BioSensing-BioActuation (BSBA) is a compelling new research frontier that will have profound impact on both engineering and biology in sensing/actuation science and technologies. This project establishes a series of three Summer Institutes on BSBA (SI-BSBA) for early career researchers and graduate students from the U.S. and Taiwan. SI-BSBA is jointly organized by the PI and Professor Shuo-Hung Chang of National Taiwan University and is funded in the U.S. by the National Science Foundation and in Taiwan by the National Science Council. The goals of the Summer Institute are to provide a platform for researchers from a diverse background to exchange ideas in the BSBA area, to train students and researchers in the highly interdisciplinary BSBA area who are knowledgeable in both engineering and biology, and to promote international collaborations in the BSBA area between researchers in the US and in Asian Pacific region. Each institute will include approximately twenty students/early career researchers from each side. SI-BSBA activities include a 2-week Summer Institute on BSBA alternately held in the US and in Taiwan. Experts in the BSBA area from engineering and biology will be invited to give lectures on the basics of sensing/actuation technologies and fundamentals of biology, as well as on the state-of-the-art research topics. Hands-on laboratory training of basic engineering tools such as micro- and nano-fabrication, basic tools from cellular level to organism level studies, and BSBA components such as neuron-networks and computational tools will be conducted. The impact of SI-BSBA will be significant and far-reaching, including developing new research tools, transforming the existing research methodologies, and potentially leading to solutions to some of the biggest challenges in society such as the environment, healthcare, sensor networks, and multi-functional materials. Furthermore, the international experiences of the participants will be extremely valuable to the next generation of US scientists and researchers. The Engineering Directorate Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation cofunded this award with the Office of International Science & Engineering.
Three BioSensing-BioActuation Summer Institutes (SI-BSBA) were conducted in 2010-2012. The SI-BSBA aims to train a new generation of researchers in the compelling new research frontier in engineering and biology on sensing/actuation science and technologies. Furthermore, the SI-BSBA intends to enrich the participants' experiences by carrying out international collaborative and cultural activities. The project is co-sponsored by NSF and the National Science Council of Taiwan. Major outcomes of the project are: - The 3 SI-BSBA were held alternatingly in the US and Taiwan. 2010 SI was held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the US. 2011 SI was held at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan. 2012 SI was again held at UIUC. - Each SI was participated by 45-50 students. About half of them were from Taiwan, the other half from the US. There were usually 3-4 participants each year from other countries, including Columbia, India, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Switzerland, UK, etc. - Participants of the SIs were from a large number of US and Taiwanese institutions. For example, the 2012 SI held at UIUC enrolled 48 participants. Among them 21 were from Taiwan, 24 were from US institutions, 3 were from international institutions. The 21 Taiwanese students were from 8 different universities. The 24 US students were from 8 different universities, including Johns Hopkins, U Kentucky, North Carolina Central U (minority-serving), Northeastern U, Stanford U, UC-Merced (minority-serving), UC-San Diego, and UIUC. The 3 international participants were from Nile U in Egypt, Islamic Azad U in Pakistan, and King Faisal U in Saudi Arabia. They also were from a wide range of backgrounds from engineering to biology to physics/chemistry to medicine. - All SI programs are for 2 weeks, with lectures in the mornings and hands-on labs in the afternoons. The lectures were delivered by experts in BSBA areas from all over the world. Typical lab modules include cell biology lab, molecular biology lab, micro-nano fabrication lab, enabling technology lab such as micro-fluidics and nanophotonics, etc. - In addition to lecture and labs, all participants were required to present a poster in the poster session. The posters were judged by a panel of faculty members and SI lecturers. Best poster awards were selected. - To promote interactions among participants and build up potential collaborations, speed-dating style research interest exchanges were organized, during which students had opportunities to exchange research interests and ideas with a large number of other SI participants. - One goal of the SIs is to enrich the participants with international experiences and cultural experiences. When the SIs were organized at UIUC, we organized field trips to visit the Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, IL, and to Chicago, IL during the weekend. - At the end of each SI evaluations were carried out by researchers from the College of Education at UIUC, and compiled as part of the report.
