UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER

BRAIN RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Institute for Human Neuroscience at Boys Town National Research Hospital offers a collaborative Undergraduate Summer Brain Research Program. This 10-week program provides undergraduate students with an unparalleled opportunity to experience and conduct neuroimaging research first-hand. The program also includes participation in professional development workshops, journal clubs, and lab meetings. At the conclusion of the summer, all students present their research findings at a summer retreat. All students selected for participation in the program receive a competitive stipend, housing, daily transportation to and from work, and transportation to and from Omaha for the summer.

The Institute for Human Neuroscience will not be holding the Undergraduate Summer Brain Research Program in 2025. Please check back next year for updates on the program for 2026.

Faculty Mentors

  • Gaelle Doucet, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: aging, fMRI, networks, hubs, connectivity

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  • Elizabeth Heinrichs-Graham, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: developmental cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, MEG, oscillations, cognitive control, attention and working memory, hearing loss

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  • Max Kurz, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: sensorimotor integration, motor learning, MEG

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  • Giorgia Picci, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: childhood adversity, puberty, mental health, developmental neuroscience, MEG

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  • Rachel Spooner, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: aging, sensorimotor function, cognitive neuroscience, MEG, neuromodulation, movement disorders, mitochondrial redox biology, inflammation

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  • Brittany Taylor, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: developmental cognitive neuroscience, MEG, attention, high-order cognition, environmental toxins

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  • Tony Wilson, PhD

    Boys Town National Research Hospital

    Keywords: oscillation, cortex, MEG, motor, tDCS, attention, working memory

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SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Past Scholars

  • "My experience as a summer research scholar and later as a research assistant in Dr. Wilson’s lab was the single most meaningful experience of my undergraduate academic career and was instrumental to my matriculation into medical school."

    Raeef Rahman
    2020 Summer Scholar
    Current M.D. Student,
    University of Kansas Medical Center

  • “The skills I learned helped me prepare for the graduate school-level research and academic writing I do now, and I can’t thank the lab enough for helping me gain more experience in a field that is not common for women of my background.”

    Abril Rangel-Pacheco
    2019 Summer Scholar
    Current Ph. D. Student,
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  • "My summer experience was transformative. Through this hands-on experience, I learned about developmental-cognitive neuroscience research, magnetoencephalography, data analysis, statistics/computational methods, and so much more."

    Danielle Thompson
    2023 Summer Scholar
    Current Undergrad Student,
    Florida State University

  • “I feel incredibly fortunate to have been in the presence of such accomplished scientists that were invested in training the next generation of students. I knew that I was in a place where the people cared about the success of each other without compromising the quality of the science they conducted.”

    Chloe Casagrande
    2019 Summer Scholar
    Current M.D./Ph.D. Student,
    Georgetown University

  • "The program allowed me to get hands-on experience in research and gave me a better understanding of what a career in research entails. The collaborative environment helped me learn useful skills to advance my career in science."

    Tara Erker
    2022 Summer Scholar
    Current Research Assistant,
    Institute for Human Neuroscience

  • "Being a part of the Summer Scholars program was invaluable for deciding my future field of study, gaining vital research experience to be successful in graduate school, and understanding the responsibilities and opportunities that are part of a graduate education."

    Boman Groff
    2017 Summer Scholar
    Current Ph.D. Student & NSF GRFP Fellow, University of Colorado - Boulder

  • “Working in such a collaborative environment with mentorship from individuals in various academic positions provided a truly unique opportunity to gain experience working toward becoming an independent research scientist.”

    Dr. Michael Trevarrow
    2016 Summer Scholar
    Current Postdoctoral Fellow,
    Northwestern University

  • "Mentored by a collaborative community of brilliant scientists, I learned the components of scientific investigation and the nuances of a unique field of research as a Summer Scholar, and these experiences cultivated skills I have since used, within and beyond research."

    Haley Pulliam
    2021 Summer Scholar
    Current M.D. Student,
    Creighton University School of Medicine-Phoenix

  • "Being fully immersed in a research setting and completing an independent project helped me refine my research interests and expand upon my knowledge of the capacities of neuroimaging to investigate even the social aspects of development. I can confidently say that my summer at IHN was a career-defining moment."

    Sarah Caldwell
    2024 Summer Scholar
    Current Undergrad Student,
    Cornell University

  • "What impressed me most about the summer program was the vibrant, collaborative culture and the generosity of excellent scientists, through which I developed a clearer vision of my scientific goals and acquired valuable knowledge and skills to turn that vision into reality as I move forward."

    Rachel Bonney
    2024 Summer Scholar
    Current Undergrad Student,
    Brigham Young University