Trainee responsibilities
Trainees participate in all elements of the NeuroTech program: courses and workshops. In addition, trainees are expected to be contributing members of the NeuroTech community by:
- attending seminars, donor events and trainee meetings
- presenting their work to the community
- taking an active role to assist ongoing programs and community development through participation in student leadership opportunities
Trainees may join the laboratory of any faculty who is a Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Affiliate, however their primary research focus must be in neurotechnology — developing or applying cutting-edge technology to produce an advance in experimental neuroscience.
To remain a trainee in good standing, all NeuroTech trainees are required to submit an annual progress report that demonstrates progress on their research and their commitment to the training goals of the program. Each progress report will be reviewed by a faculty member on the trainee oversight committee. Progress reports are due mid-summer starting after the first year; you will receive information about how to submit your progress report from the training program coordinator in early summer
Funding
Travel & Research award
NeuroTech trainees are awarded with $2,500 per year for two years to use for travel and/or research.
Travel
Travel must be directly related to their research or research training, such as scientific meetings or similar events. These funds may only be applied to travel conducted during the award period of their traineeship, and may only be used so long as they remain a trainee in good standing.
To use travel funds, trainees must receive prior approval from both their primary mentor (who must fill out a Student Certification form if actual travel is involved), and from the NeuroTech program manager, Zulema Garibo.
Trainees traveling to a scientific meeting are strongly encouraged to present either a talk (preferred) or a poster, as this is an important part of their scientific training. Students who are not planning to present must include a justification when they request prior approval.
To receive prior approval from the training program coordinator, email zgaribo@stanford.edu with:
- Your Student Certification form, completed and signed by your primary mentor,
- The event and location that you are traveling to,
- The dates of your travel,
- A two- to three-sentence explanation of the purpose of your travel, specifically relating it to the NeuroTech training program, and
- Either confirmation that you will be presenting a talk or poster, or an explanation of why you are not planning to do so.
Please note: Stanford now requires graduate students to use Stanford Travel for their travel booking. Learn more.
Research
These funds may be used for research training, which could include attendance at a course or workshop, books (excluding textbooks for courses), a computer and/or materials or expense funds related to their co-mentored research project. Trainees who intend to use their research funds to purchase a computer, must do so before the end of their first year in the program. Research funds may only be used during the award period of their traineeship, and may only be used so long as they remain a trainee in good standing.
Trainees must receive prior approval from the training program coordinator, Zulema Garibo, for purchases, and all equipment purchased with these funds belongs to the university.
To receive prior approval from the training program coordinator, email zgaribo@stanford.edu with:
- A description of the purchase or expense, and
- A two- to three-sentence description of the purpose of your expenditure, specifically relating it to the NeuroTech training program.
Once the purchase has been approved, trainees can make the purchase and then email receipts to zgaribo@stanford.edu to receive reimbursement.