VSSA Frequently Asked Questions and Handbook

The VSSA handbook has lots of information on Vanderbilt offices, Health and Safety info, Housing Information, and travel to and within Nashville. Much of this information is also below in the Frequently Asked Questions.

VSSA 2025 Handbook

Vanderbilt Campus Map

Program Introduction

  • Introduction Letter

    Dear Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy participants,

    Welcome to Vanderbilt! As a member of your summer-funded program at Vanderbilt, you will also be a member of the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy. We are so excited to get the 2026 academy started this summer, and we look forward to meeting you all! We hope you will work with us so that we can all have a meaningful and safe summer!

    To get prepared for the summer, you will have to complete the following details:

    This handbook contains important information on:

    • Housing and travel
    • Orientation on Monday, June 1, 2026, Light Hall 214 from 9 am-12 noon
    • Hiring paperwork
    • Link to the VSSA Calendar
    • Social activity information
    • Specific trainings that need to be completed before arriving on campus

    Additionally, you can use this Digital VSSA Handbook. Please read this thoroughly and bookmark this page! While we are happy to answer any questions, but it would help if you read the handbook first. You should bring photo IDs, your Social Security Card, and your health insurance card.

    Again, we can’t wait to meet you in person shortly! If you have questions, please let one of us know.

    Best,

    Stephanie, Davie, and RC

  • Program History and Overview

    Vanderbilt University has a longstanding tradition of training undergraduates in the Biomedical Sciences through summer research programs. In 2003, the Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET) established the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA) to bring together all undergraduates conducting biomedical research at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. We host approximately 125 students each summer from institutions across the country.

    In addition to streamlining administrative aspects of individual summer programs, the VSSA offers seminars to develop scientific and professional skills, as well as social activities for the students.

    Our affiliate programs include American Heart Association SURE, ASPIRNAUT, BP-ENDURE, Chemical Biology REU, Leadership Alliance, MSTP, UCRIP, V-SURE, VBISP, Beckman Scholars, and Vanderbilt Vaccine Center.

  • Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy Contact Information

    VSSA Program Leadership

    Stephanie Richards, PhD

    Davie Morales-Miranda, EdD

    • Program Manager
    • Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training
    • Office: MRBIII Suite U3218
    • d.miranda@vanderbilt.edu
    • Phone: (615) 343-5831

    RC Stabile, EdD

    • Director of Trainee Engagement & Well-being
    • Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training
    • Office: MRB IV 9405
    • RC.stabile@vanderbilt.edu

    Other Important Campus Contacts

    VUMC Parking & Transportation Services

    Vanderbilt University Police Department

    Office of Conferences (Summer Housing)

    Vanderbilt Equal Opportunity and Access

    Vanderbilt Student Access Services

    Vanderbilt Title IX and Student Discrimination

Program Information

  • Official Program Dates for 2026
    • Housing check-in begins at 9:00 am on Sunday, May 24th.
    • The Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy begins with orientation, Responsible Conduct of Research, and safety training on Monday, June 1st. Orientation will be in Light Hall, Room 214, and begins at 9 am. Please keep in mind that your individual program may start before VSSA orientation.
    • VSSA end of summer poster sessions will be at a date and time TBD.
    • Housing check-out will begin at 8:00 am on Saturday, August 1st.
  • Required Pre-Arrival Training for All Interns

    IMPORTANT: You must complete online Biosafety Training 101 which includes Working Safely with Human-derived Materials and Chemical & Physical Safety prior to orientation. These trainings can be completed using this REDCap link. Your completion of these modules will be tracked. Do not rush through this material, as it contains valuable information vital to your summer research experience.

    Please note you will be assigned additional mandatory trainings closer to or after your arrival. You will also receive in-person Radiation Safety and Responsible Conduct of Research training as part of VSSA orientation on Monday, June 1.

