Join CAML
Work with us
Most routes start with an email to Dr. Mohammad Atari at matari@umass.edu, and each section says what to include. Doctoral applications are the exception: they go through the department.
Prospective PhD Students
We are accepting applications for Fall 2027 entry.
What we work on
We investigate historical psychology, moral pluralism, cultural evolution, computational text analysis, and the intersection of culture and AI, relying heavily on computational NLP methods applied to digital text and historical corpora. Ongoing projects trace how kinship systems co-evolve with societal norms in China, explore religious innovation across regions such as the Middle East and North Africa, and examine the epistemic consequences of human-AI collaboration and the cultural and moral biases of large language models.
Prior research experience
Prior research experience is very strongly recommended: time as a research assistant, lab manager, research coordinator, or master’s student, or another role involving sustained engagement with research. It is considered in context, not judged by title or length of time.
What makes a strong application
Research fit. Your interests line up with the lab's active work in historical, moral, cultural, or computational psychology.
Programming background. A demonstrable background in Python and/or R.
A strong statement of purpose. Outline two concrete lines of research, built on the lab's ongoing work, that you would want to pursue during your PhD.
How to apply
Applications go through the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, not the lab directly. Full details, deadlines and requirements are on the department’s how to apply page.
Postdoctoral Researchers
The position
We are hiring a postdoctoral researcher in historical psychology to study psychological change in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on Islamic history (themes: religiosity, creativity, morality, and institutions). Start date Fall 2026 (flexible), in person at UMass Amherst; rolling deadline until filled.
Who we’re looking for
We welcome candidates with a PhD (or ABD status) in social psychology, cognitive science, digital humanities, quantitative history, computational sciences, or related fields. Strong skills in NLP/text analysis, R, and Python are important; hands-on experience with open-source LLMs is valued, and knowledge of Arabic and/or Persian is a plus.
In your email: your CV and one representative or related paper. Please feel free to share this call with anyone who might be a good fit.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
UMass undergraduates interested in research experience are welcome to reach out.
In your email: your interests, year, and availability. No prior research experience is required.
Collaborators & Visiting Researchers
We are always glad to discuss collaborations relevant to our research.
Much of our work is collaborative and cross-disciplinary, spanning psychology, anthropology, and computer science.
In your email: how your research connects with culture, morality, or computational social science.