REU Site: Summer Engineering Research Experiences in Diabetes for Undergraduates

智力MeritThe这个更新REU网站计划在生物医学工程（BME）部在伊利诺伊理工学院（IIT）的主要目标是：1）为学生完成具有挑战性的糖尿病相关项目与教师在IIT体验工程研究; 2）开发和应用指导的概念和技能在研究生和本科生研究人员; 3）让学生接触到他们的研究与讲座，外展和临床设施的图尔斯之旅更广泛的健康影响; 4）为学生提供工程研究经验，没有以前的经验;和5）将伦理讨论和培训整合到学生体验的各个方面。虽然实验室经验是这个研究计划的一个重要组成部分，研讨会，辅导讲习班，伦理座谈会和临床设施的图尔斯旅游提供整合伦理，辅导活动和更广泛的健康影响的研究到教育经验。在夏季REU网站计划结束时，学生将通过完成以下具体目标获得多样化的研究技能和知识：1）学生与IIT的工程导师一起完成糖尿病相关的研究项目; 2）增加学生对糖尿病相关健康影响的知识和工程研究的重要性; 3）增加目标学生群体的参与，特别是在学术生涯早期没有以前的研究经验的学生; 4）通过培训和与多个教育层次的学生互动，在研究生和REU学生中发展和应用辅导技能; 5）通过非正式讨论和正式报告交流研究思路和研究成果。 招聘工作将针对学生在他们的学术生涯早期与工程研究的机会有限，特别关注妇女和学生从代表性不足的少数群体。REU网站活动集中在本科生研究项目，重点是基础研究相关的糖尿病。糖尿病是一种复杂的病理状况，具有多种生物学和医学问题，这些问题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，提供的项目涉及广泛的主题，包括葡萄糖代谢的计算模型，生物人工胰腺的设计，用于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，其中REU的经验是在社会上的重大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IIT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。更广泛的影响为了保持研究和技术的全球领先地位，美国的研究人员数量必须大幅增加。高技能研究人员的教育需要各级强有力的教育计划。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机。通过执行与影响美国1800多万人的疾病有关的研究项目，有可能促进理解，同时影响工程师的职业生涯。该计划专门针对学生在他们的学术生涯早期没有以前的研究经验。这一重点与芝加哥城市学院的支持相结合，将提供机会，影响学生在关键的职业过渡点。除了研究经验，学生将获得更广泛的了解疾病及其对社会的影响。该计划将影响学生在多个学术阶段。指导活动将提供和培养研究生，以促进与REU学生的互动，和REU学生将开发一个高中STEM计划的丰富活动。高中生将来自不同的背景，并将接触到尖端的工程研究和机会，在糖尿病领域的影响。

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.