  • Interns working in a VUMC lab or Shadowing in VUMC

    Interns working or shadowing in a VUMC lab are required to complete all Occupational Health Requirements before beginning work in the lab. These requirement may include the following:

    • TB test: two-step TB test (done two weeks apart) or a TB blood test (IGRA)
    • Hep B vaccine series or a positive titer
    • Flu shot
    • MMR vaccine series or a positive titer
    • varicella vaccine series or a positive titer
    • Tdap (1 dose in the last 10 years)

    If this is an issue either logistically or cost-wise, please let us know ASAP, and we will figure out a solution.

    You can find vaccines at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Call (615-322-5000) to make an appointment.

    You can also find specific vaccines available here (www.vaccines.gov/search).

  • VSSA Surveys

    It is valuable to track the success of our program, both in the short-term through the summer and the long term, as you explore your post-graduate plans. Because of this, we will be sending you surveys at the beginning, end, and one year after you complete the VSSA. Please do us the courtesy of completing this promptly so that we can continuously improve our program.

  • Animal Safety

    We will do Radiation Safety and Responsible Conduct of Research training during orientation on your first day. Biological Safety and Chemical Safety training is done online; the link is here.

    If your project involves work with animals or human subjects, please get in touch with your laboratory head to confirm what training you will need to complete. Also, you and your lab can contact ACUPTraining (acuptraining@vumc.org) if you have any other questions besides the instructions below.

    You only need to complete this if you will be working with animals this summer. You will need a VUnetID to log into this site. You will be directed to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center page, but your University credentials should allow you to access the training. Please contact your funding program manager if you have issues logging in. Remember that you will need to complete the training outlined on the Animal Care and Use Program website and any Occupational Health (OH) requirements before IACUC protocol approval.

    *The Principal Investigator (PI) must submit a Personnel Only Amendment to add you to an Approved IACUC Protocol.

    Directions for accessing species specific online training through the AALAS Learning Library:

    1. Access the AALAS Learning Library through the Animal Care and Use Program IACUC/OAWA website https://www.vumc.org/acup/.
    2. On the Animal Care and Use Program (ACUP) home page:
      1. Choose the Training & Education link under the header.
      2. Select the ACUP Researcher Training Portal link. 
    3. Scroll down the page-under 1. AALAS Learning Library (Web-based Training Modules) select and log in to AALAS; enter your VUnetID and E-Password to log in.
    4. AALAS Learning Library is a dashboard platform. The required training modules are species specific and can be accessed under the Tracks link.
    5. Click on the specific VU Species Users track to open all required training modules for that species. The below example is for the VU Mouse Users (e.g., 4 modules are required). You must click on each module link to launch and complete the online training session to receive credit.
  • Required Documents

    Be sure to bring the following documentation with you to Vanderbilt, which may be required by your funding program:

    • Two forms of identification from the following list:
      • Driver’s license
      • Social Security Card
      • Passport/Visa
      • Birth Certificate
    • Vehicle Registration (if bringing a car)
    • Proof of Personal Health Insurance coverage (Insurance Card)
  • ID Cards

    When you check into the Lewis or Morgan house, you will be issued an intern card. This card will serve as your photo ID while you are on campus and can be swiped for access to your summer housing as well as your lab space. Please keep in mind that access to lab or research space will need to be added to your card after your arrival and must be requested by your lab or the lab’s home department. When making the request, the staff must note that you have an intern card, not a regular student ID card. VSSA staff cannot make this request for you.

    You can also load your card with “Commodore Cash” for use through the summer. If you have a VUnet ID, these funds can be added online. However, if you do not have a VUnet ID, money or meals can be added via a credit card at the VU Card Office. Finally, any money you load on your card can be used at locations in the Vanderbilt “Taste of Nashville” locations.

  • Independent Students

    Independent students are not formally funded by one of the participating programs associated with the VSSA.

    We invite you to participate in our seminars, as we have designed the VSSA to create a community of undergraduate researchers. We hope you will be involved in experiencing this!

  • Dress Code

    This summer, you will be performing research in a professional environment. While we do not require specific dress, we ask you to be conscious of your lab or clinical setting. Please also be sure to follow the safety guidelines for your laboratory, which may require that you wear closed-toed shoes. We will also be offering the opportunity to have professional headshots, so pack appropriate clothing if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity.

