Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology

We reflected on our experience in applying for, operating, and renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site program in computational biology from 2016 to 2021 at a metropolitan public university, funded by the National Science Foundation of the U.S.A. Our mistakes during the application pr...

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Main Author: Hong Qin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics 2022-06-01
Series:Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics
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Online Access:http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/PDV/sci/pdfs/ZA831IX22.pdf
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author Hong Qin
author_facet Hong Qin
author_sort Hong Qin
collection DOAJ
description We reflected on our experience in applying for, operating, and renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site program in computational biology from 2016 to 2021 at a metropolitan public university, funded by the National Science Foundation of the U.S.A. Our mistakes during the application process were avoidable in retrospect. Our Interdisciplinary Computational Biology, iCompBio, REU site was a 10-week summer research program that included R and Python coding bootcamps at the beginning and short workshops on various topics interspersed throughout the program. ICompBio was in-person in 2019 and virtual in 2020 and 2021. ICompBio was fortunate to have a team of faculty mentors that were committed to undergraduate research training and recognized the importance of diversity in computational biology. Many students and faculty mentors turned the challenges in virtual REU programs into learning opportunities and had fulfilling research experiences. ICompBio participants reported learning gains higher than average in a 2020 external evaluation for virtual REU sites, particularly in the aspects of Research Self-Efficacy, Science Identity, and Life Utility. Our lessons and experiences may be helpful to other faculty and researchers that are interested in similar programs at their own institutions.
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spelling doaj-art-5e420c0ff86e4d71905acbc7fe901d8b2025-08-20T03:53:38ZengInternational Institute of Informatics and CyberneticsJournal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics1690-45242022-06-012037175Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational BiologyHong QinWe reflected on our experience in applying for, operating, and renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site program in computational biology from 2016 to 2021 at a metropolitan public university, funded by the National Science Foundation of the U.S.A. Our mistakes during the application process were avoidable in retrospect. Our Interdisciplinary Computational Biology, iCompBio, REU site was a 10-week summer research program that included R and Python coding bootcamps at the beginning and short workshops on various topics interspersed throughout the program. ICompBio was in-person in 2019 and virtual in 2020 and 2021. ICompBio was fortunate to have a team of faculty mentors that were committed to undergraduate research training and recognized the importance of diversity in computational biology. Many students and faculty mentors turned the challenges in virtual REU programs into learning opportunities and had fulfilling research experiences. ICompBio participants reported learning gains higher than average in a 2020 external evaluation for virtual REU sites, particularly in the aspects of Research Self-Efficacy, Science Identity, and Life Utility. Our lessons and experiences may be helpful to other faculty and researchers that are interested in similar programs at their own institutions.http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/PDV/sci/pdfs/ZA831IX22.pdf computational biologyresearch experience for undergraduates
spellingShingle Hong Qin
Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics
computational biology
research experience for undergraduates
title Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
title_full Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
title_fullStr Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
title_full_unstemmed Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
title_short Applying for, Operating, and Renewing a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site Program in Computational Biology
title_sort applying for operating and renewing a research experience for undergraduates site program in computational biology
topic computational biology
research experience for undergraduates
url http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/PDV/sci/pdfs/ZA831IX22.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT hongqin applyingforoperatingandrenewingaresearchexperienceforundergraduatessiteprogramincomputationalbiology