REU Site: SURFing the Interface between Chemistry and Biology

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This REU Site award to The Scripps Research Institute is supported by the Department of Defense ASSURE program thru a partnership with the NSF REU program. The REU is located in Jupiter, Florida, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020-2022. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from an under-represented group, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is designed, conducted, and presented, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences, and/or through community outreach and social media. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths.Mirroring the highly interdisciplinary nature of Scripps’ faculty research, the program at the Scripps Research Institute Florida is an experience at the interface between chemistry and biology. Projects include aging studies in Drosophila, the study of ribosome assembly in yeast, the molecular basis for memory formation, and many others. A strong chemistry program allows for tool development to probe key biological processes such as glycan-mediated protein quality control, RNA transport to the dendrite, or the molecular basis for human diseases. Students will carry out their own research projects under the mentorship of experienced lab personnel and the supervision of world experts in their field. In addition to this hands-on experience of cutting-edge research, students participate in a weekly seminar series to broaden their perspectives on diverse scientific fields, as well as a workshop series to prepare them for graduate school (applications). Student satisfaction and learning outcomes will be assessed using online questionnaires, individual meetings with the PI and coordinator, and via mentor surveys. Applications are accepted online at https://education.scripps.edu/undergraduate/summer-research/reu-programs/ and due by 2/15 of each year. Student selection is based on transcripts, statements of purpose and letters of recommendation, and takes into consideration a student’s future potential for scientific research, as well as her/his interest in our program. More information about the program is available by visiting https://education.scripps.edu/undergraduate/summer-research/reu-programs/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Katrin Karbstein at kkarbst@scripps.edu) or the program coordinator (Dr. Rosie Albarran-Zeckler at rzeckler@scripps.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.