Explore programs designed to help you grow as a researcher, science communicator, and neuroscience advocate. Open to high school and college students worldwide.
About the Program
The Winter Creators Internship is a five-week fully virtual program where interns research neuroscience topics and design Instagram carousel posts for NeuroSphere's official platform. Interns earn up to 50 community service hours while building science communication and graphic design skills.
What Interns Do
Each week, interns propose a unique neuroscience-related topic for approval, then design one scientifically accurate and visually engaging Instagram carousel slide using Canva or a comparable platform. Topics can span neuroanatomy, cognition, mental health, neuropsychology, neurodegeneration, and more. Collectively, each intern's slides form a complete carousel published on NeuroSphere's official Instagram page.
Design Requirements
All slides must be created at 1080 × 1080 pixels (1:1 square ratio) in Canva or a comparable design platform — Google Slides is not permitted in any form. Slides must follow NeuroSphere's hot pink color palette and be designed for mobile viewing with a clean, professional layout.
Content Standards
All research must be drawn from credible, authoritative sources such as the NIH, NINDS, CDC, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Content must be entirely original — plagiarism and the use of AI-generated text are strictly prohibited. Each carousel must conclude with a dedicated slide citing all sources used.
Service Hours
Completing 4 of 5 slides earns 40 service hours and a certificate of completion. Completing all 5 slides with an approved extension earns 45 hours. Completing all 5 slides on time without any extensions earns 50 hours.
About the Program
The Independent Research Fellowship is a six-week program where high school and college students independently conduct original research in neuroscience, psychology, or public health — culminating in publication in the NeuroSphere Student Research Journal. No prior research experience is required.
Program Dates and Structure
The fellowship runs from June 21 to August 1, 2026. Over six weeks, fellows develop and submit their research paper in structured milestones: an abstract and introduction draft (Week 2), a methods section (Week 3), results and themes (Week 4), a discussion and conclusion (Week 5), and the complete final draft including references (Week 6). The weekly timeline serves as a guideline — fellows should consult their mentor regarding adjustments based on their specific research needs.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to current high school students (grades 9–12) and undergraduate college students from any discipline. No prior research experience is necessary — only curiosity, dedication, and a commitment to completing the program.
Mentor Support
Fellows are assigned one of 17 expert mentors based on their chosen research theme, with two mentors available per theme. Mentors hold weekly virtual office hours, provide detailed feedback on drafts, and support participants in navigating research challenges throughout the program. Mentorship is optional but strongly encouraged.
Research Themes
Participants choose from nine themes across three tracks. In neuroscience: Brain Health and Neurodegeneration, Neuroimmune Interactions and Inflammation, Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Function, Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, and Emerging Technologies in Neuroscience. In psychology: Developmental and Adolescent Psychology, and Mental Health and Behavioral Science. In public and global health: Environmental Health and Brain Health, and Health Policy and Neurological Care.
Submission and Publication
Final papers must be organized into standard scientific sections — abstract, introduction, methods, results/themes, discussion/conclusion, and references — and cited consistently in APA or MLA style. Submissions must be in PDF format and received by August 1, 2026. All accepted papers will be published in the NeuroSphere Student Research Journal.
Academic Integrity and Participation
All work must be original and grounded exclusively in credible sources such as the NIH, CDC, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and peer-reviewed journals. AI tools like ChatGPT may only be used for brainstorming — generating or substantially modifying written content with AI is strictly prohibited. Fellows who become inactive for more than one week without prior communication will be removed from the program and will not be eligible for publication or a certificate of completion.