REU SITE: CSHL NSF-REU Bioinformatics and Computational Neuroscience Summer Undergraduate Program

This REU Site award to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), located in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, will support the training of nine students for ten weeks during the summers of 2025- 2027. The REU bioinformatics and computational neuroscience program trains undergraduate students to utilize quantitative tools to unravel biological problems. Students apply their skills by performing hands-on, high-level research that prepares them to pursue and excel in research and science careers.

Students have the unique opportunity to learn and be trained by experts at the forefront of these fields. This level of specialized expertise may not be available to students at their home institutions. Students will also improve their scientific communication skills through symposium presentations and networking with scientists.

The REU program at CSHL has a compelling record of recruiting and developing students who pursue advanced degrees and enter successful careers in bioinformatics and computational biology, computational neuroscience, or related scientific areas. Assessment of this program will be done through a series of surveys. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF ETAP (Education and Training Application: https://etap.nsf.gov).

The objective of the CSHL REU in bioinformatics and computational neuroscience is to provide undergraduate students with the training and skills necessary to navigate the digital landscape of modern science research through a well-rounded, comprehensive program. During the program, students work on a research project while being mentored by a CSHL faculty member.

They also attend lectures and workshops ranging from biology and quantitative techniques to research ethics, science communication, careers in science, and preparations for graduate school. These lectures are presented by CSHL’s expert faculty and staff. At the end of their program, students prepare and present their work in a research symposium open to the entire CSHL community and write a scientific report. A continuing mentor/mentee relationship is fostered throughout and beyond the 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.