Program Overviews

NSF-NIH Michael E. DeBakey Summer Research Training Program [Application ] (Summer 2007)

Who: 2nd-5th year undergraduates, 1st and second year Graduate Students

The DeBakey Institute has established a three-phase research training program for 28 undergraduate and 6 graduate students (divided between engineering and life sciences) interested in exploring a career in vascular bioengineering research. In the summer, non-TAMU students will be brought to the DeBakey Institute for 10 weeks to be exposed to vascular bioengineering. In the first two weeks, both undergraduate and graduate students will attend classes taught by biomedical engineering and physiology faculty, focusing on vascular biomechanics and mechanobiology. Building on the experience gained from ongoing programs, three interdisciplinary teams will be formed and charged with completing complementary projects addressing basic questions in microvascular bioengineering. Students will then conduct experiments and develop mathematical models of the batwing vasculature. By the end of the 10 week period, the students will prepare an abstract for presentation at a conference. In the second phase, students will be encouraged to continue their research at their home schools using remote Internet-based access to the microscope and computer-mediated communication tools through the eBat Project, connecting local faculty and peers to the lab. In an optional third phase, students will be asked to return to continue research using a problem-based approach, continuing the projects developed over the past year

NSF Summer Research Experiences for Teachers Site [Download Application] (Summer 2007)

Who: Middle and High School Teachers in Rural Texas School Districts

The DeBakey Institute at Texas A&M University offers a unique opportunity for 15 middle and high school teachers (of math and science) to explore basic cardiovascular bioengineering research in a 8-week summer program-4 weeks onsite, and 4 weeks offsite. This program has three distinct phases. In the first phase, teachers will come to Texas A&M to participate in bat experiments for 4 weeks. They will attend Bat Boot Camp in the first two weeks to learn about receive intensive training in microvascular biology and measurement methods. Teachers will choose one of four projects and will be divided into 4 interdisciplinary project teams that include 2 middle school teachers and a high school teacher. In the second phase, teachers will return home to participate in distance learning of the use of Internet technologies and mathematical modeling programs. In the third phase, teachers will be charged with reconstituting a new team and will given the ability to connect their students to the ongoing experiments throughout the year using Internet-based access to the microscope and computer-mediated communication tools to maintain the network ties arising from the program.

Michael E. DeBakey Research Training Program [Apply] (Fall 2007)

Who: TAMU Undergraduates (Freshmen-Sophomore, no GPA requirement), Graduate Students, Faculty(mentors will be senior authors on all publications)

Continuing a program established in the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2004-2005 school year, this Fall we will select a total of 90 undergrads and 15 graduate students to participate in ongoing research in the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for course credit. The goal of this program is threefold: 1) to give undergraduate students with little or no research experience an authentic experience that will help clarify future career goals, 2) to select promising undergraduate students for long-term mentoring, 3) train graduate students to lead research programs, and 4) to produce quality research for publication. Each student will have the opportunity to work in a team consisting of a graduate student from various backgrounds (Engineering and Physiology) and undergraduate students from a different field of study (life sciences and engineering). Teams are mentored by faculty in the Vet School, Med School, and Engineering. Research projects for this program were chosen for their importance to the field of physiology and their potential to be solved by motivated students with little training in research. At the end of the semester, select students will be given the opportunity to submit their abstract to biomedical engineering or physiology conferences.

Pathways Research Cooperative(Spring/Fall)

Who: TAMU System Faculty (who will be senior authors on all publications), TAMU System undergraduates and graduate students

A unique opportunity is available for faculty of the TAMU System schools to develop a research program using the unique resources of the DeBakey Institute. Faculty from both engineering and life sciences are invited to participate in microvascular research using the batwing model at College Station using the remote tools of the eBat Project. In return for mentoring local graduate and undergraduate students interested in bioengineering and life science research, you will have access to our resources, help preparing your publications, and applying for your own research grants. You will be able to send your student participants to Dr. Quick’s Lab to the DeBakey Summer Institute (supported by NSF and NIH) to perform experiments live during the summer, and continue experiments remotely using our internet-based control of the intravital microscope. The goal of this program is to leverage the Michael E. DeBakey Summer Research Training Program to develop research partnerships that bridges the TAMU system components, implementing the TAMU System Pathways Concept.

Communities of Learning, Research, & Connection (Ongoing since 2004)

Who: Faculty and Graduate and Undergraduate Students

The access to digital resources has grown to include the poorest of school districts. Access to information has grown, but not access to processes and networks. Students do not see science in action (processes) or feel themselves as part of the same community as those in college (networks). We recognize that there is a “new digital divide” in education. The real problem is not the lack of access to technology, but the inherent limitation of educational structures that developed in the absence of technology: 1) insularity of research labs, 2) geographically-limited apprenticeship models, 3) lack informal networks connecting geographically dispersed students, teachers, and university denizens, and 4) centralized concentration of resources for research purposes. The divide is among those who have the technology and have the structures to use it, and those who have the technology, but cannot use it. Simply installing high-speed Internet access in poor schools does not bridge the digital divide – we need to recognize how the Internet allows us to build new educational structures. We are particularly concerned with this divide with regard to race, class, and gender. We seek to deal with access issues in terms of technology, higher education and science education in particular, as well as science careers.