Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in joining the lab! To be eligible, you must have completed, be currently enrolled in, or plan to take at least one of Mrs. Martinez's courses: Animal Behavior, Primate Behavior, or Directed Research.

If you meet this requirement, email Mrs. Martinez with a brief introduction, your resume, and your current class schedule. She will review your submission and provide further instructions.

If you don’t meet the requirements but are still interested, you may contact Mrs. Martinez to discuss potential opportunities.

You need to commit to at least two semesters in the lab, as training requires significant time and effort. There is no maximum time limit—you're welcome to stay as long as you like, and extended involvement is encouraged!

No experience is needed! We will train you in everything you will need to know. We are looking for hard-working students who are committed in collecting data.

Psychology and Biology students are preferred, but if you are still interested, please contact Mrs. Martinez to discuss potential opportunities.

Once you can collect data, we encourage you to visit the zoo a minimum of two times per week. You have the flexibility to choose the days for data collection. The zoo operates daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Thanks to our collaboration with the zoo, our research volunteers can enter without charge. Upon arrival, please check in at the front office and remember to sign out once your work is completed. You'll be given a lab badge, which must be worn throughout your data collection. DO NOT let other people in for free. You will be kicked out of the lab and be written up.

We do not offer transportation. It is very important that you provide your own. However, you can take the UTRGV shuttle to the Brownsville campus and then take the Brownsville Metro to the zoo. 

Yes! You can volunteer even if you are not a student anymore.