Postdoctoral Training

Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center

Started in 1967 as one of twelve research centers and created by the National Institute of Child Health and Development to study mental retardation and other developmental disorders, the primary mission of the UNC NDRC is to promote research and research training into the pathogenesis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently, the NDRC is one of 15 such centers funded nationwide by the NICHD. These centers largely exist as independent research centers on the campuses of major Universities around the U.S. to promote and support research in mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina represents the oldest public university in the United States. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is consistently acknowledged as the flagship research institution within the state university system. According to America's Best College Guide published recently by US News and World Report, UNC ranks third among US public universities and 25th among all institutions of higher learning. UNC leads the South in the amount of extramural support for its research programs. The 3 million volume UNC library system is considered by the Association of Research Libraries to be one of the leading library systems in the country. The UNC-CH Health Sciences Library is ranked in the top 10 health science libraries in the US and Canada.

Chapel Hill and North Carolina

The Town of Chapel Hill is located principally in Orange County and slightly in Durham County in the north central portion of North Carolina on the Piedmont Plateau, approximately equidistant between Washington, DC, and Atlanta, Georgia. The area's topography is characterized by rolling hills. The Town, which was incorporated in 1819, presently covers an area of 19.86 square miles and has a population of 44,015. The Town is the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation's oldest public university, established in 1789. Today, the University enjoys a reputation as one of the best public universities in the United States. For more information on Chapel Hill, please visit the Town of Chapel Hill's home page at http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/. (Information adapted from the Town of Chapel Hill's web site.)

From the tallest mountains east of the Rockies to the longest stretches of seashore on the East Coast, North Carolina's diverse natural wonders are sure to inspire visitors. The Outer Banks' barrier islands contain hundreds of miles of beaches far from madding crowds. For folks who prefer more lively beach environs, the Cape Fear coast in the south has beach resorts, miniature golf courses, and nightclubs. Between the coast and the mountains lies North Carolina's prosperous and populous Piedmont region. This area offers fine dining and a wide array of cultural and historical attractions. The majestic Appalachian Mountains provide seclusion and recreation in the west, where hundreds of small towns nestle amid peaks, waterfalls, and whitewater rivers. The Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation is located just east of the Tennessee border. For more information on the state of North Carolina, please visit http://www.ncgov.com or http://www.visitnc.com. (Information adapted from Microsoft Expedia Streets & Trips 2000.)