REU Site: Integrative Molecular Plant Systems

This REU Site award to North Carolina State University, located in Raleigh, NC, will support the training of 8 students for 10 weeks, during the summers of 2016-2018. This project is supported by the Divisions of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) and Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) through the Plant Genome Research Program. Students will be engaged in cutting edge research in integrative molecular plant systems (IMPS) with foci on sustainable foods, fuels, and model systems. Engaged departments include the Departments of Plant and Microbial Biology, Plant Pathology, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The goal of the program is to inspire and empower undergraduate researchers to pursue productive scientific careers. Students in the program will participate in a 3-day 'Biotechnology Bootcamp' the first week of the program, learning essential molecular biology laboratory skills, and then will pursue independent research for the remainder of the summer under the guidance of a mentor. Students will have multiple public-speaking opportunities to present their research, including a poster presentation at the campus-wide undergraduate research symposium at the end of the program. Students will also participate in career-development activities, such as the responsible conduct in research, professional communication skills, career opportunities in industry and academia, and the graduate school application process. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences.

Student applications are reviewed by a committee comprised of the PI, co-PI and Program Coordinator. Selections are based on academic record, research interest, letters of recommendation, and potential for outstanding research. It is anticipated that a total of 24 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting https://pmb.cals.ncsu.edu/research/ or by contacting the Assistant Director, Dr. Imara Perera (iperera@ncsu.edu) or the PI, Dr. Sue Carson (sdcarson@ncsu.edu).