Scholars will travel to Baltimore for an in-person orientation at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University. The orientation will occur from May 29 - June 2, 2023. The UC Davis onsite program is offered from June 20, 2023 to July 21, 2023. 

Please note: these dates are subject to change. Scholars participate in the CDC Showcase and Expo (Dates are TBD).

A stipend of $3,000 is provided to all UC Davis program participants. Consortium site housing and round-trip travel for out-of-state scholars are also available. All program activities are contingent on CDC funding.

Students will be residing in a local college dormitory on the California State University at Sacramento campus in Sacramento, California. Housing during the program will be paid for by the program.

Air flight between sites will be paid for by the program. Any ground transportation, such as driving between housing to community sites or the seminars, as well as parking will be covered by the Scholars.

To be considered for acceptance into this program, the applicant must:

• Be currently enrolled as a rising junior, junior, or senior or received their baccalaureate degree within 12 calendar months of the MCHC/RISE-UP program orientation
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better on a 4.0 scale
• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, permanent resident
• Be able to commit to the length of the program

The application opens November 1, 2022 and closes January 31, 2023.  The application link is at the end of the Application Guidelines.

Application »

Kennedy Krieger Maternal Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement - Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP) »

1. Who is eligible to apply?
   • Rising college juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (must have graduated within 12 months of program orientation date (May 30, 2022). 

2. Where is the program taking place?
   • UC Davis MIND Institute

3. Will all expenses be covered?
   • All air travel and lodging will be covered by the program. Scholars are responsible for any ground transportation and parking. Scholars will receive a $3,000 stipend for their participation in the program. 

4. How am I paired with a mentor?
   • You will be paired with a mentor based on how closely your expressed area of interest/background aligns with those of our available mentors/preceptors. There will be a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders in children, mental health, as well as maternal and child health across sites. 

5. What are some examples of community/clinical sites?
   • Community Sites: previous scholars have worked with the California Department of Public Health-Black Infant Health, the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento, UC Davis Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mustard Seed School, Wellspring Women’s Center, and the Child and Adolescent Abuse Resource and Evaluation (CAARE) Center.
   • Clinical Sites: previous participants rotated through various clinics within the MIND Institute and within the UC Davis Children’s Hospital (e.g., developmental behavioral pediatrics, genomic medicine, child psychiatry, NICU) to learn alongside various healthcare professionals. 

6. What are some options for research?
   • There will be various opportunities to pursue research related to neurodevelopmental disorders in children, mental health, and public health. The focus of all projects will center around maternal and child health.
   • Please refer to a sample of posters by former scholars who worked with mentors and preceptors in our program. 

7. Who are the mentors/preceptors?
   • The mentors and preceptors depend on the area of focus, many of them are faculty at the MIND institute, other departments within UC Davis, California State University at Sacramento, and through the California Department of Public Health. They are health professionals with M.D.s, Ph.D.s, MPHs and of other professions who are committed to mentoring and supporting students. Our mentors and preceptors voluntarily commit their time to supporting our summer scholars. Prior mentors and preceptors have included:

Leonard Abbeduto, Ph.D.

Roger Scott Akins, M.D.

Kathleen Angkustsiri, M.D.

Janice Enriquez, Ph.D.

Danielle Haener, Psy.D.

Robin Hansen, M.D.

Mary Jacena Leigh, M.D.

Madalena Martin, M.D.

Meghan Miller, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Morgan, M.Ed.

Clara Paik, MD

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, MPH, Ph.D.

Meghan Miller, Ph.D.

Christine Nordahl, Ph.D.

Bibiana Restrepo, M.D.

Sally Rogers, Ph.D.

Catherine Rottkamp, M.D., Ph.D.

Julie Schweitzer, Ph.D.

Deborah Son, MSW

Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D.

Meagan Talbott, Ph.D.

Angela John Thurman, Ph.D.

Heather Thompson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Megan Tudor, Ph.D.

Please refer to the sample of posters by former participants for some of the faculty who were supportive of our 2021 Summer program.

8. Where will I be housed?
   • Scholars will be sharing space with other program scholars at the California State University, Sacramento dorm rooms. There will be Resident Advisors (RAs) on-site if scholars need anything. Housing assignments will be given upon arrival to Sacramento. 

9. What are the unique characteristics of the UC Davis Site compared to other sites?
• UC Davis is uniquely situated in Sacramento, the state capital of California. As such, we have access to local legislative activities and representatives who are supportive of our RISE-UP students for the Summer of 2019. The MIND Institute is a well-respected clinical and research institute that specializes in neurodevelopmental disorders in children, and that has a strong emphasis in reaching underrepresented and underserved children and families through its community (Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities) and interdisciplinary training programs (LEND). 

You can view a short video of our 20-21 MCHC RISE-UP Graduates!

SAMPLE OF SUMMER 2022 SCHOLAR POSTERS

1. Reviewing Accessibility Struggles within the Education System for Students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders Post COVID-19  (PDF)
2. Assessing Interest, Topic Preferences, and Barriers for Participation in a Virtual Teleconferencing Program (VTP) Connecting Providers and Spanish Speaking Families Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NDD)  (PDF)
3. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Children with Down Syndrome  (PDF)
4. An Assessment of Cortical Thicknesses and Surface Areas Between Groups with Autism & Intellectual Disability  (PDF)
5. What Evidence Based Strategies Do Parents Spontaneously Use With Their Infants?  (PDF)
6. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  (PDF)
7. A Pilot Study: Exploring The Association Between Wildfire Exposure and Placental DNA Methylation  (PDF)
8. Addressing Barriers to Research Participation Among Individuals with IDD  (PDF)
9. Identifying Culturally Relevant and Family-Centered Feedback for Integration Into the "Let's Talk" Seminar Series  (PDF) 
10. Transition to Adulthood For Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities  (PDF)
11. ¿Hablas Español?: Identifying the Barriers that Providers Face in Serving Spanish-Speaking Families  (PDF)
12. Trauma-Informed Care for Adolescent with Intellectual Disabilities
13. Sensory Reactivity in Infants with Elevated Likelihood of Autism or ADHD  (PDF)