Yale Fellowship in Translational Developmental Neuroscience

Award Description

The Yale Fellowship in Translational Developmental Neuroscience will select highly qualified college graduates to participate in cutting-edge clinical research on social cognition in children at risk for autism at the Yale Child Study Center. The Yale Child Study Center is a leading institution for clinical research on autism and related social disabilities, with a multidisciplinary approach to autism research spanning projects in behavioral neuroscience, neuroimaging, molecular and population genetics, and treatment. Successful applicants will be involved in a 2-year program of training involving clinical and research experiences.

The training curriculum includes participation in an intensive summer training period in the field of autism clinical research, a weekly seminar on autism (1 semester), bi-weekly science meetings (year-long), weekly Child Neuroscience Laboratory meetings (year-long), and other didactic experiences at the Yale Child Study Center. The fellow will also be trained in an empirically-validated behavioral intervention for children with autism, Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). The fellow will then be a primary PRT therapist for preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders, under the supervision and mentorship of a licensed psychologist. Additional training experiences will be in daily activities related to functional neuroimaging research in high-risk infants and children with autism, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and eye tracking. With research mentorship, selected applicants will be expected to guide a pre-determined project of research from the point of data collection through analysis and publication of results. The Fellowship will also provide additional funding (beyond the award amount) for participation in one international conference related to autism research per year. Successful applicants will be directly mentored by the program directors, and involved in a highly active and productive community of clinical research scientists.

Sponsor Institution: Yale Child Study Center, Yale University

Program Directors: Kevin Pelphrey, Pamela Ventola and Brent Vander Wyk

Additional Faculty:  James McPartland, Brian Scasselati, Fred Volkmar, George Anderson, Kathleen Koenig and Julie Wolf

For more information on the Faculty at the Yale Child Study Center Developmental Disabilities Clinic, visit ourfaculty directory.

Award Amount: $30,000 the 1st year, and $32,000 the 2nd year (plus full healthcare coverage)

Term of Award: 2 years

Submission Deadline: March 1, 2013

U.S. Citizenship: Not Required

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible are college graduates who will have a bachelor's degree by June 2013. While candidates are expected to have experience with computer programming and an interest in medical research goals, applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged.

Please note that this fellowship is not offered concurrently with graduate studies. However we do hope that for fellows leaving the program, the fellowship will serve as an important stepping-stone towards future medical or graduate studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the FAQ page for questions regarding this fellowship and application.

Application Information

For more specific questions, interested applicants should contact Kevin Pelphrey. Additional information about the Yale Child Neuroscience Lab can be found at http://www.yale.edu/cnl/ 

A complete application includes 1 copy of each of the following items:

  1. A completed application form
  2. A resume
  3. Official transcripts, undergraduate and graduate (if applicable)
  4. A 2 page personal statement containing biographic material, relevant experience, and career goals - can be single or double spaced
  5. Two sealed and signed letters of recommendation which speak directly to the candidate's potential

Mailing Your Application

Please address your application to:

Kevin Pelphrey
230 South Frontage Rd. 
New Haven, CT 06520
(203) 785-3565

Links to Recent Publications

For a list of recent publications, visit the Yale Child Neuroscience Lab website: http://www.yale.edu/cnl/publications.html