Summer Undergraduate Research Program
An Immersive Clinical Research Experience
The UNMC Summer Undergraduate Research Program provides undergraduate students with an immersive summer research experience in a clinical research lab at the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation.Generally referred to by its acronym SURP, this program is a 10-week, 40 hours per week commitment. Students obtain first-hand experience by becoming part of the research team and having a dedicated mentor. MMI also provides accepted students with professional development opportunities, weekly educational activities at MMI and several team-building activities across the summer. All positions at MMI include a $6,000 stipend for the summer.
Why MMI?
MMI provides an energetic and welcoming academic environment where students can achieve their highest potential.Our Vision of a SURP Scholar
We are looking for applicants from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and interests who want to be part of a cooperative research environment. Our ideal researcher is a self-starter, ready to learn and make the most of the summer. Someone who is ready to network and collaborate with other faculty, staff and students.
Information for Applicants
MMI Research Opportunities
Explore the opportunities available for students enrolled in MMI's summer undergraduate research program.
Blackford Lab
- Research Program: Emotional Neuroscience Research Lab
- Project Lead: Dr. Blackford
- Project Description: The Emotional Neuroscience Lab (Blackford Lab) focuses on anxiety and how it relates to an extension of the amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The SURP summer intern will be helping with neuroimaging studies involving adults with an alcohol use disorder or adolescents with autism. Additionally, students can participate in analyzing data from studies of anxiety or alcohol use disorder.
Play Lab
- Department: Physical Therapy, Play Lab
- Project Lead: Dr. Cunha
- Project Description: The Play lab focuses on designing and testing play-based interventions and technologies to improve function, activity and participation in children with motor delays. The SURP summer intern will help with understanding and implementing the use of modified ride-on toy cars in children’s environment.
Autism Care for Toddlers Clinics
- Department: iCASD, Autism Care for Toddlers Clinics
- Project Lead: Dr. Halbur and Dr. Carroll
- Project Description: MMI's integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders' Autism Care for Toddlers Clinics are community outreach programs. The clinics provide early intervention services using applied behavior analysis to children 2 to 6 years old. The research team investigates components of early behavioral intervention and treatment team member (i.e., caregiver, staff) involvement in behavior analytic service delivery. The SURP summer intern will assist with ongoing projects including data collection, graphing and analyzing data and preparing for sessions.
Building Relationships in Dyad and Group Environments
- Department: iCASD, Building Relationships in Dyad and Group Environments Program
- Project Lead: Dr. Connolly
- Project Description: MMI's integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders' Building Relationships in Dyad and Group Environments Program offers specially designed small group intervention for children with autism aimed at promoting skills necessary for positive peer interactions and social play, social communication skills, and classroom readiness. The SURP summer intern will receive training and mentorship from a clinical psychologist in applied research opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of group-based behavior analytic interventions.
Early Intervention
- Department: iCASD, Early Intervention Program
- Project Lead: Dr. Rey
- Project Description: MMI's integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders provides comprehensive treatment services for children with autism spectrum disorder. The SURP summer intern will help Dr. Rey with evaluating the effectiveness of efficiency of interventions for teaching children with autism.
Autism Diagnostic Clinic
- Department: iCASD, Autism Diagnostic Clinic
- Project Leads: Dr. Shillingsburg, Dr. Zematic, Dr. Courson
- Project Description: Students working within MMI's integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders will assist with an FDA clinical trial evaluating the use of an eye-tracking device to diagnose autism spectrum disorder in young children. Roles will primarily involve supporting the consenting process, as well as data checking and entry. We have some additional projects that may be in data collection at this time, including a collaborative study evaluating the use of a haircutting simulator to increase tolerance for receiving haircuts in real life. Students will get to attend research meetings and get more in-depth exposure to research in clinical settings.
Severe Behavior
- Department: Severe Behavior Disorders
- Project Leads: Dr. Fahmie
- Project Description: The severe behavior department is recruiting an undergraduate student to assist on several ongoing studies related to the assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The research assistant will gain hands-on and supervised experience conducting literature reviews, collecting real-time and retrospective behavioral data, making graphs, analyzing data, and participating in a weekly research lab meeting.
Speech-Language Pathology
- Department: Speech-Language Pathology
- Project Leads: Dr. Gormley
- Project Description: In the speech-language pathology department, the SURP student will assist with several ongoing studies related to the development and evaluation of augmentative and alternative tools and trainings for children and adults who have limited speech. Studies include investigating the effects of "just-in-time" augmentative and alternative communication trainings on parent and healthcare provider communication skills while interacting with people with limited speech. The student will gain hands-on and supervised experiences with data collection and analysis in clinical environments such as outpatient and inpatient hospital settings.
Virtual Reality
- Department: Administration - Research
- Project Leads: Dr. Gonabadi
- Project Description: The Virtual Reality and Wearable Technology Lab focuses on integrating advanced technologies like virtual reality and wearable sensors to improve physical activity and rehabilitation programs. The summer project will involve evaluating current exercise programs for individuals with developmental disabilities (e.g., Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy) and developing VR-based interactive exercise environments. The SURP summer intern will assist with integrating VR systems and wearable devices, collecting and analyzing data on participants' physiological responses, and designing engaging, adaptive VR modules to enhance physical and cognitive outcomes.
SURP in the News
Learn more about SURP
Visit the UNMC Division of Student Success website to explore more details about the SURP program including all applicant requirements, factors considered during applicant selection and helpful hints for submitting an application.