Education and Training
The Neural Engineering Laboratory has a long history of providing learning opportunities for students. Students and fellows in the Neural Engineering Laboratory receive top-quality mentorship and research opportunities.
The laboratory team is always interested in considering applications from well-qualified students through one of the following Mayo Clinic programs:
- Graduate Research Education Program (GREP). An hourly paid research employee program for students with undergraduate degrees who are pursuing medical school or graduate school admission, GREP offers research experiences that can last up to two years and start at any time during the year.
- Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP). An intense program of up to two years, PREP is designed to expose students from underrepresented communities with undergraduate degrees to basic and translational research prior to application to the Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. program. Participants receive stipends to cover their expenses.
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). This is a 10-week research fellowship for undergraduate students in their sophomore or junior years at a U.S. college or university who are interested in pursuing admission to a Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. program. While in SURF, students develop and complete — or work on — existing research projects and receive stipends.
- Research trainees. At Mayo Clinic, research trainees must be self-funded or extramurally funded and able to work for one year. Each trainee receives mentoring and coaching from a senior researcher in the Neural Engineering Laboratory.
The lab's capacity to accommodate research students and trainees varies throughout the year depending on the availability of senior lab staff, faculty and students to serve as mentors. Due to the substantial number of requests received, the lab cannot guarantee that all inquiries will receive a reply. Candidates who have specific research skills, experience, or interests and ideas for research projects in line with the mission, goals and current projects of the Neural Engineering Lab will receive preference.
Candidates interested in the SURF, PREP, Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. programs should pay close attention to application deadlines and apply through the appropriate Mayo Clinic website. Candidates interested in GREP or postdoctoral positions should email Michael J. Coenen at coenen.michael@mayo.edu in the Neural Engineering Laboratory.