REU Site: Interdisciplinary Research Experiences in Nanotechnology and Biomedicine

佐治亚大学(UGA)的这项为期三年的本科生研究经验(REU)项目名为纳米技术和生物医学的跨学科研究经验，利用佐治亚大学提供的各种跨学科专业知识、资源和培训机会，为来自其他机构的未被充分代表的少数族裔和女性本科生提供纳米技术和生物医学方面的跨学科研究经验。纳米生物技术是一门融合不同科学学科的跨学科科学，它利用物理科学和工程学的原理和实验工具来促进对生物系统的更好理解。然而，纳米生物技术的跨学科研究往往不会引起学生，特别是本科生的共鸣，因为大学环境中的设施和研究项目有限，而且掌握多个学科的前景令人望而生畏。总体目标是吸引和留住在科学和工程领域研究机会有限的机构中代表性较低的少数族裔和女性学生，并为他们在这些领域的研究生课程和职业生涯做好准备。为了实现这一目标，拟议的项目将为学生提供纳米技术和生物医学相结合的跨学科研究体验。通过该计划，学生将(1)设计假设驱动的研究实验，以使用工程工具解决生物医学问题；(2)培养进行跨学科研究的技能；(3)获得参与科学和工程研究的信心和自我效能感；(4)更好地理解和欣赏跨学科研究的好处。UGA将接待10名REU学生参加为期10周的暑期项目，他们将参与现有的将纳米技术应用于特定生物医学问题的跨学科研究项目。每名REU学生将由来自纳米技术和生物医学学科的配对教师共同指导一个合作研究项目。除了完全沉浸和亲身实践的研究体验外，REU的学生还将参加丰富的活动，包括科学中的伦理研讨会、关于跨学科研究的每周报告、研究生院的期望、职业研讨会、设施参观，以及在国家会议上展示研究成果。

This three year Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program, Interdisciplinary Research Experiences in Nanotechnology and Biomedicine, at the University of Georgia (UGA), offers an interdisciplinary research experience at the interface of nanotechnology and biomedicine to underrepresented minority and female undergraduate students from other institutions, leveraging the diverse interdisciplinary expertise, resources, and training opportunities available at UGA. Nanobiotechnology is an interdisciplinary science at the convergence of diverse scientific disciplines that leverages the principles and experimental tools from the physical sciences and engineering to facilitate a better understanding of biological systems. However, interdisciplinary research in nanobiotechnology often does not resonate with students, especially undergraduates, due to the limited access and availability of facilities and research programs in the university setting, and the intimidating prospects of mastering multiple disciplines. The overarching goal is to attract and retain underrepresented minority and female students from institutions with limited research opportunities in science and engineering, and prepare them for graduate programs and careers in these fields. To accomplish this goal, the proposed program will provide an interdisciplinary research experience at the interface of nanotechnology and biomedicine to students. Through the program, students will (1) design hypotheses-driven research experiments to solve biomedical problems with engineering tools; (2) develop skills for conducting interdisciplinary research; (3) gain confidence and a sense of self-efficacy to participate in science and engineering research, (4) develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the benefits of interdisciplinary research. UGA will host 10 REU students over a 10-week summer program where they will participate in existing, interdisciplinary research projects that apply nanotechnology to specific biomedical questions. Each REU student will be co-mentored by paired faculty from the nanotechnology and biomedical disciplines on a collaborative research project. In addition to a total-immersion and hands-on research experience, REU students will participate in enrichment activities that include ethics-in-science workshop, weekly presentations on interdisciplinary research, what to expect in graduate school, career workshop, facility tours, and presenting research findings at national conferences.