EXCELLENCE

An immersive experience in learning and memory

Howard Schneiderman T32 Training Program in Learning and Memory

About Qualifications Immersive Training Experience Application Fellows

About

The Howard Schneiderman Interdisciplinary T32 Training Program in Learning and Memory at the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory aspires to build the next generation of leaders in the neuroscience of learning and memory. It is a comprehensive training opportunity that prepares students for research-intensive careers in neuroscience.

The program is funded by NIMH and supplemented with a private endowment named in honor of Howard Schneiderman (1927-1990). It supports several predoctoral training slots each year. Stipend amounts are set according to the NIH predoctoral stipend scales.

For 2024-2025, the grant provides the following support package for 1 year.

Stipend $27,144*
Tuition support $11,024
Health insurance $4,550
Travel stipend $750
Childcare costs up to $2,500

* Stipend supplementation by the PI or the School is expected to match students with UCI stipend levels.
Any questions about the financial package should be directed to the CNLM’s Director of Finance Ms. Eleanor Chan at echan@uci.edu

Program Directors:

Director of Training:

Manuella Oliveira Yassa, PhD

External Advisory Board:

Carol Barnes, University of Arizona
Mark Bear, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jelena Radulovic, Albert Einstein School of Medicine
Bradley Voytek, University of California, San Diego

Qualifications

Both PhD and MD/PhD students are welcome to apply. Students will be most competitive to apply during their second year for appointment in their third or fourth year, after completion of all core coursework. In some cases, exceptions related to stage in doctoral training can be considered. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply regardless of stage in their doctoral training. Due to NIH funding policies, only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may be appointed.

Individuals from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in health-related sciences including Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Indigenous Peoples, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from rural and/or disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the criteria listed in the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031), are strongly encouraged to apply.

Criteria for selection include:

strength of academic record
quality of research plan
quantitative and analytical skills
evidence of productivity
commitment to the field of learning and memory
passion for pursuing a research-intensive career

Immersive Training Experience

The Schneiderman Training Program is an immersive experience in learning and memory and is a major undertaking by trainees.

Courses: All trainees will be expected to successfully complete two required courses which generally count towards advanced course requirements for the PhD degree:

NB240. Advanced Topics in Learning and Memory (M. Yassa)
NB 220. Neural Coding, Computation, and Dynamics (B. McNaughton).

Workshops: Trainees are expected to complete the following workshops:

Team Science Approaches to Neuroscientific Inquiry
Experimental Design and Quantitative Approaches
Science Communication

Development Activities: Trainees are expected to take part in the following activities:

attend the CNLM Learning and Memory Colloquium Series;
attend and present work annually at the T32 Fall Retreat; and
attend and present work annually at the CNLM Spring Conference.

All trainees are also expected to complete modules on Rigor and Reproducibility as well as Responsible Conduct of Research. To be renewed for a second year, trainees will need to demonstrate a commitment to the training program activities, satisfactory research progress as well as timely progress towards degree completion.

Application

Applications are due May 6, 2024 at 5:00PM.

Required Application Components:

Research plan (2-page limit, 11 pt font, 0.5 inch margins)
This can be thought of as an expanded Specific Aims with additional experimental detail to allow for a rigorous evaluation by the committee. Figures are allowed but within the two-page limit. An additional 1 page of references is allowed.
Nominee NIH biosketch
This should be in the 5-page NIH NRSA Fellowship format. We recommend using SciENcv to prepare the Biosketch, but it is not required here. Nominees should be sure to include a narrative personal statement in Section A that is tailored for this application, and to include of the all undergraduate and graduate course grades under scholastic performance in Section D.
Faculty mentor nomination letter (2-page limit)
This is a crucial component of the evaluation. The letter cannot be generic and has to focus on the goals of the training program. It should have the following subheadings: (a) Evidence and/or future promise of productivity, (b) strength of quantitative and analytical skills, (c) commitment to a research-intensive career in the field of learning and memory, (d) contributions to inclusive excellence, (e) why the candidate is a good fit for this training mechanism.
Faculty mentor NIH biosketch
Please indicate in personal statement your mentoring track record, previous student outcomes, whether you have had students supported by this T32 mechanism or other T32s, NRSA fellowships, etc. If you have completed any mentor training courses or workshops please indicate this in Section A as well.
Nominee Inclusive Excellence Activity Statement (1 page limit)
This is an opportunity to discuss personal experiences and professional contributions to inclusive excellence in the areas of teaching, research and service. Please see sample guidance here.