The Neural Systems Engineering Research Experiences for Undergraduate (NSE-REU) program provides talented undergraduate students from around the country with the opportunity to complete a 10-week research project under the direction of University of Minnesota faculty.

Research projects relate to advancing engineering approaches to study and interact with the central and peripheral nervous systems, including topics in experimental studies using cutting-edge recording and stimulation techniques, computational modeling, and neurotechnology device fabrication. Through this program, students are also given a range of special opportunities to improve their research and professional skills and prepare them for graduate school.

This program is funded by the National Science Foundation to support 8 undergraduates.  If accepted into the program, students will select a research program from one of 20+ labs and be paired with a graduate student mentor on a research project doing original research.

The program starts May 31st and ends on August 11th.  Students will participate in weekly meetings to discuss scientific and career development.  At the culmination of the program the students will present posters at an undergraduate summer research program.

This program is hosted by the UMN Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Programs, which helps to run around 8 similar programs in different fields around the university.  The NSE-REU program students will be join a larger cohort of 75 students to participate in many fun and educational programs provided by the LSSURP.

Key features of the program:

• Research advisors from 20+ participating engineering and brain sciences faculty
• Paired mentorship with a doctoral student studying neural systems engineering
• Orientation weekend retreat at Lake Itasca research station at the headwaters of the Mississippi River
• Seminar series and graduate programs fair to enhance professional skills and prepare you for applying to and navigating graduate school
• All campus, end of summer poster symposium to present your summer research
• The program starts in mid-June and extends for 10 weeks into early August
• Stipend, travel, room and board support offered

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Must be an undergraduate student attending an accredited 2 or 4 year institution full time
• Must be interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. in the Life Sciences
• Applicant must be able to commit full time to our program. All students are required to attend every day of the program and to work for a full 8-hourday. You will not be allowed to take time off during the work week for family vacations, classes, part-time jobs, or other appointments.
• We strongly encourage students whose backgrounds encompass diversity to apply