During the 10-week long VTCRI neuroSURF program, students will participate in a series of educational, research, and social activities.
Education
The VTCRI neuroSURF program will include courses in general laboratory orientation and safety, data management and record keeping, and lectures on introductory translational neurobiology. Students will receive science writing and communication training and learn how to communicate science to the public. These activities will prepare students for their participation with oral and poster presentations at the Annual Virginia Tech Summer Research Symposium. All of these courses will be delivered by faculty at VTCRI and are designed to prepare undergraduates for careers in neurobiology research.
Research
All VTCRI neuroSURF students will perform 10 weeks of full-time, hypothesis-driven independent research in neurobiology labs at VTCRI. At the end of this period students will deliver presentations at the Annual Virginia Tech Summer Research Symposium. In addition to independent research, all VTCRI neuroSURF students will attend a weekly Translational Neurobiology Research Seminar Series at VTCRI. This seminar series will include presentations on the state-of-the-art neurobiology research occurring at Virginia Tech.
Social Activities
All VTCRI neuroSURF students will participate in several social activities throughout the 10-week period. This will include pizza parties and ice cream socials, opportunities to meet fellow summer research students, and peer mentoring from graduate students at VT. Additionally, there will be activities that take advantage of beautiful Roanoke, a small city nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.