REU: Multidisciplinary Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Computation and Control of Biological and Biologically Inspired Systems

该REU奖授予一个为期两年的多学科本科研究项目，研究生物和生物启发系统的计算和控制，每年支持8名高级本科生和1名K-12教师。这个为期8周的暑期研究经验将为参与者提供如何应用数学来理解生物或类生物系统的定性和定量行为的独特体验。在这个提议的项目中，理解这种行为的四个关键要素是计算建模、系统与控制、几何建模和复杂分析方法的应用。拟议的REU计划将包括每年从这些领域产生的9个有趣且具有挑战性的项目。通过这些研究问题，我们希望鼓励学生和教师通过发现来学习，而不是被动倾听。这将通过采用非传统的主动学习形式，如合作学习、基于模拟的研究和实验来实现。这个为期八周的暑期项目还将包括以下活动：主题系列讲座；指导俱乐部;客人讨论会;学生研讨会;计算实验室；科学和社会旅游。REU网站将涉及10名合格的教师，他们在研究成果方面表现出色，指导了研究生和本科生的研究，并参与了K-12的外展活动。该网站每年还将有两名研究生作为参与者的导师。该研究项目是高度跨学科的，德克萨斯理工大学致力于在这一方向上取得卓越成就。它将为目标学生提供机会，为在数学和工程领域取得成功做好准备，并帮助他们从大学到研究生院，并将为两名K-12教师在高中数学课堂上解决问题和开放式探索提供宝贵的经验。该计划将极大地提高人们对数学和工程方法在理解生物系统方面日益增长的效用的认识，有助于本科生和K-12教师的科学发展，并将培养研究生的智力成长和发展，并为他们提供宝贵的指导经验。REU计划还将极大地鼓励妇女和少数族裔从事科学事业，特别是在连接数学、工程和生物科学的跨学科领域。该项目由数学科学部（DMS）、工程局（ENG）和国防部与NSF REU项目合作支持。

This REU award for a two year Site on a multidisciplinary undergraduate research program in computation and control of biological and biologically inspired systems supports eight senior level undergraduate students and a K-12 teacher each year. This 8-week summer research experience will provide the participants with a unique experience of how mathematics can be applied to understand the qualitative and quantitative behavior of a biological or bio-like system. The four essential ingredients in this proposed project that are key in understanding this behavior are computational modeling, systems & control, geometric modeling, and applications of complex analytic methods. The proposed REU program will consist of nine interesting and challenging projects arising from these areas each year. Through these research problems, we hope to encourage students and teachers to learn by discovery as opposed to passive listening. This will be accomplished by employing non-traditional forms of active learning such as cooperative learning, simulation-based research and experimentation. This eight-week summer program will also include the following activities: lecture series on topics; mentoring club; guest colloquium; student seminars; computational laboratory and; scientific & social tours. The REU site will involve ten qualified faculty who have excelled in their research accomplishments, have guided graduate and undergraduate research, and have been involved in K-12 outreach activities. The site will also involve two graduate students each year who will serve as mentors for the participants.The research program is highly multi-disciplinary and Texas Tech University is committed to excellence in this direction. It will provide opportunities for targeted students to prepare for success in the mathematical and engineering fields and assist them from college to graduate school, and will provide a valuable experience to two K-12 teachers in problem-solving and open-ended exploration in high-school mathematics classrooms. The program will greatly enhance the awareness of the ever-increasing utility of mathematical and engineering approaches in understanding biological systems, contribute to the scientific development of undergraduate students and K-12 teachers, and will nurture the intellectual growth and development of graduate students and provide them with a valuable experience of mentoring. The REU program will also greatly encourage women and underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in science, especially in interdisciplinary areas that bridge mathematics, engineering and the biological sciences. This project is supported by the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS), the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.