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Clinical Neuroscience & Research Experience (CNR-X) International

What is CNR-X?

The Clinical Neuroscience & Research Experience (CNR-X) International is an immersion experience for high achieving high school students from China, many of whom are likely to attend highly competitive U.S. colleges. All students who successfully finish the experience will receive a certificate of completion from the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The curriculum will cover a wide and diverse spectrum of topics in neuroscience, psychiatric disorders, research in psychiatry, psychological and social aspects of behavioral sciences. CNR-X also covers topics important to young people, including professional and career opportunities in medicine and science, plus self-care strategies in the transition to adulthood.

The experience is structured around five key themes of instruction, described below:

Neuroscience and Neuroscience Research

Study various fundamentals and theories of neuroscience and behavioral science, and research in these fields (Knowledge of the “Brain Facts Book” from the Society for Neuroscience will be assumed).

Research Project

Design a research project in student teams, with guidance from Stanford faculty and Stanford staff mentors.  Since two weeks is too short a time to actually conduct meaningful and significant research, students will focus on learning about research and the early phases of planning and setting up a research project.  We will follow an approach well known at Stanford and Silicon Valley for designing innovative research projects that involves needs finding, brainstorming, rapid prototyping, and presenting/pitching one’s research ideas. All student research teams make a brief research presentation on graduation day and compete for a grand prize for research projects.

Clinical Neuroscience

Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders and research findings relating to these disorders.

Train the Brain

Learn how research findings in neuroscience and behavioral science may apply to improving everyone’s brain functioning and success.

The Stanford Experience

Sample the Stanford experience and prepare for highly competitive U.S. colleges. Interact in live online classrooms with Stanford faculty and staff mentors

In 2023, CNR-X will be offered as a virtual program (Clinical Neuroscience Virtual Experience, or “CNV-X”). All essential components of the Program (e.g., talks, discussions, capstone research projects) will be held virtually and will only require using Stanford-approved online communications and video- conferencing software.

The program will involve designing a research project in student teams, active oral participation by students, small group discussions, lectures, and online learning exercises. Almost all of the instructors are faculty members of Stanford University. We also have staff who support the instructors and the Program. Students should speak English fluently and have a computer/laptop and webcam that will meet the specifications for Stanford Zoom.

How do I apply?

For application details, please see the ICProject website.

For more information please contact Laura Turner-Essel at lte@stanford.edu

CNR-X Leadership

Co-Director, Chairman, Katharine Dexter McCormick and Stanley McCormick Memorial Professor
Co-Director, Professor, Associate Chair – Director of Education
Assistant Director, Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Sr. Education Program Manager

Past Faculty and Presenters

(subject to change)

Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology-Adult)
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology-Adult)
Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Interdisciplinary Brain Science Research)
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator), of Neurobiology and, by courtesy, of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator) and, by courtesy, of Radiology (Neuroimaging and Neurointervention)