Each year the participating institutions (Emory University, Georgia State University, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and the Marcus Autism Center) recruit researchers willing to host an ION Scholar for mentored hands-on research. These researchers are asked to design an opportunity for the Scholar that includes them in as many aspects of the research process as possible in a 7-week program, e.g. exploration of background literature, experimental design, data collection and analysis, interpretation, presentation, and writing.
Once final offers have been made for the available summer positions (following application review and in-person interviews), ION Scholars are invited to a Saturday luncheon when they can meet representatives from the labs that have volunteered to host an ION Scholar. The Scholars will hear from each research lab and then have the opportunity to ask representatives questions over lunch. Following the luncheon, Scholars are asked for their top choices for their summer placement. In past years, Scholars have generally been matched with one of their top three choices.
Once the matching process is complete, each Scholar will begin the hiring process with their respective institution through the matched institution’s human resources department. Stipends for the research work are generally paid following the completion of the 8-week program.
Following is a list of past research mentors (not exhaustive):
- Elliott Albers, Georgia State University
- Maria Alvarado, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Francisco Alvarez, Emory University
- Patricia Bauer, Emory University
- Anthony Chan, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Daniel Cox, Georgia State University
- Gennady Cymbalyuk, Georgia State University
- Geert de Vries, Georgia State University
- Brian Dias, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Arthur English, Emory University
- Nancy Forger, Georgia State University
- Sandra Garraway, Emory University
- Robert Gross, Emory University
- Claire-Anne Gutekunst, Emory University
- Robert Hampton, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Ellen Hess, Emory University
- Kim Huhman, Georgia State University
- Paul Katz, Georgia State University
- Donna Maney, Emory University
- Vasiliki Michopoulos, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Gretchen Neigh, Emory University
- Marise Parent, Georgia State University
- Brad Pearce, Emory University
- Donald Rainnie, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Autism Center
- Yoland Smith, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- David Weinshenker, Emory University
- Larry Young, Yerkes National Primate Research Center