REU Site: Interdisciplinary Biological Engineering and Science Training (I-BEST)

该REU网站授予位于加州默塞德的加州大学默塞德分校，将在2024-2026年夏季为10名学生提供为期10周的培训。预计总共将有30名学生接受该项目的培训，这些学生主要来自研究机会有限的学校或代表性不足的群体。通过本科生研究项目产生的知识将影响各种科学学科，包括生物物理学，生物化学，生物学和生物工程，并为造福社会的应用铺平道路，同时也为学生提供宝贵的培训和专业接触，在他们走向STEM领域职业生涯的关键阶段。学生们将发现科学的、跨学科的研究是如何进行的，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们暑期经历的成果。该计划的评估将通过在线工具完成。学生应使用NSF ETAP（教育和培训申请：https://etap.nsf.gov）向REU网站申请。生物相关领域的变革进步需要 多学科团队的贡献，REU网站有专门的教师，在生物物理学、生物化学、分子生物学、发育生物学、生物材料和生物工程等领域开展积极的合作研究项目。学生将开展研究项目，从研究生物钟和癌细胞迁移的机制，到设计和表征新型生物传感器、抗菌水凝胶和反应性药物输送系统。除了在多学科研究团队中进行沉浸式研究外，该计划还将提供各种实验室技术的实践培训；专注于专业发展，包括沟通，研究生院准备，道德/负责任的研究行为；与业界专业人士的职业发展课程；以及社区建设活动，比如去附近的约塞米蒂国家公园旅行，然后通过会议演讲进行强化。REU网站将整合整体评估，以确保所有参与者和导师的有益经验。将提供津贴、住房和膳食，以及项目后会议旅行的资金。该REU网站由STEM教育理事会（EDU）的STEM卓越公平司（EES）和生物科学理事会（BIO）的生物基础设施司（DBI）提供支持。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This REU Site award to the University of California, Merced, located in Merced, CA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from underrepresented groups, will be trained in the program. The knowledge generated through the undergraduate research projects will impact a variety of scientific disciplines including biophysics, biochemistry, biology, and bioengineering and pave the way for applications that benefit society while also providing students with valuable training and professional exposure during a pivotal stage in their journeys toward careers in STEM fields. Students will discover how scientific, interdisciplinary research is conducted, and many will present the results of their summer experiences at scientific conferences. Assessment of this program will be done through an online tool. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF ETAP (Education and Training Application: https://etap.nsf.gov). Transformative advances in bio-related fields require contributions from multidisciplinary teams and the REU Site has dedicated faculty with active, collaborative research programs in biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, developmental biology, biomaterials, and bioengineering. Students will carry out research projects ranging from studying the mechanisms of circadian clocks and cancer cell migration to the design and characterization of novel biosensors, antibacterial hydrogels, and responsive drug delivery systems. In addition to the immersive research in multidisciplinary research teams, the program will provide hands-on training in various laboratory techniques; focused professional development including communication, graduate school preparation, and ethics/responsible conduct of research; career pathways sessions with professionals from industry; and community building events such as trips to nearby Yosemite, followed by reinforcement through conference presentations. The REU Site will integrate holistic assessment to ensure a beneficial experience for all participants and mentors. Stipends, housing, and meals, as well as funds for post-program conference travel, will be provided. This REU Site is supported by the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EES) in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) and the Division for Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO).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.