April 2, 2024

Congratulations to Alexa Gorman and Maven Mercado, who were each accepted to competitive research programs for Summer 2024!

Alexa will be participating in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute Summer Internship Program (PNI SIP), where she will be conducting an original research project with guidance from Princeton faculty. She will also take part in group educational and professional development activities, including an end-of-summer poster session and attendance at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.

Maven was offered the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship, which provides students with a meaningful first-hand introduction to research in oceanography, oceanographic engineering, or marine policy. Maven declined this award to participate in the DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) program this summer in Germany.

Alexa Gorman
psychology '25
Princeton Neuroscience Institute Summer Internship Program (PNI SIP)

Alexa is a third-year student at Drexel University pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. This experience will help her hone her skills to prepare for graduate school and a career in research. Alexa has been gaining hands-on experience through volunteering at the Chrysikou Lab. Her involvement in various research projects has provided her with invaluable insights into experimental design, data analysis, and collaboration.

Alexa has been involved in the Pennoni Honors College through the Honors Program.

Maven Mercado
environmental science '26
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship (declined)

Maven Mercado (they/he) is a 2026 candidate for the BS in environmental science with a concentration in applied environmental science. They are also double minoring in geoscience and biological sciences. Maven is a student in the Liberty Scholars Program, which awards underrepresented students with a full-tuition scholarship for twelve academic quarters. During the summer after their freshman year, they interned with Heights Philadelphia as a teaching/administrative assistant. For their first co-op, they were awarded funding in the amount of $6,000 from the Steinbright Partners Program to complete an unpaid co-op at the Philadelphia Zoo. Since January 2023, they have been working as a research assistant in the Invertebrate Paleontology department of the Academy of Natural Sciences. For their second co-op, they were awarded funding in the amount of $4,000 from the Research Fellowship Supplement Program to continue this research full-time. Through RISE, Maven will be doing research at Universität Hamburg, analyzing ostracod assemblages across the Permian-Triassic boundary to reconstruct paleoecological conditions.

Maven is a queer, Hispanic, first-generation North Philly native who takes pride in all of these identities. When they're not focuses on school, work, or research, they love reading, watching horror movies, and walking around the city. 

Maven has been involved in the Pennoni Honors College through the SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows Program.

Princeton Neuroscience Intitute's Summer Internship Program (SIP) is for highly motivated non-Princeton undergraduates who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in neuroscience or a related field. PNI provides education and hands-on research experience for interns to collaborate closely with students and faculty at PNI on original research projects and gain invaluable first-hand experience on what it is like to be a neuroscientist.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship program brings students to Woods Hole for a 10-12 week paid research experience. They learn about ocean science, attend lectures and professional development sessions, and conduct independent research working alongside world-class ocean scientists and engineers.

View additional external research opportunities on our website. Interested in applying? Email urep@drexel.edu for more information.