Brain Science Program Graduate Research Awards

The Brain Science Program will award several one-semester graduate awards for the 2008-2009 academic year to support the stipend and fees of Ph.D. students pursuing interdisciplinary training in brain science.

Brain Science Graduate Research Awards will support Ph.D. students typically in their 2nd or 3rd year who seek additional training and research experience in order to conduct interdisciplinary brain science research. The award will support activities that provide training beyond the student's home graduate program. Appropriate activities include taking courses outside the home graduate program curriculum or working in a lab outside the program to learn a new technique. Award activities must be explicitly designed to help the student move his or her thesis research into an interdisciplinary area. In particular, the activities should be designed to help students link the life sciences (molecular, cellular, systems, or behavioral) and the physical sciences (mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry or engineering), or to bridge basic and clinical research.  The award will not support ongoing research of students who are already doing interdisciplinary work.

To apply, students should submit a one-page description of the interdisciplinary nature of their research interests and a description of the proposed activities during the award period.  In addition, applications must include a one-page statement of support from the faculty sponsor that describes how the student's course of study during the semester will advance their pursuit of interdisciplinary brain research and augment their training. Applications will be reviewed based on innovation and creativity in the interdisciplinary research project and how strongly the proposed semester activities support the student's training goals.

We anticipate awarding four one-semester awards. Depending on the applicant pool, the Brain Science Program may elect to award partial support to a greater number of students.

The deadline for applications is FEBRUARY 29, 2008 at 5:00 pm EST.  Submit applications to BrainScience@brown.edu. Please use the subject line "Brain Science Graduate Research Award 2008-2009".