REU Site: Research and Training in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biodesign (B3) for Undergraduates.

The Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biodesign (B3) REU site award to City College of New York (CCNY), located in New York, NY, will support training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2027-2030. The research focus is at the intersections of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering and mentors come from the Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Biology, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. The B3-REU program provides an embedded laboratory science experience for all students including those with limited research opportunities at their home institutions and for community college students with aspirations for further technical training. Workshops and social activities will promote professional development and teamwork. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. To evaluate the program, the BIO REU common assessment tool will be used. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF ETAP (Education and Training Application: https://etap.nsf.gov). The training students will receive is aligned with the NSF priority in Biotechnology. As biology increasingly adopts quantitative approaches, initiatives such as B3 are crucial for cross-training undergraduates in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Established in 2017, the Research Experience for Undergraduates in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biodesign program trains students from across the full spectrum of talent. Undergraduate research is a proven way to attract talented young people to science. Immersion in research enables students to transition from the classroom to experiential hands-on research, which promotes a durable science identity. Students actively learn to think critically and quantitatively for problem-solving and learn from the often-iterative nature of experiments. Experimental science is supplemented with workshops, seminars, and field trips to help students develop a science identity that motivates them to pursue advanced STEM training and careers. The broader impact of the program will be the contribution to training the future US STEM workforce. This Site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. 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.