REU Site: Program in Chemical Biology

这项授予田纳西州纳什维尔范德比尔特大学的本科生研究体验(REU)现场奖，支持在2024-2026年夏季对10名学生进行为期10周的培训。在这个由化学系资助的项目中，参与者将在经验丰富的范德比尔特各级教员导师的实验室中进行化学生物学的跨学科研究。由大卫·克里菲尔教授和杰夫·约翰斯顿教授领导的团队设计了这个项目，为正在进行的化学生物学项目的学生提供研究机会，并通过跨学科的科学研讨会接触到新的研究领域。通过有指导的、真实的研究经验，这个项目将发展学生对研究过程和当代化学生物学研究的跨学科性质的理解，同时学习在团队环境中工作。这个项目还将建立一个受过独特培训的、高度多样化的学生队伍，以满足21世纪科学工作者的需要。为了努力为学生未来的科学职业生涯做准备和支持，一个补充的职业发展研讨会系列将涵盖研究道德、安全培训、摘要写作和海报展示技巧等基本主题。参加者亦可参加有关申请研究生院及寻找资助机会的课程，以协助他们为接受专上教育作好准备。该计划的另一个重点将是招募一批化学、生物化学和生物学专业的本科生，从事跨学科的化学或生化研究。这一奖项反映了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。

This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, TN, supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants will conduct interdisciplinary research in chemical biology in the laboratories of seasoned Vanderbilt faculty mentors of all ranks. The team, led by Professors David Cliffel and Jeff Johnston, designed the program to provide research opportunities to students in ongoing projects in chemical biology, as well as exposure to new areas of research through interdisciplinary scientific seminars. Through mentored, authentic research experiences, this program will evolve the student’s understanding of the research process and the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary chemical biology research while learning to work in a team environment. This program will additionally create a uniquely trained and highly diverse student pool that meets the needs of the 21st century scientific workforce.In an effort to prepare and support the students for their future scientific careers, a complementary professional development seminar series will cover essential topics such as research ethics, safety training, abstract writing, and poster presentation techniques. Sessions on applying to graduate school and seeking out funding opportunities will also be available to participants to help prepare them for post-secondary education opportunities. Additional focus of the program will be to recruit a diverse group of undergraduate students who are majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, and biology for careers in trans-disciplinary chemical or biochemical research.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.