NSF Student Travel Grant for DNA24: The 24th International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming

为了建立新的分子编程规则，用于开发活细胞内部或外部的合成系统，一年一度的DNA计算和分子编程国际会议一直是最重要的跨学科论坛之一，具有不同背景的科学家（例如，计算机科学，物理，化学，生物学和数学）聚集在一起，展示他们最高质量的研究并讨论新的想法。该提案旨在为2018年10月8日至12日在中国济南举行的第24届DNA计算与分子编程国际会议（DNA24）提供学生旅行支持。通过资助美国学生的旅行，组织者积极鼓励和激励新一代研究人员从参加会议中受益，通过鼓励学生参加，展示他们的工作，并与该领域的其他重要参与者互动，促进下一代分子程序员的发展。将支持最多15名成功的学生申请者，为在会议上进行口头或海报演讲的妇女和代表性不足的少数民族，以及无法参加本次会议的研究生提供援助。该奖项对美国公民和美国院校学生的可用性将包括在会议公告中，征求申请。这个高度跨学科的会议强调了连接计算、生物学和纳米技术的主题，并吸引了计算机科学、数学、化学、分子生物学和纳米技术领域的研究人员。研究范围包括控制分子折叠和自组装以构建纳米结构；用生物分子演示开关、门、器件和电路；分子马达和分子机器人；体外和体内的计算过程；容错与纠错的研究；合成生物学与体外进化；用于分析、仿真和设计的软件工具；广泛应用于工程、物理、化学、生物和医学。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With a vision to establish novel molecular programming rules for engineering for developing synthetic systems inside or outside of living cells, the annual International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming has been one of the premier interdisciplinary forums where scientists with diverse backgrounds (e.g., in computer science, physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics) come together to present their highest quality research and discuss new ideas. This proposal aims to provide student travel support for the 24th International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming (DNA24), to be held at Jinan, China during October 8-12, 2018. By funding travel for U.S.-based students, the organizers are actively encouraging and incentivizing a new generation of researchers to benefit from participating in the conference, fostering the development of the next generation of molecular programmers, by encouraging students to attend, present their work, and interact with other important players in the field. Up to 15 successful student applicants will be supported, by providing assistance to women and underrepresented minorities who are delivering oral or poster presentations at the conference, and to graduate students who are otherwise unable to afford attending this conference. The availability of the awards to US citizens and students at US institutions will be included in conference announcements, soliciting applications. This highly interdisciplinary conference emphasizes topics that bridge computation, biology, and nanotechnology and attracts researchers in the fields of computer science, mathematics, chemistry, molecular biology, and nanotechnology. The scope includes control of molecular folding and self-assembly to construct nanostructures; demonstration of switches, gates, devices, and circuits with biomolecules; molecular motors and molecular robotics; computational processes in vitro and in vivo; studies of fault-tolerance and error correction; synthetic biology and in vitro evolution; software tools for analysis, simulation, and design; a range of applications in engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine.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.