Donald J. Cohen Fellowships in Developmental Social Neuroscience

Award Description

The Donald J. Cohen Fellowships in Developmental Social Neuroscience will select highly qualified college graduates to participate in cutting-edge clinical research on social cognition in infants at risk for autism at the Yale Child Study Center. The Yale Child Study Center is a leading institution for clinical research on autism and related social disabilities, with a multidisciplinary approach to autism research spanning projects in behavioral neuroscience, neuroimaging, molecular and population genetics, and treatment. Successful applicants will be involved in a 2-year program of training involving clinical and research experiences in a large prospective study of babies from birth to 36-months of age.

The training curriculum includes participation in an intensive summer training period in the field of autism clinical research, a weekly seminar on autism (1 semester), weekly science meetings (year-long), weekly social neuroscience lab meetings (year-long), and other didactic experiences at the Yale Child Study Center, Developmental Disabilities Section. The primary training experience will be in daily activities related to eye-tracking research, including operation of experimental equipment and paradigms, contact with infants and toddlers and their families, and responsibility for completing experimental protocols. With research mentorship, selected applicants will be expected to guide a pre-determined project of research from the point of data collection through analysis and publication of results. The Fellowships will also provide additional funding (beyond the award amount) for participation in one international conference related to autism research per year. Successful applicants will be directly mentored by the program directors, and involved in a highly active and productive community of clinical research scientists.

Donald J. Cohen (1940-2001) was Director of the Yale Child Study Center from 1983-2001. More information on his life and work can be found here.

Sponsor Institution: Yale Child Study Center, Yale University

Program Directors: Ami Klin and Warren Jones

Additional Faculty: Fred Volkmar, Kasia Chawarska, Rhea Paul, Matthew State, George Anderson, Lawrence Scahill, Kathleen Koenig, Katherine Tsatsanis, and Celine Saulnier

Award Amount: $30,000 per year (plus full healthcare coverage)

Term of Award: 2 years

Submission Deadline: January 9, 2008

U.S. Citizenship: Not Required

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible are college graduates who will have received a bachelor's degree by June of 2008. Candidates with previous experience with infants and toddlers, experimental psychology, or young children with autism will be favorably reviewed.

Please note that this fellowship is not offered concurrently with graduate studies. However we do hope that for fellows leaving the program, the fellowship will serve as an important stepping stone towards future graduate studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the FAQ page for questions regarding this fellowship and application.

Application Information

For more specific questions, interested applicants should contact Jennifer Cochran at (203) 785-3565 or jennifer.cochran@yale.edu. Additional information about the Yale Child Study Center Developmental Disabilities Section can be found at www.autism.fm.

A complete application includes 1 copy of each of the following items:

1. A completed application form
2. A resume
3. Transcripts, undergraduate and graduate (if applicable)
4. A 2 page personal statement containing biographic material, relevant experience, and career goals - can be single or double spaced
5. Two letters of recommendation which speaks directly to the candidate's potential

Mailing Your Application

If sending by regular mail address your application to:

Jennifer Cochran
Senior Administrative Assistant
Yale Child Study Center
P.O. Box 207900
New Haven, CT 06520-7900
(203) 785-3565
(203) 737-4197 (fax)
jennifer.cochran@yale.edu

If sending by FedEx address your application to:

Amy Margolis
40 Temple Street
Suite 6B
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 785-6237

Links to Recent Publications

Klin, A., Jones, W., Schultz, R.T., Volkmar, F.R., & Cohen, D.J. (2002). Defining and Quantifying the Social Phenotype in Autism. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159 (6): 895-908.

Klin, A. Jones, W., Schultz, R.T., Volkmar, F.R., & Cohen, D.J. (2002). Visual Fixation Patterns During Viewing of Naturalistic Social Situations as Predictors of Social Competence in Individuals with Autism. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59: 809-816.

Klin, A., Jones, W., & Schultz, R.T. (2003). The Enactive Mind, or From Actions to Cognitions: Lessons from Autism. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B: Biological Sciences, 358: 345-360.

Klin, A., Chawarska, K., Paul, R., Rubin, E. Morgan, T., Wiesner, L., & Volkmar, F.R. (2004). Autism in a 15-month-old child. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(11), 1981-1988.