Research Opportunities

Each LEND trainee develops a research project during the training year. At the end of the year, they create and present their projects at the annual research poster session. Check out the projects and posters presented by trainees presented at the 2024 Research Poster Symposium.

Parents As Mentors

A key feature of the ILEND program is the Parents as Mentors (PAM) experience, which matches each trainee with a family who has a child with special needs. In the PAM program, parents become the teachers and provide insight into family life and family perspectives as they spend time with the trainees in their homes and communities. 

Partnership with Puerto Rico's UCEDD

The partnership between Iowa Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (ILEND) and the University of Puerto Rico’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (PRUCEDD) began in 2015. In Puerto Rico, there is currently a lack of access to providers trained in using applied behavior analysis (ABA) to address challenging behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. The ILEND/PRUCEDD partnership was created to address this need.

Trainees from Puerto Rico in psychology, speech language pathology and education have participated in the intensive, year-long remote LEND training,  and Iowa trainees of various disciplines have visited Puerto Rico. All participants in this project have found it an enriching experience. The Iowa LEND and PRUCEDD teams remain committed to supporting the development of new leaders and to learning from each other.