Bio-inspired & Bio-mediated Geotechnics Research Experience for Undergraduates (BBG REU)

本科生生物介导和生物启发的岩土工程研究经验（BBG REU）为未来的科学家和工程师开发可持续的解决方案做好准备，使我们国家的基础设施更安全，侵入性更低，更具弹性。该计划将邀请48名学生在四所合作研究型大学（加州大学戴维斯分校，格鲁吉亚理工学院，亚利桑那州立大学和新墨西哥州州立大学）之一度过10周，在微生物学和土木工程研究生和教师的指导下开展研究项目。所有BBG REU项目都从大自然中寻找灵感，利用生物过程或原理为社会基础设施创造低影响的解决方案，与自然生态系统和谐相处。在向学生介绍研究和新兴的生物技术领域的同时，该计划将重点关注学生在该计划中的智力和专业成长。学生了解职业和研究生院的机会，提高他们的沟通技巧，并开始发展自己的专业网络。所有参与该计划的人都将体现一种包容的文化。计划招聘将集中在学生很少有机会在他们的家机构和目标学生的研究来自不同的背景和途径。该计划的一个目标是，参与者的经验激励他们考虑学术，工业或政府职业，专注于岩土工程学科。BBG REU计划补充了NSF资助的工程研究中心（ERC）的生物介导的生物启发岩土工程（CBBG）。其主要目标是：1）招募和准备学生从不同的途径，以增加URG在岩土工程的代表性; 2）提高研究生院和工程职业机会的认识; 3）培养学生的技术和专业技能; 4）强调需要考虑可持续的解决方案，以未来的工程师和科学家; 5）让参与者接触生物介导和生物启发的地质技术; 6）推进CBBG研究从基础研究阶段到实践中的实施; 7）创造包容性的学习和研究环境。BBG REU针对来自不同背景和途径的学生，专注于学生获得研究机会有限的机构。鼓励来自工程学代表性不足群体的学生，包括退伍军人和残疾学生申请。选定的学生参加为期10周的学徒计划在四个CBBG合作机构之一（加州大学戴维斯分校，格鲁吉亚理工学院，亚利桑那州州立大学和新墨西哥州州立大学）。活动包括当地机构和跨机构方向，为期一周的CBBG沉浸式专业发展培训和活动体验，每周网络研讨会/培训，网络会议，海报展示和社交活动。所有BBG REU项目都支持新的和正在进行的CBBG研究项目。CBBG项目旨在理解和利用自然现象的科学过程和原理，以开发更可持续、更安全、侵入性更低、更具弹性的民用基础设施系统。CBBG的方法体现了从传统的能源密集型机械方法到可持续的，与自然相容的生物技术方法的转型转变，该方法采用创新的生物介导和生物启发技术来满足现代社会的需求。在整个REU计划中，48名本科生将完成以生物为重点的土木工程设计变革领域的研究项目。他们的曝光是为了激励学生考虑学术，工业或政府职业，重点是保护社会的基础设施，使用低影响的解决方案，与自然生态系统和谐相处。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准的支持。

The Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics Research Experience for Undergraduates (BBG REU) prepares future scientists and engineers to develop sustainable solutions to make our nation's infrastructure safer, less intrusive and more resilient. The program will invite a total of 48 students to spend 10 weeks at one of four partner research universities (UC Davis, Georgia Tech, Arizona State University and New Mexico State University) to work on a research project while being mentored by graduate students and faculty in microbiology and civil engineering. All BBG REU projects look to nature for inspiration, either using biological processes or principles to create low-impact solutions for society's infrastructure that work in harmony with natural ecosystems. While introducing students to research and the emerging field of biogeotechnics, the program will focus on the intellectual and professional growth of students in the program. Students learn about career and graduate school opportunities, improve their communication skills, and start to develop their professional networks. All involved in the program will embody a culture of inclusion. Program recruitment will focus on students with little opportunity for research at their home institutions and target students from diverse backgrounds and pathways. A goal of the program is that participants' experiences inspire them to consider academic, industry or government careers that focus on the biogeotechnics discipline.The BBG REU program complements the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC)for Bio-mediated & Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG). Its primary objectives are to: 1) recruit and prepare students from diverse pathways to increase URG representation in geotechnical engineering; 2) increase awareness of graduate school and career opportunities in engineering; 3) develop students technical and professional skills; 4) emphasize the need to consider sustainable solutions to future engineers and scientists; 5) expose participants to bio-mediated and bio-inspired geotechnologies; 6) advance CBBG research from fundamental research stages to implementation in practice; and 7) create inclusive learning and research environments. The BBG REU targets students from diverse backgrounds and pathways, focusing on institutions where students have limited access to research opportunities. Students from underrepresented groups in engineering, including veterans and students with disabilities, are encouraged to apply. Selected students attend the 10-week apprenticeship program at one of four CBBG partner institutions (UC Davis, Georgia Tech, Arizona State University and New Mexico State University). Activities include a local institution and cross-institution orientation, a one-week CBBG immersion experience for professional development training and activities, weekly webinars/trainings, networking sessions, poster presentations, and social events. All BBG REU projects support new and on-going CBBG research projects. CBBG projects seek to understand and harness the scientific processes and principles of natural phenomena to develop more sustainable, safer, less intrusive, more resilient civil infrastructure systems. The CBBG's approach embodies a transformational shift from traditional energy intensive, mechanical methods for engineering the ground to a sustainable, nature-compatible biogeotechnical approach that employs innovative bio-mediated and bio-inspired technologies to meet the demands of modern society. Throughout the REU program, 48 undergraduate students will complete research projects in the transformative area of biologically-focused civil engineering design. Their exposure is posited to inspire students to consider academic, industry or government careers that focus on protecting society's infrastructure, using low-impact solutions that work in harmony with natural ecosystems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.