REU Site: Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Biomedical Engineering Devices at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

This three year renewal Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site will support the training of nine students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2021-2023. REU students will be trained in biomedical engineering, a rapidly growing area of importance in the U.S. Students will learn how to conduct research by working in teams which combine the fields of engineering and medicine.

The project addresses current needs in the workforce by providing exposure to biomedical engineering devices as well as the academic and industrial pursuits necessary to produce them. Participants will receive hands-on experience with biomedical engineering devices such as wearable sensors, miniature robots, and medical imaging equipment. High-performing students who wish to enter careers in biomedical engineering after graduation will be invited to participate in the REU.

Students from institutions that are limited in research opportunities will be especially encouraged to apply. The overall goals of the project match the NSF mission by aiming to increase the number of students entering the engineering workforce and advancing engineering training.

This REU site will provide intensive research experiences in biomedical engineering (BME) devices for undergraduate students. The objectives are to: 1) provide interdisciplinary research experiences to undergraduates in the area of biomedical devices, with at least 50 percent from institutions with limited research programs; 2) give participants confidence to become independent researchers by providing systematic instruction in research methodology; 3) provide participants with a broader view of research and development activities in academia and industry; and 4) expand participants’ skills and knowledge regarding academic-industry partnerships, such as technology transfer and entrepreneurship.

Structured research activities will be complemented by professional development activities designed to prepare participants for STEM research careers. Project evaluation will ensure the REU site is effective in meeting its objectives. Targeted student participants include science/engineering majors from institutions across the nation that lack strong research opportunities.

REU students will fully participate in carefully prepared research projects with topics such as medical instrument design, implanted devices, biomedical imaging, tissue engineering, and related BME device areas. It is expected that REU participants will publish research results as lead or co-authors, and project outcomes will be disseminated in engineering education journals for the benefit of other institutions.

The societal impact of this REU site is expected to be broad, with anticipated outcomes including that the REU experience will generate participants’ interest in pursuing careers in research and development in biomedical engineering and related STEM fields; provide a comprehensive comparison and contrast of research in engineering and research in the basic sciences; and improve participants’ understanding of the increasing role of research and development in the commercial sector and its relation to national interests.

This project is jointly funded by the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (Directorate for Engineering), and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

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.