The Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Program

Summer Institute in Neuroscience Symposium Flyer (3)

Celebrate the accomplishments of this year's scholars as they showcase their summer research through elevator pitches and a poster session. Join us for a Keynote Lecture by Dr. Christie Fowler.

The event will take place at the Herklotz Conference Center, with the keynote address and elevator pitch presentations also available via zoom for remote attendees.

The summer 2025 application cycle is now closed.

The Summer 2026 application will open in November of 2024.
Join the mailing list to receive updates.

A Message from the Director

Hello and welcome to the Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience! Housed at the University of California, Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, this program aims to immerse undergraduate students in authentic, hands-on research in neuroscience-related areas and prepare scholars for success in graduate school and beyond. Each year, our program enrolls 20 students,  with 10 of them receiving funding from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the remaining 10 supported by the University of California UC-HBCU Initiative. Our overarching goal is to foster an inclusive and supportive environment that nurtures a diverse community of future scholars poised to lead the groundbreaking discoveries of the future.

For those interested in learning more about our program, I encourage you to explore the insights and experiences shared by our past participants. Click here and here to learn directly from the 2023 and 2024 alumni. The summer 2026 application portal will open in November of 2024. Join the mailing list to receive updates.

Detailed information about the program and application process can be found below. Please feel free to reach out to me at Manuella.Yassa@uci.edu should you have additional questions.

 

Warmly,

Manuella Oliveira Yassa, PhD

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National Science Foundation Logo

National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)

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Department of Defense Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (DoD ASSURE)

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University of California Office of the President UC-Historically Black Colleges and Universities Initiative (UC-HBCU)

Meet the 2024 Cohort!

Learn about the program from the participants themselves!

Go behind the scenes!

Check out how the 2023 Summer Institute scholars spent their summer!

Read about the 2024 Program!

During the summer of 2024, the Summer Institute in Neuroscience hosted 11 students from around the country to participate in neuroscience research at UC Irvine. Read more about their experience!

Meet our partners

Christian Bravo

Christian Bravo Rivera, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
University of Puerto Rico

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Jeremy Cohen, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology
Xavier University of Louisiana

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Melissa Harrington, PhD

Associate Vice-President for Research
Director, Delaware Center for Neuroscience Research
Delaware State University

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Sabrina McGary, PhD

Chair, Department of Biology
Delaware State University

Farr Niere

Farr Niere, PhD

Assistant Professor
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

EPerez

Erika Perez, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychology
Xavier University of Louisiana

Roberts_Adam

Adam Roberts, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology
California State University, Fullerton

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Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, PsyD

Dean, Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
Delaware State University

Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Alumni

Lauryn Mitchell 2024

Lauryn Mitchell (2024)

Hampton University (2026)

tyra dennis 2024

Tyra Dennis (2024)

Delaware State University (2025)

naomi cole 2024

Naomi Cole (2024)

Howard University (2027)

destiny green 2024

Destiny Green (2024)

Howard University (2025)

déja_lee_headshot

Déja Lee (2024)

University of California, Irvine (2025)

jadah forbes 2023

Jadah Forbes (2023)

Delaware State University (2025)

sanaa 2023

Sanaa Stough-Lacking (2023)

Texas A&M University (2025)

 

alayah s 2023

Alayah Solomon  (2023)

North Carolina A&T State University (2025)

ashley loga 2023

Ashley Loga (2023)

Albany State University (2025)

fabiola 2023

Fabiola Amaya Reyes (2023)

California State University, Fresno (2024)

kayla cason 2023

Kayla Cason (2023)

Howard University (2023)

 

abril romero 2023

Abril Romero (2023)

New Mexico State University (2024)

 

leila braggs 2023

Leila Braggs (2023)

Hampton University (2026)

 

kayla rhodes 2023

Kayla Rhodes (2023)

Howard University (2024)

 

heidi brown 2023

Heidi Brown (2023)

Cal State Fullerton (2024)

 

Chavara Bartley 2

Chavara Bartley (2022)

Delaware State University (2023)

Currently taking a gap year before applying to graduate school

anapurna germain 2024

Anapurna Germain (2024)

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State (2026)

Isaac clay

Isaac Clay (2024)

Xavier University of Louisiana (2026)

nadeja jackson 2024

Nadeja Jackson (2024)

Howard University (2026)

taryn mallory 2024

Taryn Mallory (2024)

North Carolina A&T University (2025)

jada mars 2024

Jada Mars (2024)

North Carolina A&T University (2024)

destiny edens 2024

Destiny Edens (2024)

North Carolina A&T University (2025)

joseph 2023

Joseph DuPree (2023)

Saint Joseph's University (2024)

julia 2023

Julia Lagomarsino (2023)

