REU Site: Research Experiences at the Interface of Chemistry and Biological Sciences

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In this project, funded by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, Professor Marc Knecht at the University of Miami in Florida focuses on research at the interface between chemistry and biological sciences. This site provides 16 undergraduates students per year with a 10-week multidisciplinary research experience. This includes a dual mentoring program ensuring strong experiences in both the chemistry and biological sciences aspects of the research, as well as dissemination of results (e.g., publications and presentations). Samples of projects include nanotoxicity, electrical wiring of cell signaling, fluorescent probes for in vivo sensing. All projects provide students with exposure to the chemical aspects of biological research. The program also provides each student with career building exercises to encourage them to pursue graduate studies in science and research careers. Underrepresented and female students are strongly encouraged to participate, and a highly diverse cohort of participants are assembled. Recruitment emphasis is placed on 2-year college students to ensure that they have an opportunity to participate in an intensive research experience, which typically is not available at their institutions. This REU Site provides summer research opportunities for motivated students with a minimum of two years of chemistry coursework. The students are offered a choice of research projects at the interface between chemistry and biological sciences, with an emphasis on collaborative research. In this research program, new avenues of research are realized when chemical principles are applied to problems in the biological sciences. Research-active faculty supervise the students, with each project being a joint effort between at least two faculty members (one each in chemistry and biological sciences). Weekly seminars are conducted to stimulate discussion and provide information on career opportunities, current research issues, professional ethics, and effective communication skills. In house "mini-symposia" provide the students with a platform to present their research. The participants also are given the opportunity to attend national or regional conferences. This spectrum of activities contributes towards the scientific growth of the students, and also encourage them to pursue careers in scientific research. The program focuses on recruiting and engaging underrepresented minorities with research, an urgent need in light of the projected future requirements in the scientific research workforce. The participating students are predominantly recruited from South Florida institutions of higher learning, which have very high populations of underrepresented minority students.