The Hassenfeld Scholars Program is available to Brown University undergraduate, graduate, and medical students who have an interest in maternal child health research, policy, and advocacy. Applicants must be able to commit at least 10 hours per week to the program in both the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters. Approximately 6 students will be selected.

Overview of the Program 

The Hassenfeld Scholars Program provides students with mentored research experience and leadership opportunities in maternal child health. Scholars may work on ongoing research projects within the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute or may propose new research projects in alignment with the Institute's areas of focus. Possible research areas for scholars include, but are not limited to:

• Child mental health
  • Prevention, diagnosis, or treatment
  • School-based assessment and intervention
  • Social media and child outcomes
• Substance use prevention
• Food insecurity & nutrition
• Maternal depression prevention
• Social determinants of health
• Implementation of evidence-based practices in community settings

Based on their research interests, scholars in the program will be paired with a faculty mentor. These primary mentors will be core or affiliated Institute faculty or other Brown University professors with relevant expertise. Scholars are expected to attend team research meetings and participate in activities that may include:

• Attending and helping coordinate the Hassenfeld Institute’s MCH monthly journal club
• Conducting literature reviews
• Recruiting and consenting research participants
• Data collection (e.g. phone surveys, qualitative interviews)
• Data analysis
• Abstract and manuscript preparation
• Drafting policy briefs
• Presenting at Brown’s Public Health Research Day
• Submitting research manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication

Please see the list of past research projects at the bottom of this page.

To apply, applicants should submit the application form AND email the below materials to us.

• Current resume or CV
• Essay of up to 1,000 words describing:
  • Reasons for wanting to participate in the Research Scholars Program
  • Topics of interest relevant to maternal and child health
  • How the internship relates to the applicant’s academic work, including relevant courses that have been taken and future academic plans
  • How the internship will build toward a thesis or capstone project or otherwise contribute to the applicant’s educational aims
  • Future career plans
  • Please include your name and current degree program/concentration at the top of the essay
• A copy of the Brown University transcript (unofficial transcripts will be accepted)

• The academic performance and future promise of the applicant
• The potential of the applicant to benefit from the Research Scholars Program
• The match of the applicant with the goals and activities of available mentors
• Preference for projects that build to a thesis or capstone project 

After application review, a subset of applicants will be interviewed by the Hassenfeld Scholar Program committee. Acceptance to the program will be announced by May. Scholars will then meet with their mentors to outline the work plan for the upcoming year. There will be no required in-person cohort meetings over the summer, and Scholars may use the summer to pursue other work or internships. Depending on the research project, some Scholars may use the summertime to complete IRB research ethics training or other activities to access data or complete onboarding to research teams. 

The standard internship begins in the Fall of 2026 (on September 14th) and runs through Spring of 2027 (April 30th). A commitment of 10 hours per week is required. Variations in this schedule will be considered for students with academic or other schedule issues. This should be requested at the time of application. 

Past Summer Scholars project topics have included:

• Randomized and longitudinal testing of a digital intervention for collaborative mental health in the perinatal space
• Universal school-based mental health screenings
• Targeted messaging to address underutilization of the WIC program
• Health policy briefs related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Estimating racial and economic disparities in gestational diabetes mellitus among AAPI individuals