The Neuroscience Institute at University Park supports the education and professional development of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows across both The Huck and mulitple home colleges. Several resources are available to our members:
Letters of support for fellowship applications
The PSNI at University Park can provide letters of support for fellowship applications (NIH F31, F32, K99, American Heart Association, NSF GRFP, etc.). To request a letter of support for grant applications, fellowships, etc., click here for Microsoft form Requests should be submitted at least 1 month before grant deadlines
Student and fellow travel awards
The PSNI at University Park has a limited amount of travel funds to support conference presentations of PSNI graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Awardees and their presentation information will be highlighted on the PSNI website. Travel for the 2024-2025 fiscal year award must be completed before June 30, 2025. This award is available to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows affiliated with the Neuroscience Institute at University Park and is a supplement to other sources of funding for student research presentations at scientific conferences.
Postdoctoral led-journal club
Neuroscience trainees meet monthly for a journal club over lunch.
To sign up for the journal club listserv, email journal club postdoc coordinators Joe Ricotta and/or Laurel Seemiller.
Fellowship opportunities
T32 training grants are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide career development opportunities to grad students and postdoctoral researchers. The Huck Institutes currently offers four T32 training grant programs: Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Integrative Analysis of Metabolic Phenotypes, Molecular Machines Mechanism and Structure, and Physiological Adaptations to Stress. Trainees must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or permanent residents with a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card.
Dual title in Social and Behavioral Neuroscience (SBN)
Dual-title options at Penn State provide opportunities for graduate students to demonstrate expertise in a specific application of their degree, by enabling students to earn a doctoral degree title in both their home program and the area of specialization. The Social and Behavioral Neuroscience dual title program is available to students who are admitted to a doctoral program in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Human Development and Family Studies, Psychology, Nutritional Sciences, or Biobehavioral Health.
Learn more about the dual title program here
Learn more about the Huck Inter-College Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Neuroscience here
