Collaborative Research: REU Site: Multisite REU in Synthetic Biology

这个合作REU网站奖西蒙斯大学，位于马萨诸塞州波士顿，和北卡罗来纳州AT州立大学，位于格林斯伯勒，NC，将支持12名学生在2019年至2021年的夏天10周的培训。这是一个多站点的REU合作，每个站点每年夏天将接待6名学生。该计划的重点是提供合成生物学多学科领域的研究经验，这是一个新兴的生物学领域，整合了多个科学学科，包括生物学，数学，化学和计算机科学。 教师导师将从化学，生物，数学和计算机科学在这两个机构的部门。在为期10周的课程中，学生将参与合成生物学研究项目，教他们如何1）使用合成生物学策略来解决复杂的生物学问题，2）在多学科研究团队中工作，3）发展跨学科的沟通技巧。一个共同的为期一周的靴子训练营将在两个机构使用共享模块，以阐明共同的目标，实验室技术和计算技能。 为了促进各地点之间的合作，将在各地点之间建立配对的虚拟研究小组，并将利用各种社交媒体平台提供STEM职业规划方面的联合方案。在线学习社区将包括通过网络研讨会和由学生领导并由教师导师促进的虚拟期刊俱乐部每周举行的队列会议。在该计划期间，学生还将参加一系列研讨会，重点关注核心合成生物学技术，与合成生物学相关的生物伦理问题，STEM中的隐性偏见和性骚扰，以及STEM职业。暑期课程将以一个全联盟范围的虚拟研讨会结束，学生将有机会向同事展示他们的研究，并获得建设性的反馈。 学生将根据他们对研究的兴趣，学习成绩，来自家乡机构的推荐信以及与选拔委员会教师导师的电话面试进行选择。预计共有36名学生，主要来自代表性不足的少数群体和研究机会有限的学校，将在该方案中接受培训。 学生将学习如何进行研究，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果。 该计划是专为有兴趣在STEM领域从事研究职业的学生而设计的。由生物基础设施部资助的所有REU研究中心项目使用的通用网络评估工具将用于确定培训项目的有效性。 学生将在课程结束后进行跟踪，以确定他们的职业道路。学生将被要求通过NSF报告系统自动发送电子邮件。有关该计划的更多信息，请访问或联系主要研究者（Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield博士，Jennifer.坎菲尔德）或共同主要研究者（Mariam Ismail博士，Mariam. simmons.edu）西蒙斯大学或主要研究者（Robert纽曼博士，rhnewman@ncat.edu）北卡罗来纳州AT州立大学。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。simmons.edu

This collaborative REU site award to Simmons University, located in Boston, MA, and North Carolina A&T State University, located in Greensboro, NC, will support the training of 12 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2019- 2021. This is a multisite REU collaborative and each site will host 6 students each summer. The focus of the program is to provide research experiences in the multidisciplinary field of Synthetic Biology, an emerging field of biology that integrates multiple scientific disciplines, including biology, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science. Faculty mentors will be drawn from the Departments of Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Computer Science at both institutions. During the 10-week program, students will be engaged in synthetic biology research projects that teach them how to 1) use synthetic biology strategies to solve complex biological problems, 2) work in a multidisciplinary research team, and 3) develop cross-disciplinary communication skills. A common week-long boot camp will be incorporated at both institutions using shared modules to articulate common objectives, laboratory techniques, and computational skills. To foster the collaboration between the sites, paired virtual research groups will be created between sites and joint programming in STEM career planning will be delivered using a variety of social media platforms. The online learning community will consist of weekly cohort meetings via webinar and a virtual journal club led by students and facilitated by faculty mentors. During the program, students will also participate in a series of workshops focused on core synthetic biology techniques, bioethical issues associated with synthetic biology, implicit bias and sexual harassment in STEM, and careers in STEM. The summer program will culminate with a consortium-wide virtual symposium where students will have the opportunity to present their research to their colleagues and receive constructive feedback. Students will be selected based on their interest in research, academic record, recommendation letters from their home institutions and phone interviews with faculty mentors on the selection committee. It is anticipated that a total of 36 students, primarily from underrepresented minority groups and from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. This program is designed for students interested in pursuing research careers in STEM fields. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting or by contacting the PI (Dr. Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield at Jennifer.canfield@simmons.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Mariam Ismail at Mariam.ismail@simmons.edu) at Simmons University or the PI (Dr. Robert Newman at rhnewman@ncat.edu) at North Carolina A&T State University.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.