Outreach and Student Opportunities
The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) is pleased to provide a wide variety of opportunities for students and others to learn about our scientific research and our animal care program. Our scientists and animal care professionals speak with visitors to ONPRC, serve as mentors for teachers and students, visit area classrooms, and interact with the public at special events on our campus and in the wider community. Please contact Kayla McDaniel, Education & Outreach Coordinator, for more information mcdankay@ohsu.edu.
Overview of Outreach Programs
- For the classroom and general public
In-Person Tours
Tours of the Primate Center are popular with teachers in the northwest. We can host groups of 10 to 50. Tours include an age-appropriate presentation and visits to breeding colonies of rhesus and Japanese macaques (Snow Monkeys). Depending on the content, tours last 90 minutes to 2.5 hours. The minimum age for tours is 10 years (5th grade). To schedule a tour, please fill out the tour request form.Virtual Tour
If you can’t visit in person, check out our virtual tour video.Speakers Bureau
ONPRC can provide speakers on various topics, including laboratory animal care, aging effects on the brain, reproductive health, obesity, and biomedical careers. This program will return during the 2025-2026 school year.Ask an expert
Students often need expert opinions for research. If you need help in biomedical research, we can assist!- For high school students
Summer High School Student Apprenticeship Program
Scientists at ONPRC mentor high school students through Saturday Academy’s Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE). Students receive a stipend to conduct research for 8 weeks under a Primate Center scientist. Project descriptions appear by January, and the application deadline is the first week of March. For details or to apply, visit Saturday Academy’s website.Science Ambassadors
This program offers high school students a chance to learn about science while developing leadership skills. Students meet weekly during the school year. They learn from Primate Center researchers and create hands-on activities for 5th graders who join twice a month. Updated information and applications are available by September 30 each year at https://www.ohsu.edu/onprc/volunteer-opportunities.- For 5th graders
Science Ambassadors
This program is the same as above, providing 5th graders with mentors who are high school students. The high school students learn about science and lead activities for the younger students. Updated information and applications are available by September 30 each year at https://www.ohsu.edu/onprc/volunteer-opportunities.- For undergraduates
Undergraduate Summer Fellowship Program (USF)
ONPRC welcomes undergraduate students nationwide. After a rigorous application process, selected interns receive a $4,000 stipend for an 8-week internship with a mentor scientist. Applications are due at the end of January, and students are notified in March. Updated project descriptions and application materials are available each fall. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.ohsu.edu/onprc/training-and-education.Provost Scholar Summer Fellowship Program
Applicants must be entering their junior or senior years, attend a 4-year Oregon college, and belong to a historically underrepresented group in health and science (e.g., African-American/Black, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latinx). Interns receive a $4,000 stipend for an 8-week internship with a mentor scientist. Applications are due at the end of January, and students are notified in March. Updated project descriptions and application materials are available each fall. For more details or to apply, visit https://www.ohsu.edu/onprc/training-and-education.- For high school and middle school teachers
Murdock Trust Partners in Science Program
Scientists at OHSU’s West Campus (ONPRC and VGTI) mentor high school teachers through the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust’s Partners-in-Science program. Successful applicants receive grants to conduct research with a Primate Center investigator for two summers. For more information, visit http://www.murdock-trust.org/grants/partners-science.php or email Kayla McDaniel at mcdankay@ohsu.edu.- For veterinary trainees
Veterinary Externship Program
OHSU/ONPRC offers students in accredited veterinary programs various tailored experiences. In this year-round program, students can create a program with 2-week increments in a specific location. They may continue with a mentor for up to 8 weeks or longer by special arrangement. Contact Jeffrey Stanton, DVM (stantoje@ohsu.edu) for more information.Veterinary Technician Externship Program
Vet tech students from PCC and other accredited programs can take 5-8 week externships at ONPRC. During this time, they learn to provide care for nonhuman primates from expert animal care specialists and spend time in the rodent colony. Contact Jeffrey Stanton, DVM (stantoje@ohsu.edu) for more information.