Child-Centered, Team-Based, Interdisciplinary Bioengineering Summer Research Experience
The University of North Florida Engineering Department's summer research experience is designed to provide high school students, college undergraduate students and ESE teachers an interdisciplinary, hands-on research learning opportunity. This program is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is centered around project teams solving real world problems to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
Participants will attend lectures given by experts in the fields of assistive technology design and development, biomedical research, rehabilitation medicine, engineering, ethics, and government policy. In addition, there are scheduled field trips to area healthcare technology institutions. Each team will be mentored by a faculty member, graduate student or community expert. The participants will meet every Tuesday, Thursday and some Wednesdays. A specific eight week schedule will be provided with acceptance to the program starting on June 7 and ending on July 26 (Week of July 4 will be off).
Each team of participants will research biomedical engineering, behavioral science, and clinical research topics on pediatric mobility rehabilitation and assistive technology, and by the end of the program will provide: i) a Systematic Review of their assigned topic, and ii) a Research Proposal consisting of 1) a research question, 2) aims of the research, 3) a clear hypothesis, 4) methods, 5) expected results, and 6) references. This will be presented in a final closing ceremony (luncheon) that introduces participants to dissemination of research and expectations while presenting at a research conference.
Example of Past Topics:
Example of Past Lecture Topics:
Participants will receive stipends as follows: (You must be a U.S. citizen to receive the stipend)
ESE Teachers will receive $5,000
Undergraduate students will receive $3,000
High School students will receive $2,000
Participants will attend lectures given by experts in the fields of assistive technology design and development, biomedical research, rehabilitation medicine, engineering, ethics, and government policy. In addition, there are scheduled field trips to area healthcare technology institutions. Each team will be mentored by a faculty member, graduate student or community expert. The participants will meet every Tuesday, Thursday and some Wednesdays. A specific eight week schedule will be provided with acceptance to the program starting on June 7 and ending on July 26 (Week of July 4 will be off).
Each team of participants will research biomedical engineering, behavioral science, and clinical research topics on pediatric mobility rehabilitation and assistive technology, and by the end of the program will provide: i) a Systematic Review of their assigned topic, and ii) a Research Proposal consisting of 1) a research question, 2) aims of the research, 3) a clear hypothesis, 4) methods, 5) expected results, and 6) references. This will be presented in a final closing ceremony (luncheon) that introduces participants to dissemination of research and expectations while presenting at a research conference.
Example of Past Topics:
- Apps for Teachers
- ADA - Computerized Navigation
- Self-driving Robotic-Toy-Car
- Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (FNIRS)
- Electrosurgery + Artificial Tissue
- Nutrition Vest
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Back injuries in mothers of children with disabilities
- Car seat features and safety
- Stem Cells and gynecological conditions
Example of Past Lecture Topics:
- Biomedical Engineering
- 3 D printing
- Simulation in Healthcare
- Research design
- Pediatric mobility solutions
- Nutrition and technology
- Biomedical Ethics
Participants will receive stipends as follows: (You must be a U.S. citizen to receive the stipend)
ESE Teachers will receive $5,000
Undergraduate students will receive $3,000
High School students will receive $2,000
At the conclusion of the program, each research team will present their project. Depending on the quality of the groups product, some of these projects may then be presented at national conferences or submitted to research journals with participants listed as coauthors.