Cell Press | Matter of Opinion | An REU Experience Around the Globe

Professor Adam Engler



An REU Experience Around the Globe

For over 30 years, the National Science Foundation has funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs at universities across the United States, giving students the opportunity to work in the research programs of host institutions over the summer. REUs are competitive summer research programs in the United States for undergraduates studying science, engineering, or mathematics. One of the key benefits of the REUs was that students get to visit and work at host universities in lab and in person. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one REU institution, UC San Diego, made the decision for summer classes and programs to be moved online in early May. UCSD bioengineering professor and REU site director Adam J. Engler polled the faculty and made the tough decision to postpone the in-person research experience for their 10 accepted students until the following summer. >> read the article