Neuroscience imaging of cells

Enhancing NeuroScience Undergraduate Research Experience (ENSURE) Program

Program Description

The Enhancing Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Experiences (ENSURE) program is a 2-year paid scholarship that will provide 10-15 undergraduates with an extended and authentic neuroscience research experience, a robust network of mentoring support, and the necessary skills to successfully gain admittance to graduate or medical school.

ENSURE scholars will develop research skills through formal training in the classroom and hands-on wet lab research experience. Additionally, scholars will learn the necessary skills to disseminate their research via academic journal publications and poster presentations at national conferences.

During the 2-year commitment, ENSURE fellows cannot participate in another paid research or academic experience without prior approval from the ENSURE co-directors (this includes the NSF REU program, Green Fellowship, external summer research programs, etc).

Research Skills

Students will take an Intro to Neuroscience Research Skills course and will receive a mentored research experience in a faculty lab.

Mentorship

Students will receive a full mentorship experience that includes faculty research mentorship, career mentorship and near-peer mentorship.

Career Building

Students will build the necessary skills to continue their education and purse a career in biomedical research towards a Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or M.D.

Program Components

  • Introduction to Neuroscience Research Skills Course (3 hours/week, 15 week course) 
  • ENSURE scholars dinner (once per semester) 
  • Career Mentoring Meetings (once per month) 
  • Mentored Research in Laboratory
    • Weekly lab meetings
    • Biweekly mentor meetings 
  • Summer Mentored Research in Laboratory
    • “Tools for Research” Series 
  • Seminar Series (once per month) 
  • Responsible Conduct of Research Training 
  • UTD’s Undergraduate Research Symposium (Spring) 
  • UTD’s Summer Research Symposium (July) 
  • Travel to National/International Conference 

Program Funding

  • Fall, Spring and Summer Research Stipend
  • Housing Stipend*
  • Tuition Stipend*
  • Travel Funds

Applications are no longer being accepted for the ENSURE program.

Interested in applying for a research program like ENSURE? Check out UTD’s new MARC Program.

Funding provided by Communities Foundation of Texas’ W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund and the UTD School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences