The goal of the Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) program is to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students who have not had access to research training opportunities. SURFiN provides funds for paid, in-person undergraduate research assistantships during the academic year to students living near Simons Foundation-supported laboratories in the U.S., Canada and Europe. SURFiN fellows will gain hands-on, in-person research experience during the 2026-2027 academic year with direct mentorship. Fellows may earn up to $7,500 USD at a rate of $25/hour for 10 hours a week over 30 weeks. SURFiN mentors are typically early-career scientists such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Fellows and mentors participate in career development activities, including a virtual coding boot camp and a scientific symposium in New York City in spring 2027.

This program is for students currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or associate’s degree program who have not had access to research training opportunities. Since SURFiN recruits students who may have little or no previous research experience, the program prepares them for entry into research training. The Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division offers the program to nurture new talent and to broaden the community of early-stage trainees interested in the scientific missions of our programs. We aim to drive innovation and collaboration by supporting scientists with a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences.

For more information about this fellowship opportunity, visit the program overview webpage. For AY26-27, a SURFiN opportunity is available for WashU undergraduate students to work with Apoorva Arora and the Kepecs Lab.