Collaborative Research: REU Site: Molecular Interactions Virtual REU

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This award from the Division of Chemistry (CHE) supports a virtual Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site led by a team of faculty from the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, the State University of New York College at Cortland, and Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. This REU site supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2022-2024. The objective of this program is to provide a positive, authentic research experience to a diverse group of students, early in their academic careers. This is a fully online, REU program, where students take part in guided independent research, as part of an online community of peers, to analyze and predict the relationship between structure and function in biomolecules. The inherent flexibility of this virtual format makes this program broadly accessible to a wide variety of students, including those who would not otherwise be able to access on-site REU programs. Participants in this program will learn about molecular interactions and explore structure-function relationships in a learning environment that is supportive and flexible, guided by a team of faculty and peer mentors. To foster community and to strengthen communication skills, participants will participate in weekly, informal social events, professional development activities, and multiple, guided research meetings. The summer experience culminates in an online, capstone research symposium where students present a research poster they have created to their peers and research mentors. The independent research conducted by the students will result in advances in understanding of enzyme function, primary and secondary metabolism, and will provide training and insight into the the structural basis for enzyme engineering.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.