REU Mentors

In order to participate in the Summer 2023 REU Program, applicants must be:

• U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Full-time undergraduate students returning Fall 2023
• Available for the duration of the 10-week program (May 29 - August 4, 2023)

Additional Information

Students must be enrolled in a science, mathematics, or engineering-based curriculum that includes introductory biology, chemistry, and calculus are especially.  Rising seniors are generally given priority consideration, yet as our Alumni section shows, juniors and sophomores also are very competitive in securing spots in our REU!  Experience in programming is recommended, but not required.  Women, underrepresented minorities, and military veterans are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants must complete an online application form that includes: basic information about you, a resume, an unofficial transcript, some short essays that address the motivation for the program and what you hope to get out of the experience, and two references (preferably academic or supervisory, rather than “community” letters), all to be submitted electronically. We use the NSF REU Common Application "ETAP." This is a common application portal for many NSF-sponsored REU programs across the country.

The website will ask you to create a user account. When your account is created, follow the steps provided on the website to complete the common application. Make sure to select UVA's "Multi-Scale Systems Bioengineering" when selecting the Site to which you want to apply. 

Dates and Deadlines

• Application Window February 1 - April 8, 2023. 
• All decisions by April 15, 2023.
• The program dates are May 29 - August 4, 2023.

Further Detail

• $6000 stipend for 10-week research program
• Reimbursement of travel costs up to $400
• Free on-campus housing and dining plan
• Introductory “boot camp” short course on systems bioengineering modeling basics and weekly workshops on ethics and professional development
• Presentation at our Summer Research Symposium - many students earn an additional travel award to present at the fall BMES annual meeting.

Also see our FAQs below.  If you have any questions, please contact:

Kitter Bishop
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Virginia
Box 800759, Health System
Charlottesville, VA 22908
SystemsBioengREU@virginia.edu

The UVA Multi-Scale Systems Bioengineering REU is funded by NSF Grant #1950374

The NSF Education and Training Application Portal (ETAP) system will automatically prompt the letter writers you designate, once you submit your application. As a courtesy, please let your letter writers know that you have applied and should expect this prompt. We strongly recommend that your letters should be from a faculty member, research advisor, or other professional mentor within your discipline who can address your potential, abilities, and motivation for engaging in research. If you have already applied to other REUs, your letters (and your transcripts) should still be in the system.

2023 Program FAQs

Is your program in-person and on-campus? Yes! This is a residential, in-person REU in Summer 2023.

Are UVA students encouraged to apply?  UVA students are not discouraged to apply.  That said, generally, REU Program Directors are eager to offer opportunities to students outside their home institutions.  Why? Because these students' schools may not be major research institutions or they may not have systems bioengineering and biomedical data science as a research thrust.

Am I matched to a specific lab or mentor when I get my offer?  Usually, there is a delay between being admitted, accepting the position and being matched to a lab and mentor.  That said, the program director, Dr. Allen, has a pretty good idea, before making you an offer, about which specific lab, or which handful of labs, you might match to. And he has already started reaching out those labs ahead of time, so that they, too, can get exicted about you! 

apply!

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