Our research team is dedicated to engaging undergraduate students in the field of ophthalmology and ensuring that the future of vision science is in excellent hands—yours. We hope future engineers will consider contributing their talents to developing sight-saving technologies, and that future physicians will explore the fulfilling work within this small but impactful specialty. Even if your interests lie outside engineering or medicine, there are many ways they can intersect with ophthalmology. All students are welcome to explore this career path with us.

Each summer, our department hosts the University of Maryland Ophthalmology Research Summer Internship, a paid 10-week research opportunity led by our pediatric ophthalmologist, Dr. Alexander. To learn more about Dr. Alexander’s research, please visit Retinopathy of Prematurity Research. By the end of the internship, participants will author a manuscript based on their project and present their work at least one national meeting.

Undergraduate students from engineering and computer science backgrounds—as well as all other majors—are encouraged to apply. While many interns are pre-med or biology majors, these are not requirements; we value diverse perspectives and problem-solving approaches.

If you are interested, please plan to attend our Zoom information session in mid-November. Applications are due December 31st, with interviews conducted in December and January via Zoom. Final selections will be made in January or February.

For more information about the information session or application process, please contact us at eyeresearch@som.umaryland.edu.

Past Projects Include:

• Evaluating changes in ocular blood flow in premature infants before and after intracranial procedures
• Analyzing stress levels experienced by premature infants during standard-of-care eye exams
• Identifying microscopic differences in lens capsule tissue across various cataract