The annual NEURAL (National Enhancement of UnderRepresented Academic Leaders) Conference, hosted by the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program (RMS) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), will be held Wednesday-Friday, June 12-14, on UAB’s campus. This year is the 10th anniversary of the NEURAL Conference, and to commemorate this milestone, we have an exciting program of speakers prepared!

The annual NEURAL Conference is the only regional conference of its kind and the cornerstone of the efforts of the UAB Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program. The overall objective of the RMS Program and the NEURAL Conference is to provide the necessary tools to enhance engagement and retention of underrepresented* graduate trainees in the neurosciences. 

Underrepresented graduate neuroscience trainees are invited to register and submit abstracts. Registration is OPEN and FREE! A limited number of TRAVEL AWARDS are available for non-UAB underrepresented neuroscience graduate trainees! Preference will be given to those who submit quality abstracts by the May 7 deadline. A second round of travel awards will be made if funds allow. Travel awards will take the form of free dorm lodging, meals and travel reimbursements upon receipt of detailed receipts. Indicate interest in a travel award on the registration form.

We have had past NEURAL attendees from your university, and would love to keep spreading the word. Please feel free to forward this email to any trainees who may be interested in attending.

Visit our website (https://www.uab.edu/medicine/rms/neural-conference/2024-neural-conference) to register. Please let us know if you have any questions! You can contact us by email at roadmap@uab.edu, or by phone at 205-934-9115.

* Underrepresented (must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents):

1. Racial and ethnic groups shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research, such as Black or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
2. Students with disabilities (physical or mental) as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
3. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the criteria defined in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity.