REU Site: BIOSENSE - Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems for the Development of Biomedical Applications and Devices at Northeastern University

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The Bernard M. Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (Gordon-CenSSIS) an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) led by Northeastern University (NU) will implement a three-year REU Site program named BIOSENSE. This program will be coordinated at NU with an affiliate institution, Massachusetts General Hospital. The BIOSENSE REU program will engage 8 undergraduate students in research that involves the use of subsurface sensing and imaging techniques for real-world biomedical applications. The research projects will allow students to be involved in one of three distinct but interconnected areas: 1) basic biological or medical research; 2) development of a product to meet specific needs in the biomedical marketplace; and 3) translational research moving the basic concepts from the academic laboratory to the clinical setting. The students will attend a schedule of seminars, workshops and meetings which expose them to advanced research topics, prepare them for graduate school, improve their presentation skills, and encourage their interest in science and math areas. Participants will communicate their research highlights on a discussion board created specifically for the REU program and at weekly meetings that the faculty mentors conduct. REU participants will also be required to make a final presentation at the end of the summer program. The BIOSENSE REU program will provide apartment-style housing at NU for the students which will give them an opportunity to connect with each other and to foster the cohort experience. In addition, several social activities are planned during the summer with the goal of building friendships and collegiality between the students and faculty mentors.What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?BIOSENSE will focus recruitment efforts on students from minority-serving institutions, such as, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, Morehouse College and Spellman College. Outreach efforts will be extended to involve community college students. This REU Site program model will be made available on-line as a resource for others supporting undergraduates. REU students will spend dedicated time in the hospital clinical environment to experience first-hand the impact that their research can have. The program will encourage and motivate participants to pursue graduate education.