A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Sites award has been made to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) that will provide research training for 8 students, for 10 weeks during the summers of 2012- 2014. The program trains participants on the present and growing need to integrate biological research with sophisticated computational tools and techniques. CSHL has over 40 faculty members, including members of a newly established Quantitative Biology Department, who will serve as bioinformatics and computational biology mentors in fields ranging from plant biology to machine learning for biology. Through this NSF-REU support, students are afforded the opportunity to conduct full-time research in an appropriately matched lab based on mutual interests and goals. CSHL REU participants have access to individual and shared laboratory facilities such as flow cytometry, high throughput sequencing and analysis, imaging, and proteomics facilities. Participants attend multiple seminars and workshops, such as the responsible conduct in research, professional communication skills, the graduate school application process, and introduction to science careers. REU participants also are invited to attend the CSHL summer courses or meetings, which cover a range of topics such as Computational Neuroscience and Single Cell Analysis. All students are housed on campus within walking distance of their laboratories and the CSHL cafeteria, where they receive the majority of their meals. The multilayer recruitment effort consists of both traditional and digital mailings to potential students and their professors, as well as recruitment visits to universities throughout the country. Students are selected based on academic record, motivation for the proposed program of study, and potential as future researchers. Alumni successes are monitored to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the long-term impact of their research experience. Information about the program will be assessed using faculty and student evaluations, as well as the use of an REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting www.cshl.edu/education/urp/nsf-sponsored-reu-in-bioinformatics-and-computational-biology, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Zachary Lippman at lippman@cshl.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Doreen Ware at ware@cshl.edu).

Project Report

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s (CSHL’s) REU has three coordinated goals: (1) give talented undergraduates first-hand experience of life as a scientist while they explore an important problem in biology through independent research; (2) increase the participation of students from diverse backgrounds – economic, social, academic, racial, ethnic, and otherwise – in research; and (3) help participants develop a scientific identity that extends beyond the program’s ten-week length. The research focus of CSHL’s REU has been Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB), addressing the increasing demand for quantitatively and computationally skilled scientists to solve the complex biological problems that impact society today. The BCB focus is unique to CSHL and only a small number of other REU sites in bioscience include these topics. Each year, increasing numbers of students specifically come looking for this type of quantitative training. During the grant period 2010-2014, we received roughly 750 applications each year, of which about 45% were from REU-eligible applicants. About 16% of REU-eligible applicants were from ethnic and/or racial backgrounds not well-represented in the biosciences; 58% were from female students. We invited 25 – 28 students annually to participate in CSHL’s summer undergraduate research program. Five (2010 - 2011) then eight (2012 – 2014) participants were sponsored by the NSF REU. The REU students came from a variety of academic backgrounds: 37% from non-research universities, according to Carnegie classications, and 43% had just completed their sophomore year. Under-represented minority (URM) students made up 31% of REU participants; female students accounted for 63% of participants. CSHL’s REU is reaching a talented group of female and URM scientists. During the residential summer research program, CSHL’s undergraduate researchers experience life as a scientist: they present research talks, make professional connections and collaborations, learn from each other, and get career advice from established scientists. Students design, implement, and present an original, meritorious research project. Most often, REU projects are central to larger ongoing projects, allowing students to make valuable contributions by the end of the program. In several cases, student contributions have warranted co-authorship on research papers, and participants have presented their REU research at national scientific conferences. Day-to-day mentoring is provided according to each student’s experience and ability, with the goal of achieving greater independence by the end of the summer. Students learn theoretical principles and new experimental techniques by applying them to real problems in the lab. REU students work closely with graduate students and/or postdocs and interact extensively with faculty so they see the research career path. Since 2010, of the 27 REU students who completed their undergraduate degrees and whom we could track, 74% have continued with Ph.D. studies in the biosciences. Another 19% are in scientific research careers, and the remaining 7% are in M.D. programs. The record of REU outcomes suggests that the program successfully identifies talented undergraduates and provides them with a research experience that positively contributes to their continuing education and/or careers in science. Among the 27 REU students, eight identified as belonging to racial or ethnic minorities not well represented in the sciences (URM). Of these URM REU students, 75% have continued with Ph.D. studies in the biosciences. These exceptional REU students will become scientists, role models, educators, and ambassadors for the importance of science in society, bringing with them an appreciation of the major computational challenges in biology. The success of the program is evident from student outcomes as well as anonymous evaluations completed at the end of each summer. In the past years, almost all respondents (>90%) found the program worthwhile and would recommend it to other students at their home institutions. In end-of-summer self-assessments, the large majority of participants reported substantial gains as scientists in areas ranging from their confidence in doing research to their ability to solve problems, generally. Their accomplishments were confirmed by feedback from their CSHL mentors. The final research symposium has been an important means of prompting students to think independently about their summer research; students describe it as a valuable element of the program. The collegial interactions among the REU participants provide a professional scientific network that lasts far beyond the summer. The vast majority of participants said they felt part of a scientific community during the REU and that the overall experience made them feel like a scientist. CSHL’s REU program is helping to ensure a talented and diverse cohort of future leaders in quantitative biological sciences and in other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. REU participants take away an appreciation of the central role that computational methods play in addressing the major challenges in biology and health. An understanding of the principles of quantitative analysis, in general, is of obvious importance for research but is increasingly essential to be an informed and contributing member of our increasingly technology-driven society.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1156643
Program Officer
Sally O'Connor
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2012-04-01
Budget End
2015-03-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$350,854
Indirect Cost
Name
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Cold Spring Harbor
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11724