REU Site: Membrane Biochemistry and Bioinspired Synthesis

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, located in Worcester, MA, supports 10 students for 10 weeks of research and professional development during the summers 2020–2022. This site, funded by the Division of Chemistry in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, engages students in research projects related to membrane chemistry and bioinspired synthesis. Students participate in all aspects of the research process, from project conception, execution, and troubleshooting to interpretation and dissemination of results. Students also take part in a career development seminar series that teaches them how to plan, execute and communicate research, and provides them with training in proper research conduct and ethics. Speakers from industry introduce students to different career paths, and the REU students visit the research and production facility of a major pharmaceutical company. The career development program is rounded out by a session devoted to graduate school admission and an overview of post-graduate degree options. The participants choose from either single-REU student/single-faculty or multi-REU student/multi-faculty projects from research groups with complementary expertise, which demonstrates to the students the value of collaborative research. The projects are in the general areas of medicinal chemistry, drug delivery systems, lipid metabolism and characterization of membrane proteins. Upon acceptance into the program, students meet virtually with their advisor team to get acquainted, discuss the project goals, and develop a research plan. This allows the students to take full ownership of their project, as well as to focus on laboratory research immediately after the summer program begins. The summer research experience culminates in an undergraduate research conference, and selected students have the opportunity to present their research outcomes at the ACS Spring meeting. Ultimately, this site trains a diverse group of students, recruited from two and four-year institutions, to become well-rounded members of the chemical sciences workforce. 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.