The primary goals of this renewal REU site program in the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) are: 1) For students to experience engineering research by completing challenging diabetes-related projects with faculty at IIT; 2) To develop and apply mentoring concepts and skills in graduate and undergraduate researchers; 3) To expose students to the broader health implications of their research with lecture, outreach, and tours of clinical facilities; 4) To provide engineering research experiences to students without previous experience; and 5) To integrate ethics discussion and training into all aspects of the student experience. Although laboratory experience is an essential component of this research program, seminars, mentoring workshops, an ethics colloquium and tours of clinical facilities are provided to integrate ethics, mentoring activities and the broader health implications of the research into the educational experience.
At the end of the summer REU site program students will have a diverse set of research skills and knowledge by completion of the following specific objectives: 1) Students complete a diabetes related research project working with an engineering mentor from IIT; 2) Increase student knowledge of the health implications related to diabetes and the importance of engineering research; 3) Increase participation by targeted student populations, specifically students early in their academic careers without previous research experience; 4) Develop and apply mentoring skills in graduate and REU students through training and interactions with students at multiple education levels; and 5) Communicate research ideas and findings through both informal discussion and formal presentations. Recruitment efforts will be targeted to students early in their academic careers with limited opportunity for engineering research, with a specific focus on women and students from underrepresented minority groups.
The REU site activities are centered on undergraduate research projects focused on fundamental studies of relevance to diabetes. Diabetes is a complex pathologic condition with diverse biological and medical issues that drive the need for engineering approaches. Research in the center reflect this diversity, with projects offered in a broad range of topics including computational models of glucose metabolism, design of a bioartificial pancreas, development of novel biomaterials for the treatment of diabetic complications and fundamental studies of islet electrophysiology. This is a unique program in which REU experiences are presented in the context of a problem of significant implications in society. The mentor team is prepared for this task due to their previous activities in undergraduate research and the diabetes center under the Pritzker Institute at IIT.
Broader Impacts The number of researchers in the U.S. must increase significantly to preserve the global leadership in research and technology. The education of highly skilled researchers requires strong educational programs at all levels. Research experiences can greatly influence the future and motivation of young engineers and scientists. By performing research projects related to a disease that affects more than 18 million people in the U.S., there is the potential to advance understanding while influencing engineers in their career. The program specifically targets students early in their academic careers without previous research experience. This focus combined with support from the City Colleges of Chicago will provide the opportunity to impact students at critical career transition points. In addition to research experience students will be provided with a broader understanding of the disease and its impact on society. The program will impact students at multiple academic stages. Mentoring activities will be provided and fostered for graduate students to facilitate interactions with the REU student, and REU students will develop an enrichment activity for a high school STEM program. The high school students will come from diverse backgrounds and will be exposed to cutting edge engineering research and opportunities for impact in the field of diabetes.
