The University of Virginia is hosting an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer program in multi-scale systems bioengineering and biomedical data science. The objective of the program is to train undergraduates from a variety of STEM backgrounds and provide them with the skills, confidence, and mentorship necessary for successful careers in the exciting field of systems bioengineering. Students will be matched with faculty mentors for a 10-week research project, culminating in a paper and public symposium. All students will participate in collaborative, hands-on, and closely mentored projects in the areas of: 1) Molecular Pathways and Cellular Modeling and 2) Tissue-/Organ-/Population-Level Modeling, which will immerse them in a combination of experimentation and computational analyses. Students will acquire the practical skills, knowledge, ethical grounding, and communication skills necessary to be productive in advanced graduate study and be successfully employed in the modern biotechnology industry. The program will also provide students with career advising, grounding in research ethics, training in scientific communication, and ongoing mentorship after completion of the program.
Website: https://engineering.virginia.edu/sysbioreu
Highlights:
- $6000 stipend for 10-week research program
- Reimbursement of travel costs up to $400
- Convenient on-campus housing, food allowance, and dining plan at local restaurants
- Introductory “boot camp” short course on systems bioengineering modeling basics
- Weekly workshops on ethics and professional development
- Presentation at the 4S Summer Research Series, at the end of the summer
- Travel funds to present at the fall BMES annual meeting
Program Dates: May 29 – August 4, 2023
Application Window: February 1 – April 8, 2023
Eligibility Requirements and Application:
Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and be available for the duration of the 10-week program. Students who have completed at least two years of a science, mathematics, or engineering-based curriculum that includes introductory biology, chemistry, and calculus are especially encouraged to apply. Some experience in physics and programming is recommended, but not required. Women, underrepresented minorities, and military veterans are especially encouraged to apply.
Applicants must complete an online application form that includes: basic information about the applicant, a resume, an unofficial transcript, some short essays that address their motivation for the program and what the student hopes to get out of the experience, and two references (preferably academic or supervisory, rather than “community” letters), all to be submitted electronically. We are using the NSF’s new REU common application portal. Select "How to Apply" in the top menu, then click either the “Engineering” drop-down or on the link "Engineering common application.” When selecting the program to apply to, be sure to then select “UVA Systems Bioengineering REU" and follow the instructions. Applications will be reviewed and decisions will be made on a rolling basis. The application window will remain open until April 8, 2023.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Timothy E. Allen, PhD
Associate Professor and Systems Bioengineering REU Director
University of Virginia
SystemsBioengREU@virginia.edu