The 2019 NIMBioS Undergraduate Research Conference and a Workshop on Transitioning to Graduate School

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The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis will host the annual Undergraduate Research Conference at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology, 16 - 17 November 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee. This conference showcases undergraduate research in mathematical biology and gives students a venue to network with others having similar interests. Two invited lectures by leaders in research at the interface of mathematics and biology will share their insights with students. About one hundred participants will attend the conference, many from traditionally underrepresented groups in mathematics and biology. All student participants will have the opportunity to present their choice of a research talk or poster. Additionally, interested students will be invited to attend a workshop on transitioning to graduate school, which will include a presentation on data analysis, a panel discussion on applications and career opportunities, a session on applying for graduate fellowships, and a graduate school showcase. The conference will strengthen exchanges between the mathematical and life sciences disciplines and will enable students to learn more about the potential of mathematics to make exciting progress on biological questions.The primary goal of the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis Undergraduate Research Conference at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology is to provide opportunities for undergraduates from across the country to share their research with peers and faculty mentors. Between fifty and seventy student talks and posters on work that uses mathematical, statistical, and computational approaches to address challenging questions in molecular biology, biochemistry, epidemiology, immunology, ecology, and other areas will be presented at the conference. Their work comes from summer or academic year research experiences supported by a variety of agencies, including NSF, the National Institutes of Health, the National Security Agency or through their home institutions, thus allowing for cross-pollination of ideas from different programs. Student abstracts will be assembled into a program book and published on the conference website. As a side benefit, the research programs of faculty mentors will be enriched by the sharing of information about recent research and the formation of new connections. The conference's secondary goal is to provide students with information on careers and graduate school, as well as opportunities to network. The conference will host a presentation on data analysis, a panel discussion on career opportunities, a session on applying for graduate fellowships, a graduate school showcase, and ample networking opportunities through shared meals, frequent breaks, and organized breakout sessions. The combination of a venue for presenting research with information on how to advance their careers in graduate school will provide students a unique resource for personal and professional development.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.