Internship at the Intersection of Neuroscience, Entrepreneurship, and community service

The BrainMind Ecosystem is a collective of top brain scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and other doers and thinkers who aim to advance ideas in neuroscience, psychology, brain health and vibrancy, optimized learning, and other cutting-edge BrainMind topics. Members of this unique group are patient, risk-tolerant, and passionate about the brain and the mystery of human consciousness, in addition to being individually at the top of their respective fields.

Learn more

 The Internship - Cambridge, MA

Each summer, 10-12 carefully selected undergraduate students from top schools around the country come together in Cambridge to learn, grow, and be immersed in the nexus of brain science and entrepreneurship. The BrainMind Internship Program gives students the unique opportunity to get involved with BrainMind programs and the community through summits and discussions, as well as networking opportunities and personal projects. As students learn to manage special projects, they develop both hard skills (market research, data analysis, etc.) and soft skills (critical problem solving, collaboration). Students will grow their networks and develop their personal and professional skills through mentorship with experts in neurotechnology, investing, startups, and more, continuing even after the summer.

Students are not only encouraged but also empowered to explore and develop their unique ideas within the program's framework. As a result, numerous participants have extended their concepts, establishing successful companies or impactful non-profits.

BrainMind interns come from a variety of backgrounds and interests. What unites them all is a passion for the brain, entrepreneurship, and social impact. These topics are at the heart of the internship.

 
 

Best of BrainMind

Summer 2024 Key Intern Activities

PUBLIC Ethics and Brain Science Gathering with UNESCO and MIT Media Lab

Take a look at our Summer 2024 Community Neuroethics Event, featuring:

  • Dr. Karen Rommelfanger, UNESCO representative

  • Dr. Nataliya Kosmyna, MIT Media Lab researcher

  • BrainMind Leadership and Intern Team

This event was an engaging session, allowing local community members to contribute to the creation of International Policies and Guidelines on Neuroethics.

BrainMind + Your Brain on Art: How Art Transforms Us

Inspired by the groundbreaking insights of our cohosts, Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, in their best selling book "Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us", this day was dedicated to exploring how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, brain, and behavior. Participants were able to awaken their senses through the perfect blend of theory and practice, immersing themselves in live artistic experiences where they not only witnessed but could actively participate in creative expression.

BrainMind Special Forum: Neuromodulation + BCI + AI

This past June, BrainMind invited world-renowned experts to explore the forefront of cognitive innovation. These two days delved into the rapidly evolving landscapes of neuromodulation, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and the interaction of artificial and biological intelligence. These cutting-edge technologies are transforming lives — enabling people to walk again, talk again, see again, and hear again. Not only are these scientific breakthroughs restoring function, they are offering transformative potential for mental health and human performance.

Mentorship Sessions with Leading Professionals in Neuroscience and Business Development

“The BrainMind Internship is the perfect starter course on how to be a student entrepreneur. While BrainMind provides incredible exposure to myriad fields within neuroscience, the BrainMind internship also offers many opportunities to get involved in companies addressing the social determinants of health, impact investing, philanthropy, AI, and social entrepreneurship. ”
— Chloe Duckworth, Founder of Valence Vibrations/USC'23/BrainMind Intern 2020
 
“You get the opportunity to be more than just an “intern”; you’ll have the chance to take on projects of your own and really learn how to manage real-world issues and how to work with teams of like-minded people. I got to explore many of my interests (and find completely new ones) while learning and meeting the best people”
— Jonathan Arnold, Stanford'23/ BrainMind Intern 2021
 

Projects that interns can engage with:

Building connections between brilliant neuroscientists and tech entrepreneurs 

Writing and fact finding about the current landscape of neuroscience startups and research topics

Organising and participating in scientific salons in Boston, Menlo Park, LA, NYC

Preparing for BrainMind's national scientific summits

Strategic planning for BrainMind’s Global Neuroethics Initiativeake

Gaining experience in cutting edge knowledge on the neuroscience of meditation and other mental-wellness initiatives

 

Within this internship, participants can expect to cultivate a range of valuable skills, including:

Entrepreneurial Skills

Creative Problem Solving

Project and Team Management

Marketing and Design

Professional Communication

Introspection and Self Development

Outreach Skills

Presentation Skills

Conscious Leadership Skills

Business, Scientific, & Tech Writing

 

Previous BrainMind Interns and where are they now:

Chloe Duckworth, USC (‘23)

CEO, Valence Vibrations

Abe Dada, Harvard (‘21)

M.D. Candidate, UCSF

Sophie Ishiwari, UPenn (‘23)

Co-founder, Sonura 

Isaiah Nawaz, Brown University (‘25)

Summer Analyst at Clearview Healthcare Partners

Vinh Tonm, Stanford (‘20)

Software Engineer, Google

Anna Peters, Harvard (‘23)

Analyst, NeurotechX

Brandon Palacios, Harvard (‘21)

Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator, UCSF

Shreya Singhvi, Berkeley (‘22)

Product Manager, Flourish Labs

Isaac Schaider, Stanford (‘22)

Investor, D. E. Shaw

Ranya Belmaachi, NYU (‘23)

Consultant, OpenBCI

 
“This internship was the most valuable experience I have had in my academic life. I gained skills that will carry throughout my career and discovered more about myself than I thought possible. I can’t recommend this internship enough. ”
— Mia Caldwell, Harvard'24/BrainMind Intern 2022
“BrainMind is filled with bright and hardworking students, as well as a management team whose number one priority is to help you grow as an entrepreneur, a teammate, and someone with the ability to make a lasting impact on the world. ”
— Aymen Kabir, Havard'21/ BrainMind Intern 2020

This program is strategically crafted to empower students in their career journey, providing them with a robust foundation to excel in their chosen paths. 