  • Meals on the Vanderbilt Campus

    You can purchase food from Rand dining hall but they do have limited hours in the summer. Information with those hours will be sent closer to move-in. Unfortunately, they do not offer meal plans during the summer so it would be a la carte. Campus Dining information can be found here.

  • Safety on Campus

    While you are here for the summer, your safety is of utmost importance. Vanderbilt is a safe campus, but no place is immune to crime. Please use caution when walking around campus at all times. If there is not an emergency, but you feel unsafe, please contact us so we can make your situation better! Please familiarize yourself with safety procedures on campus located here.

    We encourage interns to download the VandySafe app while on campus this summer. With the app, interns can:

    • Contact VUPD via phone call or real-time chat
    • Trigger a mobile Bluelight that shares your location with VUPD
    • Initiate a “Virtual Walkhome”
    • View information about VandyRide
    • Access support resources & more

    More information about the app and download instructions can be found here.

  • Other Health Concerns

    For emergencies, you can visit the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Room on the east side of campus. However, if you are experiencing a non-life threatening illness, we encourage you to visit a local walk-in clinic such as a Walgreens or CVS Minute Clinic, or Kroger Little Clinic.

  • Counseling Services

    Vanderbilt encourages you to work with your insurance to identify a mental health provider that might provide telehealth appointments.

    Additionally, Vanderbilt has partnered with The Shrink Space  – a therapy database that can help students find providers off-campus.  Students can create a free account with their Vanderbilt email address and search providers in Nashville or another state. Students can use filters to search by insurance provider, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, religion, language, and several other factors to find their best match. Students can even reach out to providers directly through the HIPAA-compliant Shrink Space website. If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact the VSSA Director of Well-being, RC Stabile.

  • Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center

    Summer Interns can purchase a membership from the Recreation and Wellness Center. Information about summer membership rates have not yet been posted. Please check the link above for updates.

  • Mentor/Mentee Summer Research Discussion

    We think it is very important for you to discuss you and your mentor’s expectations while you are on campus. We provide here a discussion form to initiate this conversation, which should cover many of the topics necessary to start in a lab. We will also cover this during Orientation.

    Please check with program director to see if this document is required by your program. If you are unsure if you need to complete this form, please email Stephanie.

  • Social Activities

    We look forward to providing you with a unique learning opportunity as well as social activities that give you a glimpse of what makes Nashville a great place to live! Our Director of Trainee Engagement & Well-being, RC Stabile, is working hard to arrange on-campus and Nashville events throughout the summer! 

    In addition to off-campus experiences, we will host seminars on Mondays and Thursdays from 12:00-1:00 pm with some of Vanderbilt’s amazing professional development experts. A pizza lunch will be provided for the Monday talks. These seminars are a great opportunity to take a break from your research and make connections while getting valuable tools. Finally, our summer will conclude with a poster session.

    Please make sure to take a look at the “Stuff to do in Nashville” section of this handout for activities that you can do on your own. Summer is a great time to get out and about in Tennessee!

  • Shipping things to Campus

    Non-Vanderbilt interns cannot receive mail on campus, and no packages can be delivered to the residence halls. All University mailboxes are already assigned to enrolled students and offices. If you are interested in receiving mail, we encourage you to obtain a P.O. Box from the Acklen Post Office, the local FedEx Kinko’s, or one of the UPS Stores located near campus. You can set up a P.O. Box in person at the UPS Store on West End.

    Please note that Amazon orders may not be delivered to our office. There are Amazon hub lockers on the main campus. Instructions for locker delivery can be found here. We suggest sending Amazon items to the Acquaio locker in Rand Hall.

    We would also be happy to collect USPS, UPS or FedEx packages in our office. Please note that deliveries to the BRET Office will be delayed beyond the carrier’s notification. The address is below. Please include Davie Morales-Miranda’s name on the package and your own, and please email us to let us know to expect your package.

    • Davie Morales-Miranda
    • c/o your name (You must list your name, or we don’t know who to give the package to)
    • Suite U3218 MRB III
    • 465 21st Ave S
    • Nashville, TN 37240

Coming to Campus