REU Site: IQ-Bio-REU:Interdisciplinary and Quantitative Biology Research Experience for Undergraduates

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This REU Site award to the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, located in San Juan, PR, will support the training of 10 students for 9 weeks during the summers of 2019- 2021. IQ-BIO-REU offers opportunities to be immersed in research and receive training in statistics, data analysis and its application to investigate biological phenomena from molecules to ecosystems. Participants will take on projects that allow for the simultaneous exploration of multiple STEM domains, such as the integration of quantitative analyses towards understanding changes in the physical and biochemical traits of organisms and the use of big data and machine learning approaches to document the effects of environmental changes on biological systems. Skill development workshops on the use of statistical and computational tools to address biological problems will scaffold the hands-on work. Career development workshops will offer guidance in the process of applying to graduate school, obtaining funds for research, and exposure to career opportunities. The criteria for evaluation will be academic performance and a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in science at the intersection of biology and computational sciences.It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students in any STEM field, particularly individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science, are encouraged to apply. Students will participate in a scholarly environment throughout the summer including the presentation of their work and achievements at a student hackathon. After participating in the program, students will be encouraged to present their work at national and international conferences.A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting http://iqbioreu.uprrp.edu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Juan S. Ramirez-Lugo at juan.ramirez3@upr.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Patricia Ordonez at patricia.ordonez@upr.edu).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.