Former interns have transitioned from our programs to achieve remarkable and varied accomplishments. They have effectively translated the skills acquired during this program into gratifying and influential careers. Many even used connections or mentors fostered during the internship to launch their careers.

  12 Week Internship Curriculum

Get to know more about the organization, future projects, and our impact while meeting other interns.

Learn to effectively communicate in professional settings, understand expectations and norms when networking with professionals.

Develop and expand your teamwork skills through presentations and workshops

Learn how to efficiently and effectively manage teams across different settings.

Expand your own ideas and learn how to transform them into real projects.

Learn firsthand from founders about what it takes to start your own organisation.

Practice crafting impactful presentations while presenting your own ideas.

Learn the fundamentals of investing and impact investing, and what you should be doing now to prepare for your future.

Learn and ask questions about the pros and cons of different grad school options.

Research and connect with potential mentors to aid in your reaching your career goals.

Foster a deeper understanding of ethical and empathetic approaches to guide and inspire teams in the realm of innovation and collaboration.

Reflect on your growth, goals, and aspirations, fostering introspection and sharing insights to cultivate personal and professional development.

Sample Week:

We Asked One Of Our Intern’s to Reflect On Their Personal Week. Here’s What It Looks Like:

  • 11am-12pm: Standups - Share What You Accomplished Last Week, What You Plan to Work On, and Any Roadblocks You Have Encountered

    12:30pm-1:30pm: Tutorial on "Managing Up" and Developing Proper Leadership Skills to Manage a Team

    3:30pm-4pm: Ecosystem Investor Search Check-In

    4pm-4:15pm: Follow Up GrayMatters Health Team Meeting for Investor Search

    7pm-7:30pm: BrainMind NYC YouTube Check-In With Intern Team

  • 10am-11am: Lecture on Professional Networking and Career Development

    11:30am-1:30pm: Discussion with Harvard Law School Professor Noel Roycroft About the Legal Formation of Startups

    1:45pm-2:45pm: Neurotechnology Consulting Info Session with NTX Services

  • 11am-11:30am: Networking Call with a Potential Mentor to Learn More About Designing Your Own Startup in the HealthTech/BioTech Industry

    12pm-1:30pm: Student Tutorials -- Present Your Own Pitch for a Startup with the Possibility of Leading a Team of Interns Throughout the Summer to Carry Out Your Idea

    2pm-3pm: Presentation of Your Team's Investor Search Findings to Founder of Non-Invasive BCI Startup

    3:30pm-4pm: Meeting with Diana About Personal Project on Neuroethics Page on BrainMind's Website

    8pm-10pm: Winning Trivia Night at Dugout Cafe with the Interns (Optional Social Activity)

  • 9:30am-11am: Zone of Genius Exercise - Understanding Your Personal Strengths

    12pm-1pm: Guest Mentorship Session with Benjamin Stecher, Discussing the Future of Neuroscience and His Impactful Work with Tomorrow Edition

    3pm-3:30pm: Investor Search Check-In With Hayley

    4pm-4:45pm: Networking Call with Potential Mentor

    8pm-10pm: Paint Night! (Optional Social Activity)

  • 11am-12pm: Student Led Session -- Discover The C.O.D.E. to Your Unique Brain Type with Jim Kwik's Online Assessment and Participate in a Mini Neuroethics Debate

    1pm-2pm: Anna and Hayley's Office Hours -- Meet to Discuss Current Pitch Competition Ideas

    2pm-3pm: BrainMind Projects + Goals Overview

    3:30pm-4pm: Meet with Diana and Humanity Neurotech to Discuss Future Funding for their Startup

    7pm-8:30pm: Dinner at Atlàntico with Interns (Optional Social Activity)

 

Internship Alumni

Program Graduates 

The BrainMind program has served more than 100 students over the course of the past seven years. Each summer, BrainMind handpicks 10 students to be apart of the Advanced Special Projects Team. These students are meticulously chosen for their academic prowess, remarkable personal skills, visionary thinking, and an unmatched commitment to leveraging entrepreneurship and STEM for the betterment of humanity.

Camila Dangot, Brown

Sofia Vera Verduzco, Stanford

Isaiah Nawaz, Brown

Eva Dorr, Harvard

Jake Pappo, Harvard

Dakota Lawlar, Stanford

Reem Omar, University of Chicago

Kriti Achyutuni, UC Berkeley

Will Savage, Cornell University

Zihan Wang, Johns Hopkins

Song Moua, Stanford

Sophie Ishiwari, University of Pennsylvania

Lauren Hyoseo Yoon, Northwestern

Anna Riggs, Santa Clara University

Mia Caldwell, Harvard

Shreya Singhvi, UC Berkeley

Timothy Domashevich, Baylor

Anna Peters, Harvard

Yug Yadava, Rowan University

Melissa Hummel, MIT

Cesar Rodriquez, USC

Serena Zhao, Harvard

Ian Cataluna, Johns Hopkins University

Carolyn Huynh, Duke

Chloe Duckworth, USC

Lenae Joe, Stanford

Ali Makani, Harvard

Maria DiMartinis, Harvard

Patrick Song, Harvard

Manciana Cardichon, Harvard

Wonuola Obasa, Harvard

Lyna Kim, Stanford

Jonathan Arnold, Stanford

Abraham Dada, Harvard

Joanna Li, Columbia

Brandon Palacios, Harvard

Setu Mehta, Stanford

Aymen Kabir, Harvard

Vanessa Sims, Stanford

Brian Nguyen, Stanford

Suveer Kothuri, Miami of Ohio

Isaac Schaider, Stanford

Vinh Tonm, Stanford

Shavonna Jackson, Harvard

Trenton Chang, Stanford

Seung Hyeon Shim, MIT