mutual confidence is for prospective students to participate in laboratory activities in advance and, ideally, begin developing and conducting a research project of their own. This process necessarily takes time.

The first three months are typically an exploratory period during which we get to know one another. Over the next three to four months, we can develop a deeper understanding of one another and begin formulating a potential research project. An additional three to six months is generally needed to determine whether the student can take meaningful ownership of the project and carry it through in practice. Altogether, approximately 9–12 months may be needed for this process to unfold adequately.

Another important consideration is the time required to bring a research project to publication. In our field, completing a study typically takes at least three years and often five years or longer. Publishing papers is not the sole purpose of graduate education or scientific research, but completing research in the form of a publication is one of the most tangible and meaningful ways in which students can advance their own scholarly development while also contributing to the lab. In our lab, we therefore aim for every student to bring meaningful research projects to completion and, whenever possible, to communicate the findings through peer-reviewed publications. From this perspective, a two-year master’s program is generally too short to achieve this goal if the research process begins only after formal enrollment. Students considering a master’s or a combined degree program are therefore strongly encouraged to join the lab earlier, begin developing their research as soon as possible, and work closely with the lab toward completing a publishable project. Early participation does not guarantee publication, because the publication process involves many factors beyond the student’s or the lab’s control. However, it substantially increases the likelihood that the student will have sufficient time to conduct research of genuine depth and bring the project to a meaningful conclusion.

Recently, I have become concerned about cases in which students enter graduate school through accelerated or integrated degree programs after only a very brief period of interaction with the laboratory, without sufficient time for either side to address the questions described above. I sincerely hope that every student will have a successful graduate school experience. Nevertheless, particularly in a two-year combined bachelor’s–master’s program (학석사 연계 프로그램), it can be extremely difficult to conduct research of genuine depth and significance within the limited time available. When expectations, research fit, and working relationships have not been sufficiently explored in advance, multiple aspects of the graduate experience may become unnecessarily complicated.

The early twenties are an especially valuable period of life, and I would not want students to spend two or three years in an environment where they cannot flourish. Avoiding such an outcome requires effort from both the student and the lab. Prospective students should therefore join the lab early enough for us to get to know one another, evaluate our mutual fit, and determine whether they can conduct meaningful research and have a productive and fulfilling grad school experience. This recommendation applies not only to students in combined or integrated degree programs, but also to those considering a conventional master’s program. Please consider this decision carefully and contact me well in advance.

If you are a senior-year undergrad student and consider to be a grad student in our lab, please read this before contacting me.



Full-time Lab manager/Research assistant

Computational Cognitive Affective Neuroscience Laboratory is seeking a full-time lab manager/research assistant.

Responsibilities include handling administrative duties for the lab (e.g., managing finances, purchasing equipment, recruiting and scheduling subjects, running experiments), supporting lab research (e.g., mentoring undergrad research assistants, maintaining lab equipments, assisting in data collection and analysis). You can also have the opportunity to conduct original research and publish research papers. This position is ideal for individuals interested in applying to graduate school or studying abroad.

The successful candidate should have B.A./B.S. or M.A./M.S. in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, or a related field. Candidates should be independent and proactive workers who are able to learn new skills on their own, with strong organizational skills and a track record of working well with others in professional or extracurricular settings. Korean speakers are preferable.



Undergrad research assistant

If you are a undergraduate student, you are more than welcome to join the lab as a volunteer research assistant. We usually ask for a commitment of at least 10 hours per week, and recommend attending our lab meeting (not required, though). You will be working closely with one or two researchers in the lab, and if you demonstrate good responsibility and dedication, you will have the opportunity to run original research.

If you show a high level of responsibility and dedication, and prove to be helpful for the lab, you will be able to receive monthly compensation for your work in the lab. The paid undergrad RAs will be asked to show a commitment of at least 16 hours per week. In addition, the RA should have a specific project to actively work on.

If you are interested in this job, please email Dr. Choong-Wan Woo (waniwoo@skku.edu).

If you are a senior-year undergrad student and consider to be a grad student in our lab, please read this before contacting me.