REU Site: Training and Experimentation in Computational Biology (TECBio)

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the University of Pittsburgh, located in Pittsburgh, PA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2017-2020. This Training and Experimentation in Computational Biology (TECBio) REU program is housed in the Department of Computational and Systems Biology and focuses on multiscale modeling, simulation, and systems-level analyses for biological discovery. TECBio students can expect a challenging and fulfilling experience that prepares them for graduate school and other STEM careers. Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors from the life, physical, and computer sciences and engineering are encouraged to apply. TECBio students pick from 40 diverse research mentors in five major research areas. Students will also participate in a journal club, attend research and career seminars, learn the ethical and responsible conduct of research, present their work at a Pittsburgh-wide symposium, participate in a number of cohort-building and networking events, and experience the various social and cultural activities available in Pittsburgh. A total of 40 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities and/or underrepresented backgrounds, will be trained during this award cycle. TECBio students will interact with students from other programs in and around campus. Students will work on their own research projects, hone their scientific communication skills, and take part in a tiered mentoring and training framework offering multiple mentorship opportunities and the chance to be a mentor for younger scientists. TECBio students will also enhance the program through their feedback. 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. Following completion of the program, TECBio alumni will receive continued mentoring by program directors and mentors, who will track and maintain contact with students to help them establish their careers. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program can be found at www.tecbioreu.pitt.edu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Joseph C. Ayoob, jayoob@pitt.edu), the co-PI (Dr. Chakra Chennubhotla, chakracs@pitt.edu), or the Program Coordinator (Ms. Leah Russell, llr19@pitt.edu).