Harnessing plants and microbes for sustainable solutions is essential to meet challenges presented by expanding populations, increased urbanization, and climate change. Joseph Jez, Spencer T. Olin Professor in Biology and Vice Dean of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences, and Anthony Smith, Senior Lecturer & Coordinator of Undergraduate Research Experiences, along with a group of faculty members from WashU, received an NSF grant to provide undergraduate training for students from around the country to get hands-on experience with professionals in the fields of plant and microbe biology.

Students in the summer REU program joined research groups in the Departments of Biology and Chemistry for projects that explore plant and microbial bioscience from foundational discovery to real-world applications. The program’s focus is understanding biological organization, rules, and interactions across scales in a variety of plant and microbes and how those insights can drive innovation in agriculture, biomedicine, and sustainability science.

The Department of Biology at WashU has a strong undergraduate research program providing a framework for undergrads to gain hands-on experience as part of their educational journey. Jez realized that faculty at WashU could be sharing this wealth of opportunity with outside undergrads who come from institutions lacking the same resources and structure. Housing the REU program showcases the interdisciplinary nature of scientific work at WashU and benefits outside undergrads while potentially attracting future PhD students to the variety of degree programs offered by the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences and Chemistry at WashU.

There were 325 applications for the inaugural summer, but only 14 spots. The resulting group was a unique symbiotic blend of personalities. Undergraduate Research Coordinator Anthony Smith, who co-led the program, said this group of students organized their own activities such as field trips to the City Museum, MO Botanical Garden, St. Louis Zoo, and other attractions, as well as camping, networking, and sharing meals together. They also met students from other summer programs on the medical campus, an effort spearheaded by Professor Jim Skeath, through professional development programs and social networking events.

One goal of the REU program is to prepare students for grad school applications and show them other career paths in the biotech industry, for those who don’t necessarily want to pursue academic careers. “We’ve been calling it the ABCs—admissions, biotech, and competencies. The students practice writing personal statements, participate in mock interviews, and learn about other types of career paths in the biotech industry,” Jez explained.

Learn more about WashU’s plant and microbiology-based NSF REU program here: https://biology.washu.edu/plant-and-microbial-bioscience-sustainable-future-nsf-reu-washu.