SPARQ Program

SPARQ (Summer Program to Advance Research and eQuity in Pain and Neurological Health) provides undergraduate students with a paid summer research opportunity to engage in pain and neurologic health research under the mentorship of experienced researchers and principal investigators at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington. SPARQ is sponsored by Seattle Children’s Research Institute and funded by the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Please see the Application Guidelines page for more information on eligibility.

The Summer 2025 program will run from June 23 through August 22, 2025.

Program Components

This is a full-time, 40 hours/week opportunity. Students will be paid $20 an hour for the duration of the nine-week program.

Students will be expected to attend in-person activities and events. Students will be responsible for their own travel arrangements.

• Mentored research projects: Students will be matched with a faculty mentor from Seattle Children’s Research Institute or the University of Washington in a research area of their choice and complete a research project under their guidance. Research areas include:
  • Clinical pain outcomes and epidemiology
  • Basic and translational neurosciences
  • Pediatric pain research
  • Translational pain research
  • Health disparities research in pain and neurologic health

Students will work directly with their mentor for the full nine weeks of the program, with options to continue during the academic year.

• Seminars: Students will attend a weekly SPARQ seminar, which will cover:
  • Content-specific topics in pain and neurologic health
  • Inclusive research practices
  • Practical skills-building topics to advance research knowledge

Students will also participate in lab meetings and seminars with their faculty mentor’s research center, specific to the research topics they are studying.

• Journal club: To model best anti-racist and inclusive research practices, students will engage in four journal clubs to discuss articles that use research frameworks that contextualize biological, intrapersonal and social factors that influence neurologic health and pain.
• Clinical shadowing: Students will have the option to participate in up to three clinical shadowing days at Seattle Children’s Hospital or the University of Washington in a field relevant to their research project (e.g., observing in the pain clinic, intensive care unit or operating room).
• Career panel: Students will have the opportunity to engage with a career panel, which will consist of fellows and scientists from both academic and industry settings. These panelists will provide perspectives on their work and career paths.
• Research Symposium: At the end of the summer program, students will participate in an interactive poster session and research symposium where they will present their results to the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and University of Washington community.

How to Become a SPARQ Student

Students who are interested in applying to the program should first review eligibility criteria, expectations and available supports on the Application Guidelines page. Applications for Summer 2025 will be open from January 13 through February 14, 2025. 

Questions?

If you have any questions about the program or eligibility, please email Sophia Mun.