Florida Atlantic University is undergoing rapid development as a cutting-edge neuroscience research and educational institution. This process has been accelerated by the University’s partnerships with internationally known research organizations. FAU and MPFI have joined forces to offer students world-class education and research opportunities. FAU-MPFI joint programs welcome the next generation of the best and brightest researchers into their laboratories to train with world-renowned scientists while taking part in scientific breakthroughs and advancements in neuroscience.
Located on Florida Atlantic University’s John D. MacArthur Campus at Jupiter, FAU High School - Jupiter Campus in partnership with Max Planck Academy is the premier early university entrance high school experience in North America for STEM-focused juniors and seniors in high school. FAU High School is the only public, accelerated pre-collegiate program that has every one of its students working towards a cost-free bachelor's degree and high school diploma simultaneously. It paves the way for students to graduate college debt-free.
The FAU Max Planck Honors Program provides students pursuing three degrees at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior) and 4 concentrations at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College (Biology, Biology/Chemistry, Neuroscience, Psychology) with exclusive enrichment opportunities, including courses taught or co-taught with Max Planck scientists. Cutting-edge neuroscience training courses will include technologies such as 2-photon imaging, super resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, electrophysiology and optogenetic technology. The FAU-MPHP empowers program participates to conduct mentored research, complete a written thesis, and defend the thesis publicly. Students who successfully complete the FAU-MPHP will receive a designation of “FAU Max Planck Honors” on their final transcript.
The Integrative Biology-Neuroscience (IBNS) program is a doctoral program with an emphasis in neuroscience. Comprehending the full function of the brain, in health and disease, requires the understanding of sub-cellular processes in single neurons, signal integration by the brain, and cognitive function. The neuroscience faculty in the IBNS program will tackle many of the cutting-edge questions in neuroscience through the integration of multiple disciplines, different model systems, and a broad spectrum of technologies. Faculty will provide the formal course work and the staff of excellent core facilities will provide practical workshops in advanced microscopy methods.
The International Max Planck Research School for Synapses and Circuits (IMPRS-SC) provides innovative and individualized doctoral training in interdisciplinary neuroscience research. The IMPRS for Synapses and Circuits is a partnership between MPFI and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and is the only IMPRS program in the United States. Our faculty share a central focus on understanding the basic neurobiology of the brain across different scales with state-of-the-art experimental approaches, ranging from the level of individual molecules within synapses to large scale studies of neuronal ensembles during behavior.