REU Site: Integrative Microbial and Plant Systems (IMPS)

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This REU Site award to North Carolina State University (NCSU), located in Raleigh, NC, will support the training of 10 students per year for 10 weeks during the summers of 2022- 2024. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from groups underrepresented in the biological sciences, as well as from schools with limited undergraduate research opportunities will be trained in the program. A hands-on research experience is a critical component of college STEM education. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present their work at scientific conferences. Assessment of the program will be done using the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths.The intellectual focus of the program is on understanding productive plant-microbe interactions to ultimately benefit plant performance and positively impact food security. NCSU has a strong core of plant and microbial biologists, working in the areas of sustainable foods, fuels, and computer modeling of fundamental biological mechanisms. The faculty mentors participating in this REU program share overlapping and complementary interests and expertise and there is strong synergy between lab-based and computational approaches. Students will be able to choose from four major research themes including stress resilience, nutrient acquisition in plant and microbial systems, signaling in plant-microbe systems, and plant-microbiome modeling. During the 10 week period, students will engage in full-time lab research. Additionally, students will attend scientific seminars and workshops on professional development, responsible conduct of research, career opportunities in academia and industry, the graduate school application process and a field trip to a local biotechnology company. Students will present their findings at a symposium held during the final week of the program. Housing, a stipend, meal and travel allowances will be provided. Students from underrepresented minority groups and from colleges with limited research opportunities are encouraged to apply. Selection will be based on research interests, academic record and recommendation letters. More information about the program is available by visiting https://cals.ncsu.edu/plant-and-microbial-biology/students/integrative-molecular-plant-systems-research-experience/ , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Imara Perera at iperera@ncsu.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Amy Grunden at amgrunde@ncsu.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.