REU Site: Integrated Bioengineering Research, Education, and Outreach Experiences for Females and Underrepresented Minorities at WPI

REU 网站：WPI 为女性和代表性不足的少数群体提供的综合生物工程研究、教育和外展经验

• 批准号: 1156821
• 负责人: Kristen Billiar
• 金额: $ 39.97万
• 依托单位: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-03-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1156821&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: REU; Site; Integrated; Bioengineering; Research

Intellectual MeritThis three-year REU site program will engage a diverse cohort of students in research projects within the intellectual theme of Bioengineering with a focus on innovation. Each student will conduct research mentored by a faculty member and graduate student on a project specifically designed for his/her abilities. The six participating faculty span multiple departments and have a strong history of involving undergraduates in research, leading to numerous awards, manuscripts, and conference presentations. To foster a strong sense of community amongst the students, the program will begin with a "Boot Camp" and all research will be conducted in a new multidisciplinary research center. Weekly workshops including creativity, communication, mentoring, and ethics will help the students gain professional skills and personal confidence critical for young students success in innovative research. A unique feature of this REU site program is that the students will be trained in mentoring for outreach to middle school girls in a week-long Bioengineering Innovation Program. The programs' evaluation plan focuses on desired outcomes, has multiple formative and summative elements, and uses valid and reliable instruments.Broader ImpactsThe proposed integrated training experience will not only expose a diverse cohort of students to research, but will also help them see how a scientific career can be possible for them as part of a rich personal life. Further, participants will appreciate how their involvement in science and engineering can benefit the next generation of students. The Principal Investigators (PIs) have developed a strong, proven plan for effectively recruiting from underrepresented groups of students and for providing authentic research projects that encourage confidence and self esteem. The innovative thinking fostered by this program will encourage students to think more broadly and creatively about the potential implications and impact of their work. For the middle school students, participation will increase their interest in science and their confidence in their abilities with the aim of increasing their retention in math and science courses essential for engineering careers. The programs' research results will be disseminated broadly through scientific and lay publications, conference presentations, and the Web, by the PIs, participating faculty, and students alike.

智力MeritThis为期三年的REU网站计划将从事生物工程的智力主题内的研究项目，重点是创新的学生的多元化队列。每个学生将进行研究由一名教师和研究生的指导下，专门为他/她的能力设计的项目。六个参与教师跨越多个部门，并有参与研究本科生的强大历史，导致众多奖项，手稿和会议演示。为了在学生中培养强烈的社区意识，该计划将从“靴子营”开始，所有研究都将在一个新的多学科研究中心进行。每周的研讨会，包括创造力，沟通，指导和道德将帮助学生获得专业技能和个人信心，这对年轻学生在创新研究中取得成功至关重要。这个REU网站计划的一个独特之处是，学生将在为期一周的生物工程创新计划中接受指导中学女生的培训。该计划的评估计划侧重于预期的结果，有多个形成性和总结性的元素，并使用有效和可靠的工具。更广泛的影响拟议的综合培训经验不仅将暴露一个不同的学生群体的研究，但也将帮助他们看到如何科学的职业生涯可以为他们作为一个丰富的个人生活的一部分。此外，参与者将了解他们参与科学和工程如何使下一代学生受益。主要研究者（PI）已经制定了一个强大的，经过验证的计划，有效地从代表性不足的学生群体中招募，并提供鼓励自信和自尊的真实研究项目。该计划培养的创新思维将鼓励学生更广泛地思考他们工作的潜在影响和影响。对于中学生来说，参与将增加他们对科学的兴趣和对自己能力的信心，目的是增加他们对工程职业所必需的数学和科学课程的保留。该计划的研究成果将通过科学和非专业出版物，会议演示和网络，由PI，参与教师和学生广泛传播。