REU Site: Summer Engineering Research Experiences in Diabetes for Undergraduates

美国伊利诺伊理工学院（IIT）生物医学工程（BME）系REU项目更新的主要目标是：1)让学生通过与IIT教师一起完成具有挑战性的糖尿病相关项目来体验工程研究；2)在研究生和本科生研究人员中发展和应用指导理念和技能；3)通过讲座、外展和临床设施参观，使学生接触到他们研究的更广泛的健康影响；4)为没有工程研究经验的学生提供工程研究经验；5)将道德讨论和培训融入学生体验的各个方面。虽然实验室经验是这项研究计划的重要组成部分，但提供研讨会、指导讲习班、伦理讨论会和临床设施参观，以将伦理、指导活动和研究的更广泛的健康影响纳入教育经验。在夏季REU现场项目结束时，学生将通过完成以下具体目标，拥有多样化的研究技能和知识：1)学生与印度理工学院的工程导师一起完成糖尿病相关的研究项目；2)增加学生对糖尿病对健康的影响和工程研究的重要性的认识；3)增加目标学生群体的参与，特别是那些在学术生涯早期没有研究经验的学生；4)通过与不同教育层次的学生进行培训和互动，培养和应用研究生和REU学生的指导技能；5)通过非正式讨论和正式报告交流研究想法和发现。招聘工作将针对学术生涯早期、从事工程研究机会有限的学生，并特别关注女性和来自代表性不足的少数群体的学生。REU网站的活动集中在与糖尿病相关的基础研究的本科生研究项目上。糖尿病是一种复杂的病理状况，具有多种生物学和医学问题，推动了对工程方法的需求。该中心的研究反映了这种多样性，提供的项目涉及广泛的主题，包括葡萄糖代谢的计算模型，生物人工胰腺的设计，用于治疗糖尿病并发症的新型生物材料的开发以及胰岛电生理学的基础研究。这是一个独特的项目，在这个项目中，REU的经验是在一个对社会有重大影响的问题的背景下呈现的。导师团队为这项任务做好了准备，因为他们之前在印度理工学院普利兹克研究所的本科生研究和糖尿病中心的活动。更广泛的影响美国的研究人员数量必须大幅增加，以保持在研究和技术方面的全球领导地位。培养高技能的研究人员需要在各个层次都有强有力的教育计划。研究经历可以极大地影响年轻工程师和科学家的未来和动力。通过开展与一种影响美国1800多万人的疾病相关的研究项目，有可能在影响工程师职业生涯的同时促进对疾病的理解。该项目专门针对那些在学术生涯早期没有研究经验的学生。这一重点与芝加哥城市学院的支持相结合，将为处于关键职业过渡点的学生提供影响的机会。除了研究经验外，学生将对这种疾病及其对社会的影响有更广泛的了解。该项目将影响学生在多个学术阶段。将为研究生提供和培养指导活动，以促进与REU学生的互动，REU学生将为高中STEM项目开发丰富活动。高中学生将来自不同的背景，并将接触到最前沿的工程研究，并有机会在糖尿病领域产生影响。

Intellectual MeritThe primary goals of this renewal REU site program in the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) are: 1) For students to experience engineering research by completing challenging diabetes-related projects with faculty at IIT; 2) To develop and apply mentoring concepts and skills in graduate and undergraduate researchers; 3) To expose students to the broader health implications of their research with lecture, outreach, and tours of clinical facilities; 4) To provide engineering research experiences to students without previous experience; and 5) To integrate ethics discussion and training into all aspects of the student experience. Although laboratory experience is an essential component of this research program, seminars, mentoring workshops, an ethics colloquium and tours of clinical facilities are provided to integrate ethics, mentoring activities and the broader health implications of the research into the educational experience. At the end of the summer REU site program students will have a diverse set of research skills and knowledge by completion of the following specific objectives: 1) Students complete a diabetes related research project working with an engineering mentor from IIT; 2) Increase student knowledge of the health implications related to diabetes and the importance of engineering research; 3) Increase participation by targeted student populations, specifically students early in their academic careers without previous research experience; 4) Develop and apply mentoring skills in graduate and REU students through training and interactions with students at multiple education levels; and 5) Communicate research ideas and findings through both informal discussion and formal presentations. Recruitment efforts will be targeted to students early in their academic careers with limited opportunity for engineering research, with a specific focus on women and students from underrepresented minority groups.The REU site activities are centered on undergraduate research projects focused on fundamental studies of relevance to diabetes. Diabetes is a complex pathologic condition with diverse biological and medical issues that drive the need for engineering approaches. Research in the center reflect this diversity, with projects offered in a broad range of topics including computational models of glucose metabolism, design of a bioartificial pancreas, development of novel biomaterials for the treatment of diabetic complications and fundamental studies of islet electrophysiology. This is a unique program in which REU experiences are presented in the context of a problem of significant implications in society. The mentor team is prepared for this task due to their previous activities in undergraduate research and the diabetes center under the Pritzker Institute at IIT.Broader ImpactsThe number of researchers in the U.S. must increase significantly to preserve the global leadership in research and technology. The education of highly skilled researchers requires strong educational programs at all levels. Research experiences can greatly influence the future and motivation of young engineers and scientists. By performing research projects related to a disease that affects more than 18 million people in the U.S., there is the potential to advance understanding while influencing engineers in their career. The program specifically targets students early in their academic careers without previous research experience. This focus combined with support from the City Colleges of Chicago will provide the opportunity to impact students at critical career transition points. In addition to research experience students will be provided with a broader understanding of the disease and its impact on society. The program will impact students at multiple academic stages. Mentoring activities will be provided and fostered for graduate students to facilitate interactions with the REU student, and REU students will develop an enrichment activity for a high school STEM program. The high school students will come from diverse backgrounds and will be exposed to cutting edge engineering research and opportunities for impact in the field of diabetes.