NSF Student Travel Grant for The 25th International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming 2019 (DNA 25)

生命在一个硬件上运行，这个硬件由包围着分子组件的细胞和一个用分子编写的信息和程序编码的软件组成。一年一度的DNA计算和分子编程国际会议一直是具有不同背景的科学家(例如，计算机科学、物理、化学、生物和数学专家)齐聚一堂，展示他们的研究和讨论新想法的主要跨学科论坛之一，其愿景是了解自然分子程序并进一步建立新的分子程序设计规则，用于在活细胞内外设计和开发合成系统。分子编程的应用包括开发分子定义的电子和光学材料，将分子尺度识别和放大电路集成在用于研究生物学的分析技术中，以及具有可编程控制药物输送的“智能”疗法。该奖项为2019年8月5日至9日在西雅图华盛顿大学举行的第25届DNA计算和分子编程国际会议(DNA25)提供学生旅行支持。通过资助学生的旅行，组织者正在积极鼓励和激励新一代研究人员参加会议。通过鼓励学生参加，展示他们的工作，并与该领域的其他专家互动，旅行奖项将有助于促进下一代分子程序员的发展。参加会议的学生将接触到早期版本的作品，这些作品将在顶级场馆发表，此外，他们还将有机会与制作出高质量作品的研究人员互动，并有可能与他们合作。橙子公司计划支持多达20名成功的学生申请者，他们将获得旅费和住宿费。这些基金的主要目的是向在会议上作口头或海报发言的妇女和代表人数不足的少数群体提供援助，并向以其他方式负担不起参加会议费用的研究生提供援助。向美国公民和美国院校的学生提供该奖项的情况将包括在会议公告和征集申请中。一个由三名教员组成的委员会将根据上述优先事项决定奖项。这次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。该奖项的范围包括：构建纳米结构的分子折叠和自组装的控制；使用生物分子展示开关、门、设备和电路；分子马达和分子机器人；体外和体内的计算过程；容错和纠错研究；合成生物学和体外进化；用于分析、模拟和设计的软件工具；在工程、物理、化学、生物和医学方面的一系列应用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Life operates on a hardware that is composed of cells enclosing molecular components and a software encoded by information and programs written in molecules. With the vision of understanding the natural molecular programs and further establishing novel molecular programming rules for engineering and 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.; experts in computer science, physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics) come together to present their research and discuss new ideas. The application of molecular programming include development of molecularly-defined electronic and optical materials, the integration of molecular-scale recognition and amplification circuits within analytical techniques for studying biology, and `smart' therapeutics with programmable control over drug delivery. This award provides student travel support for the 25th International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming (DNA25), held at the University of Washington, Seattle, August 5-9, 2019. By funding travel for students the organizers are actively encouraging and incentivizing a new generation of researchers to attend the conference. The travel awards will help to foster the development of the next generation of molecular programmers, by encouraging students to attend, present their work, and interact with other experts in the field. Students who attend the conference will get exposure to early versions of work that will go on to be published in top venues and, furthermore, they will have the opportunity to interact with, and potentially collaborate with, researchers who are producing work of the highest quality.Oranizers plan to support up to 20 successful student applicants, who will be funded for travel and accommodation expenses. The primary purpose of these funds is to provide 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. A committee of three faculty will decide on awards based on the above priorities. This highly interdisciplinary conference emphasizes topics that bridge computation, biology, and nanotechnology and attracting 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.