REU Site: Summer Engineering Research Experiences in Diabetes for Undergraduates

智力价值伊利诺伊理工学院(IIT)生物医学工程(BME)系更新REU现场项目的主要目标是：1)通过与IIT的教员一起完成具有挑战性的糖尿病相关项目，让学生体验工程研究；2)在研究生和本科生研究人员中开发和应用指导概念和技能；3)通过讲座、拓展和参观临床设施，使学生接触到他们研究的更广泛的健康影响；4)向以前没有经验的学生提供工程研究经验；以及5)将伦理讨论和培训整合到学生体验的各个方面。尽管实验室经验是这项研究计划的重要组成部分，但我们提供了研讨会、指导研讨会、伦理座谈会和临床设施参观，以将伦理、指导活动和研究的更广泛的健康影响整合到教育经验中。在暑期结束的REU现场项目中，学生将通过完成下列具体目标获得一套多样化的研究技能和知识：1)与IIT的工程导师合作完成一个糖尿病相关研究项目；2)增加学生对糖尿病相关健康影响和工程研究重要性的知识；3)增加目标学生群体的参与，尤其是没有先前研究经验的学生；4)通过与不同教育水平的学生的培训和互动，培养和应用研究生和REU学生的指导技能；5)通过非正式讨论和正式演讲，交流研究的想法和结果。招生工作将针对学术生涯早期、工程研究机会有限的学生，特别关注女性和代表人数较少的少数群体的学生。REU的现场活动集中在本科研究项目上，重点是与糖尿病相关的基础研究。糖尿病是一种复杂的病理状态，具有不同的生物学和医学问题，这推动了对工程方法的需求。该中心的研究反映了这种多样性，提供的项目范围广泛，包括葡萄糖代谢的计算模型、生物人工胰腺的设计、治疗糖尿病并发症的新型生物材料的开发以及胰岛电生理学的基础研究。这是一个独特的方案，在该方案中，REU的经验是在一个具有重大社会影响的问题的背景下提出的。由于导师团队之前在本科生研究和麻省理工学院普利兹克研究所糖尿病中心的活动，他们已经为这项任务做好了准备。布罗德影响美国的研究人员数量必须大幅增加，以保持在研究和技术方面的全球领先地位。高技能研究人员的教育需要各级强有力的教育项目。研究经验可以极大地影响年轻工程师和科学家的未来和动力。通过开展与影响美国1800多万人的疾病相关的研究项目，有可能增进人们的理解，同时影响工程师的职业生涯。该计划专门针对学术生涯早期没有研究经验的学生。这一重点与芝加哥城市学院的支持相结合，将提供机会影响处于关键职业转折点的学生。除了研究经验外，还将为学生提供对该疾病及其对社会影响的更广泛的了解。该项目将影响多个学业阶段的学生。将为研究生提供和培养辅导活动，以促进与REU学生的互动，REU学生将为高中STEM计划开发丰富活动。这些高中生来自不同的背景，他们将接触到尖端的工程研究和在糖尿病领域产生影响的机会。

Intellectual MeritThe primary goals of this renewal REU site program in the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) are: 1) For students to experience engineering research by completing challenging diabetes-related projects with faculty at IIT; 2) To develop and apply mentoring concepts and skills in graduate and undergraduate researchers; 3) To expose students to the broader health implications of their research with lecture, outreach, and tours of clinical facilities; 4) To provide engineering research experiences to students without previous experience; and 5) To integrate ethics discussion and training into all aspects of the student experience. Although laboratory experience is an essential component of this research program, seminars, mentoring workshops, an ethics colloquium and tours of clinical facilities are provided to integrate ethics, mentoring activities and the broader health implications of the research into the educational experience. At the end of the summer REU site program students will have a diverse set of research skills and knowledge by completion of the following specific objectives: 1) Students complete a diabetes related research project working with an engineering mentor from IIT; 2) Increase student knowledge of the health implications related to diabetes and the importance of engineering research; 3) Increase participation by targeted student populations, specifically students early in their academic careers without previous research experience; 4) Develop and apply mentoring skills in graduate and REU students through training and interactions with students at multiple education levels; and 5) Communicate research ideas and findings through both informal discussion and formal presentations. Recruitment efforts will be targeted to students early in their academic careers with limited opportunity for engineering research, with a specific focus on women and students from underrepresented minority groups.The REU site activities are centered on undergraduate research projects focused on fundamental studies of relevance to diabetes. Diabetes is a complex pathologic condition with diverse biological and medical issues that drive the need for engineering approaches. Research in the center reflect this diversity, with projects offered in a broad range of topics including computational models of glucose metabolism, design of a bioartificial pancreas, development of novel biomaterials for the treatment of diabetic complications and fundamental studies of islet electrophysiology. This is a unique program in which REU experiences are presented in the context of a problem of significant implications in society. The mentor team is prepared for this task due to their previous activities in undergraduate research and the diabetes center under the Pritzker Institute at IIT.Broader ImpactsThe number of researchers in the U.S. must increase significantly to preserve the global leadership in research and technology. The education of highly skilled researchers requires strong educational programs at all levels. Research experiences can greatly influence the future and motivation of young engineers and scientists. By performing research projects related to a disease that affects more than 18 million people in the U.S., there is the potential to advance understanding while influencing engineers in their career. The program specifically targets students early in their academic careers without previous research experience. This focus combined with support from the City Colleges of Chicago will provide the opportunity to impact students at critical career transition points. In addition to research experience students will be provided with a broader understanding of the disease and its impact on society. The program will impact students at multiple academic stages. Mentoring activities will be provided and fostered for graduate students to facilitate interactions with the REU student, and REU students will develop an enrichment activity for a high school STEM program. The high school students will come from diverse backgrounds and will be exposed to cutting edge engineering research and opportunities for impact in the field of diabetes.