Colby College (2024)

 

vanessa 2023

Vanessa Mijares (2023)

California State University San Marcos (2025)

 

george 2023

George Babineaux III (2023)

North Carolina A&T State University (2025)

jairo 2023

Jairo Orozco (2023)

Farmingdale State College (2023)

 

elise kinyanjui 2023

Elise Kinyanjui (2023)

St. Mary's College of Maryland (2025)

angel lindner 2023

Angel Lindner (2023)

Spelman College (2025)

 

Angela calderon 2023

Angela Calderon (2023)

St. Mary's University (2025)

india turner 2023

India Turner (2023)

Xavier University of Louisiana (2025)

 

imani douglas 2023

Imani Douglas (2023)

Delaware State University (2024)

 

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Emmanuella Bssey

Emmanuella Bassey (2021)

University of Texas, Austin (2023)

Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology in Toulouse, France. 

Bookman, Drew

Drew Bookman (2022)

Xavier University of Louisiana (2023)

Currently pursuing a Medical Degree at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine

2021 Irvine Summer Internship in Neuroscience Program - Neuroscience student, Amanda Borges, pictured in theme park

Amanda Borges Rivas (2021)

Florida International University (2023)

Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 

 

 

Bullock - summer institute

Brianna Bullock (2022)

Delaware State University (2023)

Currently participating in the Johns Hopkins University Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)

chapman

Angela Chapman (2022)

UC San Diego (2023)

Currently a Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Iowa
NSF GRFP Recipient (2023)

coates

Darrien Coates (2022)

Mount St. Mary's University (expected graduation 2024)

Currently conducting summer research at Harvard University in the laboratory of Dr. Beth Stevens

cornejo

Gabriela Cornejo (2022)

Loyola University New Orleans (2023)

dennis

Jason Dennis (2022)

North Carolina A&T University (2023)

Currently a full-time research assistant at UCSF in the laboratory of Dr. Anna Molofsky.

Dwaah

Danielle Dwaah (2022)

University of Maryland, College Park (expected graduation: 2024)

anisa - summer institute

Anisa Fair (2022)

Morgan State University (expected graduation 2024)

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Michael Hicks

Michael Hicks (2021)

University of Michigan (2023)

Currently pursuing a Postbac Research Position in perceptual science at Meta/Facebook

James - summer institute

Raven James (2022)

Xavier University of Louisiana (2023)
Currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling

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Tamara Jones (2022)

Xavier University of Louisiana (expected graduation 2024)

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Cinthya Maldonado

Cinthya Maldonado (2021)

Williams College (2023)
Currently a Research Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Recipient of a National Eye Institute Diversity Supplement for redefining culturally adapted implementation program for teleophthalmology among Latinx patients.

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Jaela Melton (2022)

North Carolina A&T (2024)

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Tatyana Murphy (2022)

Xavier University of Louisiana (2023)

Currently a Clinical Psychology PhD student at Jackson State University in Mississippi

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Vivian Nye

Vivian Nye (2021)

Wellesley College (2023)
Currently pursuing a Medical Degree at Oregon Health Sciences University Medical School. 

Kepler - summer institute

Kepler Palacio-Soto (2022)

University of Rochester (2023)

Currently a Research Specialist/Lab Manager at Princeton University

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Alexandria Richardson

Alexandria Richardson (2021)

University of California, Riverside (2022)
Currently a PhD student at the University of California, Irvine. 

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Carly Rodriguez (2022)

Urnisus College (2023)
Currently a PhD student at the Tufts University Neuro at JAX program. 

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Sabrina Santos

Sabrina Santos (2021)

University of Puerto Rico (2023)

Jordan-Sigler-22-768x903

Jordan Sigler (2021)

Penn State University (2022)
Currently a Clinical Research Coordinator at Penn State.

Skinner -- summer institute

Morgan Skinner (2022)

Delaware State University (2023)
Currently conducting research at NIH as a Helena Mishoe Postbaccalaureate Fellow

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Zoe Treadwell (2022)

Hampton University (2023)
Currently a PhD student at the University of California, Irvine Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program

Nishtha - Summer Institute

Nishtha Tripathi (2022)

St. Bonaventure University (expected graduation 2024)

Twine - Summer Institute

Rebekka Twine (2022)

Delaware State University (2023)
Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of California, Davis

DYANE - Summer Institute

Dyane Velazquez (2022)

Vanguard University (2023)

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns- Nya Weems

Nya Weems (2021, 2022)

Claflin University (2023)
Currently participating in the Harvard University Program in Neuroscience Postbaccalaureate Program. 

2021 Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Interns - Hope Zamora

Hope Zamora (2021)

Northeastern University (2023)
Currently conducting research at Massachusetts General Hospital.