Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN)
The Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) aims to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students who have not had access to research opportunities. It provides funds for paid research assistantships for undergraduate students living near Simons Foundation-supported laboratories in the U.S., Canada and Europe, for students who might not otherwise have access to such opportunities.
Fellows are mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral scholars and participate in career development activities, including a virtual coding boot camp and a scientific symposium in New York City.
The 2025 request for applications (RFA) is available here.
The SURFiN program is part of the Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division, which also includes the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB), the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB) and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). SURFiN undergraduate fellows gain hands-on, in-person research experience, in the laboratories of SCGB, SCPAB and SFARI investigators, during the academic year with direct mentorship, typically from early-career scientists. Learn about the SURFiN community here.
The Autism & Neuroscience division is invested in supporting the next generation of researchers and recognizes that creating opportunities for all to contribute improves scientific innovation and collaboration. Through programs like SURFiN, we aim to expand access to research experiences, support early career scientists in advancing in their careers, and work to create a research training environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
The SURFiN Program is named in honor of neuroscientist Krishna Shenoy. Shenoy was an SCGB investigator and seminal figure in developing the dynamical systems approach now widely used to understand and model the nervous system and its functions. He nurtured a collaborative environment in his lab, launched the careers of dozens of neuroscientists and engineers, and inspired them to be dedicated mentors for their team.