CNUP Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Each summer, the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh (CNUP) sponsors a 10-week program in which selected undergraduate students conduct independent research under the guidance of individual CNUP training faculty. The 2009 CNUP Summer Undergraduate Research Program will begin on Tuesday, May 26. Student recipients of this competitive fellowship will receive a stipend of $3,000 and also will be provided housing at no cost in a double-occupancy dormitory on campus. Students will be responsible for their own meals and other expenses, including travel to and from Pittsburgh.
We expect that most applicants for the CNUP Summer Undergraduate Research Program will have completed their sophomore or junior year of undergraduate training. Successful candidates typically demonstrate grade point averages of 3.0 ("B") or higher, especially in science, math, and related coursework. Our goal in offering this fellowship is to give academically talented students the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of intensive, hypothesis-driven laboratory research in neuroscience. Students who envision a future for themselves in clinical medicine typically will not be competitive for this fellowship, unless that vision also includes an important potential role for laboratory-based neuroscience research. Although many students may already have some laboratory research experience, such experience is not a prerequisite for this fellowship program.
CNUP training faculty investigate diverse aspects of nervous system function. Consequently, the technical features of an undergraduate summer research project might include neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, molecular biology, brain imaging, computer simulations, neuropsychology, or behavioral assessments.
Students must indicate on the application form three faculty members with whom they would like to work. Whenever possible, student/mentor pairings are determined from this list. Follow this link to view research interest of faculty participating in the 2009 Summer Program. Applicants uncertain about a particular research area are encouraged to consult potential faculty sponsors directly to learn more about possible projects.
Stephen D. Meriney, PhD
Department of Neuroscience
E-mail: meriney@bns.pitt.edu
412-624-8283
Anthony E. Kline, PhD
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
E-mail: klinae@upmc.edu
412-383-2806
