Our research depends on a community of students, volunteers, patients, and supporters. There are many ways to be part of the work we do — whether you want to contribute your time, your skills, or your support. Below are the main ways to get involved.

Join the Lab

We are always interested in hearing from motivated individuals at all levels — graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical students, undergraduates, and research staff. Our work spans human electrophysiology, mouse models, computational approaches, and philosophy of mind.

If your interests overlap with ours, please visit our Contact page to learn how to apply.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are several ways to contribute your time and talents to the lab:

  • Undergraduate research volunteers: Gain hands-on experience in a working neuroscience lab. We welcome UC Davis undergraduates interested in assisting with data collection, analysis, and ongoing projects.
  • Research participants: Much of our human research relies on the generous participation of patients undergoing epilepsy evaluation and surgery. If you are a patient interested in contributing to research, please ask your care team or contact us.
  • Outreach & science communication: Help us share our work with the public, students, and patient communities. We welcome volunteers interested in writing, design, and community engagement.

To inquire about volunteering, please email Dr. Pedersen with a brief note about your interests and availability.

Support the Lab

Philanthropic support allows us to pursue bold, high-risk ideas that traditional funding mechanisms cannot always accommodate — supporting trainees, piloting new directions, and accelerating discovery in epilepsy, sleep, and memory.

Gifts to the lab directly advance our mission to understand brain circuits in health and disease, and to translate that understanding into better outcomes for people living with epilepsy.

To make a gift in support of the Pedersen Lab, please contact us at nppedersen@health.ucdavis.edu, or give through UC Davis Health:

  • Give to UC Davis — please note “Pedersen Lab, Department of Neurology” in the gift designation, or contact us so we can direct your gift appropriately.

Every gift, large or small, makes a difference. We are deeply grateful for your support.

[Placeholder: If you have a specific UC Davis Health giving/fund link or development officer contact for the lab, send it to me and I’ll wire it in here.]