REU Site: Dare to BE FIRST - Biomechanical Engineering Foundations in Impactful Research, Science & Technology

该项目的广泛意义：特拉华大学生物力学工程研究中心(CBER)为“敢为人先”的本科生提供全面的研究体验，这将在有影响力的研究、科学和技术(BE First)领域建立生物力学工程基础。该计划将利用教师在骨关节炎研究方面的专业知识，培训合格的少数族裔本科生生物医学工程的基本研究技能。共有20名学生将在生物力学研究实验室度过10周，并受益于最先进的设施、导师和研讨会来进行独立研究项目。学生将从少数族裔机构和美国各地历史上的黑人学院和大学以及其他研究资源有限的机构招生。目标是提高他们的工程和研究技能，这将影响这群才华横溢和多样化的年轻科学家的学术追求。技术描述：特拉华大学生物力学工程研究中心(CBER)为敢于成为第一名的本科生提供全面的研究体验，这将在影响研究、科学和技术(BE First)中建立生物力学工程基础。该使命利用CBER在尖端骨关节炎研究方面的优势，以提高少数族裔本科生的定量分析能力，重点是分子、细胞、组织和关节水平生物力学的理论、建模和模拟。为实现这一目标而设计的活动包括为期10周的骨关节炎研究实验室实践经验、科学和专业发展研讨会、研究实验室和临床现场访问、与从研究生到整形外科医生的科学家建立网络和进行跨学科交流的机会，以及最终在大学范围内举行的研究研讨会。除了个别项目的智力优势外，该项目还将通过系统管理的调查和专业评估来评估和比较学生的生产力和项目有效性。该项目计划在三年内每年招收20名对定量技术和生物工程研究感兴趣的本科生。通过与可能无法获得类似研究资源的机构的联盟，预计该计划将改变科学观念，提高工程技能，并影响参与者的学术追求。因此，它还希望为研究生课程和生物医药行业所需的定量研究培养这群才华横溢、多样化的年轻科学家。最终，该计划将通过加强学生对下一代生物医学工程所需的定量分析和相关研究技能的准备来加强本科教育。该项目由国家科学基金工程教育和中心司支持。

BROADER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT:The Center for Biomechanical Engineering Research (CBER) at the University of Delaware offers a comprehensive Research Experience for Undergraduates who "Dare to BE FIRST" which will establish Biomechanical Engineering Foundations in Impactful Research, Science and Technology (BE FIRST). The program will take advantage of faculty expertise in osteoarthritis research to train qualified minority undergraduate students in essential research skills for biomedical engineering. A total of 20 students will spend 10 weeks in a biomechanics research lab and benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, mentorship, and workshops to conduct an independent research project. Students will be recruited from minority institutions and historically black colleges and universities around the U.S. and other institutions with limited research resources. The goal is to improve their engineering and research skills which will influence the academic pursuits of this group of talented and diverse young scientists.TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:The Center for Biomechanical Engineering Research (CBER) at the University of Delaware offers a comprehensive Research Experience for Undergraduates who "Dare to BE FIRST" which will establish Biomechanical Engineering Foundations in Impactful Research, Science and Technology (BE FIRST). The mission leverages CBER's strengths in cutting edge osteoarthritis research in order to improve the quantitative analysis capabilities of minority undergraduate students with emphasis on theory, modeling and simulation in molecular, cellular, tissue and joint-level biomechanics. The activities designed to meet this objective include 10 weeks of hands-on experience in an osteoarthritis research laboratory, scientific and professional development workshops, research lab and clinical site visits, opportunities for networking and interdisciplinary communication with scientists from graduate students to orthopaedic surgeons, and culminating in a university-wide research symposium. Beyond the intellectual merit of the individual projects, the program will evaluate and compare student productivity and program effectiveness with systematically administered surveys and professional evaluations. The program plans to recruit a total of 20 undergraduate students who are interested in both quantitative technologies and bioengineering research each year for three years. Through the alliance with institutions which may not have access to similar research resources, it is expected that this program will change the scientific perception, improve the engineering skills, and impact the academic pursuits of participants. As a result, it also expects to prepare this group of talented and diverse young scientists for the quantitative research required by graduate programs and the biomedical industry. Ultimately the program will strengthen undergraduate education by enhancing student preparation in quantitative analysis and related research skills needed by the next generation of biomedical engineers.This project is supported by the Division of Engineering Education and Centers of the National Science Foundation.