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

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This renewal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), entitled, "Integrated Bioengineering Research, Education, and Outreach Experiences for Females and Minorities at WPI", will engage a diverse cohort of students in research projects within the intellectual theme of Bioengineering with a focus on systematic strategies for problem solving and mentoring. The proposed integrated training experience will guide undergraduate students, recruited from underrepresented groups from non-research-intensive schools, through a research project; while also helping them understand how they could pursue an engineering career. Further, by working as mentors to middle school girls in a week-long Bio-Design Program, they will appreciate how their involvement in engineering can benefit the next generation of students - building confidence in their abilities and encouraging them to continue to postgraduate studies in engineering. For the middle school students, participation will increase their interest in engineering and enhance their ability to succeed in math and science courses that are essential for engineering careers. The programs' research results will be disseminated broadly by the PIs, participating faculty, and students via scientific publications, conference presentations, and internet-accessble materials. Each undergraduate student will conduct research over a ten week summer experience on a project that is specifically designed for his/her abilities, under the mentorship of both a faculty member and graduate student. The ten participating REU faculty span multiple engineering departments and have a strong history of involving undergraduates in research, manuscript development, and conference presentations. To foster a strong, shared experience for the students, the program will begin with a "Boot Camp" activity. Weekly workshops that address communication, ethics, mentoring, and the nature of research will help the students gain professional skills and personal confidence that are critical for their success. All of the research will be conducted in a new multidisciplinary research center.