Volunteering Opportunities at IBR

IBR's Summer Student Volunteer Programs introduce high school and college students to research in Developmental Neuroscience and Developmental Disabilities, with the goal of inspiring them to pursue careers in this field.

IBR offers summer volunteer opportunities for both undergraduate students and high school students:

Undergraduate Students

This program is particularly well-suited for students who have interests in the fields of biology, chemistry, psychology and other neuroscience-related disciplines. Students interested in other ways to support people with developmental disabilities through administrative services or the graphic arts are also encouraged to apply.

Undergraduate students will be matched with a laboratory based on their academic background, interests, and career goals. Students should plan to spend approximately 20 hours per week in the laboratory during the 6- to 8-week placement. The summer placement includes training in general lab safety, the ethical conduct of research, background reading relevant to the research, participation in ongoing laboratory experiments and exposure to the analysis and reporting of scientific research. Regular meetings and discussions between the student and mentor allow the students to integrate the information obtained from the readings with the knowledge gained from their experiential learning opportunities in the laboratory.

Admission to the Undergraduate Program

Interested students should complete the undergraduate application form and email it along with a cover letter and resume to both Dr. Kathryn Chadman ([email protected]v) and Dr. Elizabeth Lennon ([email protected]).

Undergraduate applications are accepted from February 1st to March 1st each year.

High School Summer Science Experience

This program for high school students interested in developmental disabilities runs for four weeks. Students will learn about laboratory safety and the ongoing research in Developmental Disabilities at IBR. This is accomplished through tours of IBR laboratories and small group learning activities conducted by IBR scientists. The Summer Science Experience includes observation of laboratory techniques that are used in developmental disabilities research from a wide range of disciplines including behavioral neuroscience, infant development, molecular biology, biochemistry and neuro-anatomy.

Admission to the High School Summer Science Experience

Interested students should complete the high school application form and email it along with a cover letter and resume to both Dr. Kathryn Chadman ([email protected]) and Dr. Elizabeth Lennon ([email protected]).

High School Summer Science Experience applications are accepted from March 1st to April 1st each year.
 

Summer Student Seminar Series: This is a weekly seminar series intended for those beginning to learn about research in developmental disabilities. IBR scientists will give presentations that include background about their field of research, with updates about current findings, and will discuss the applications of these findings to the field of developmental disabilities. The scientists also will share what drives their interest in developmental disabilities and research as well as how their careers developed. This series allows the students to learn about other types of research at IBR beyond the labs that they have been assigned to, and to form connections that will last well beyond their summer at IBR.

IBR Annual Panel Discussion on Developmental Disabilities: There will be a presentation/discussion with a group of professionals and parents who have experience working with and advocating for people with developmental disabilities. This is intended to give students another perspective on developmental disabilities from the community’s and family’s perspectives.
 

Undergraduate students will present posters based on their work at IBR during the summer.