Undergraduate summer scholars participate in a variety of scientific activities outside the lab, including journal clubs and seminars by Janelia researchers and visiting scientists. We also provide professional development opportunities, including workshops on preparing competitive applications for graduate school/graduate fellowships, and presenting effective talks. Students present their research in lab meetings and at a closing symposium open to both the Janelia community, the sister program communities, and scholars’ families.
On-campus housing is provided for Janelia Summer Undergraduate Research Program (J-SURP) Scholars. They, and other Janelians, have access to a Janelia shuttle service to the Metro and Washington DC. Janelia offers a variety of social spaces—from Bob’s pub to the Manor House music room—and other campus amenities. There are three on-site dining locations and two on-site gyms. Students can also take advantage of group fitness classes, a climbing wall, a 5-mile running path, tennis and basketball courts, and nature trails.
J-SURP scholars are encouraged to explore the surrounding area and enjoy a variety of social activities on and off-site, including Janelia barbecues, a fourth of July outing to the Washington DC fireworks display, and other local events. Students can also plan their own social adventures, such as a Washington Nationals ballgame or white water rafting down the Potomac River.
If you have any questions about undergraduate life at Janelia, please contact the Director of Student and Postdoctoral Programs, Erik Snapp.
Q&A with Dan Tsuma, UNC Chapel Hill
Q: Tell us about yourself
A: I’m a junior biology major at UNC Chapel Hill, with minors in data science and chemistry. In addition to enjoying my academic coursework, I also love research. I’ve been in a few research labs here at UNC. My freshman year I started off in a genetics lab doing research on mutations related to blood pathology.
Q: What initially brought you to Janelia?
A: I’m a Chancellor’s Science Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill, which is a sister program to the Meyerhoff Scholars. My program coordinator told me about this summer research opportunity. But it wasn't until I had my meeting with Erik Snapp and Nelson Spruston that I got really excited about Janelia.
The initial meeting, or interview, was Erik basically trying to figure out what method of mentorship best suits me. That was such an interesting concept to me, because I came prepared for rapid-fire interview questions. It was nice to know they cared that much; the whole meeting was designed for figuring out what my mentorship style would be over the summer. I was debating another summer research program, but it was an easy decision to come to Janelia.
Q: What projects did you get to work on at Janelia?
A: I did behavioral research on continual learning in mice. I learned everything from mouse handling and behavior to specific rig setup, data collection, and coding. I also used a technique called EASI-FISH to more closely examine the hippocampus in mice. The work I did helped demonstrate feasibility to one day implement EASI-FISH and behavior tasks in tandem, during mesoscope recordings, to better understand what regions of the brain are correlated to the physical tasks that they’re doing.
Q: What is your favorite memory from your time at Janelia?
A: There were several nights that me and my peers went to the Manor House and we would hang out there and have some conversations, play board games; that was always fantastic. We went to DC, all of us students, and we went to a couple of museums and the national mall. It was fun exploring it with friends, which I hadn’t done before.
Q: What advice would you have for someone interested in this program?
A: Don’t let a lack of experience turn you away from learning more about an opportunity. Don’t worry about your qualifications; I didn’t have neuroscience experience, but I still was able to thrive here because people are so willing to teach.
