The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences offers jointly with the Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines and the Department of Biology, a 10-week summer research-intensive training program in all fields of neuroscience to non-MIT undergraduates (Sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors) majoring in all STEM fields. This summer internship program is funded in part by the MIT’s School of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the Simons Center for the Social Brain.
The summer program is primarily designed to encourage students from underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students, and students from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds to attend graduate school and pursue a career in basic research by providing them the opportunity to conduct supervised research in a top-notch research institution, in a supportive learning environment with plenty of interaction with graduate students and faculty. This summer program provides a unique opportunity for students who do not have access to top-notch research facilities at their own institution to conduct supervised research in state-of-the-art research facilities. Preference is given to applicants from non-research-intensive colleges and universities.
2025 Summer SCSB MSRP Students:
Ramyla Dahmer
Rising Senior, Howard University
Projects: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Treatment Study in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD); Pharmacotherapy RCT in Adolescents with Co-occurring Autism and ADHD (AuDHD)
Noah Kabbaj
Rising Senior, Washington University in St. Louis
Project: Uncovering serotonergic regulation of plasticity using all-optical physiology
2024 Summer SCSB MSRP Students:
Raul Hernandez Robles
Junior, Morgan Community College
Project: How does the posterior insular cortex process pain?
Read about Raul’s experience at MIT
Carolina M. Rivera Méndez
Junior, University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez
Project: State-dependent control of brain activity and behavior in C. elegans
Read about Carolina’s experience at MIT
2023 Summer SCSB MSRP Students:
Tsehai Boucaud
Senior, University of Central Florida
Project: Using deep neural network (DNN)-based encoding models to reveal functional dissociations with the human visual scene processing network
Read about Tsehai’s experience at MIT
Payton Dupuis
Graduated from Montana State University in May 2023; Starting as a post-baccalaureate at MIT in September
Project: Comparing synaptic development and maintenance pathways in larvae versus those in older adult Drosophila neuromuscular junctions
Read about Payton’s experience at MIT