EBICS:VITA REU Site

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

BROADER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT: This EBICS (Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems): Virtually Integrated Team Approach (VITA) REU Site seeks to engineer a variety of cell types to work together in functional clusters, or biological machines, that will perform desired tasks. These biological machines have the potential to enhance or even transform our ability to accomplish certain tasks, e.g., detecting and removing unwanted chemical or toxin from a food or drug, monitoring the environment, or mimicking certain aspects of organ function. In addition to the scientific foundational needs addressed by this project, there are U.S. workforce development considerations being addressed, training next generation of U.S. researchers how to communicate and perform multi-disciplinary work, multi-institutional research, and to productively working in collaborative, multi-ethnic, virtual teams, as these formats are progressively being used across all enterprises. To do so, EBICS: VITA REU will immerse scholars into virtual research teams at one of three institutions (Georgia Tech, Univ. of Illinois, or MIT) with an independent project and mentor that contributes to a larger research goal aligned with EBICS grand challenge. Targeted approaches for recruiting cohorts of students traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering disciplines (women, underrepresented minority (URM) students, students with disabilities, and students from schools with limited STEM research opportunities) will occur with a set plan in place having already being initiated. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This project acknowledges the support from the Division of Engineering Education and Centers to train the next generation U.S. workforce to function successfully in virtual teams that are multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, and multi-ethnic. EBICS is an NSF Science and Technology Center addressing the grand challenge of engineering clusters of living cells or biological machines that have desired functionalities and perform prescribed tasks. EBICS is also defining quantitative design principles for creating such machines, and for understanding and controlling the flow of information (genetic, biochemical, mechanical, electrical) within and between cells, in a dynamic, multi-scale fashion. This involves integration of concepts from tissue engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology, as well as established disciplines such as electrical engineering and computer science; mechanical engineering; chemical engineering; biomedical engineering; biology; chemistry. Research and educational activities will incorporate REU scholars into virtual, multi-institutional research Working Groups, with independent projects contributing to a larger research thrust. Video- and tele-conferencing during the research experience will provide committed professional development on presenting in virtual formats. All virtual teams and REU scholars will travel and meet face-to-face at the annual EBICS retreat to interact with their Working Group, as well as other EBICS faculty from Georgia Tech, Univ. of Illinois, and MIT, EBICS graduate and postdoctoral trainees, providing a broader network far beyond that of just being at one institution. This EBICS:VITA REU will also employ a robust evaluation to validate and document the effectiveness of this new multi-site, virtual team REU model using a value-engaged, educative approach that defines high quality STEM educational programming as that which effectively incorporates cutting edge scientific content, strong instructional pedagogy and sensitivity to diversity and equity issues.