Program Overview

Introduction to the Biomolecular Science and Engineering Training Program

The Biomolecular Science and Engineering Training Program at Rensselaer welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, with a long-standing commitment to educate the best and brightest from a variety of backgrounds and contribute to the biomedical workforce of the future.

Fellowship Details

The fellowship covers full tuition and provides a stipend annually for two years for training-related expenses. This does not include expenses related to research projects.

Applicant Eligibility

Students must satisfy the following requirements at the time of application:

• Incoming Ph.D. students through Ph.D. students who have not yet entered their third semester in the Ph.D. program.
• Students must be enrolled in one of the participating departments at Rensselaer: Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
• Only U.S. Citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible for the NIH-funded slots of the Training Program.
• Students that have selected an advisor that is a member of the training program faculty.
• Students that have selected a co-advisor that is a member of the training program faculty from outside their department.
• Students that demonstrate a strong interest and research potential in biomolecular science and/or engineering.

Fellowship Award Criteria

The award criteria include:

• Quality of proposed research plan (relevance to the goals of the Training Program, interdisciplinarity, innovation, approach).
• Research Experience (e.g., type and quality of undergraduate research experience(s)).
• Evidence of research accomplishments (e.g., number and type of publications, presentations, internal/external fellowships, awards).
• Quality of letters of recommendation (e.g., motivation for predoctoral research with supporting evidence/observations, potential to complete academic and graduate-level course requirements, etc.).
• Record of service to society (STEM outreach experiences, near-peer mentoring, professional society, etc.).
• Academic Performance (e.g., GPA is used to evaluate the quality of undergraduate coursework and potential to complete graduate school academic requirements).
• Applicant diversity, students whose degree plans clearly delineate an interdisciplinary program, and balance among the four participating departments.

Fellowship Requirements

Trainees are required to participate in a number of required training activities. These training activities are designed to further their careers in biotechnology and achieve the overarching and key objectives of the Training Program. Trainees who have fulfilled the requirements of the Training Program will be awarded a Training Certificate in Biomolecular Science and Engineering upon graduation from their Ph.D. programs.

Required Training Activities

1. A1: A core course entitled "Perspectives in Biomolecular Science and Engineering" that serves as a crosscutting and unifying course for the Training Program is required for all trainees (taken each year of their Ph.D. training) and is cross-listed among all four departments.
2. A2: One course in each of the three broad categories covering the five training areas of Biomolecular Science and Engineering and a course in data science that maximizes didactic training among the key disciplines.
3. A3: Entrepreneurship and Commercial Translation Experience. Each trainee will attend a day-long technology commercialization boot camp at the RPI Office of Intellectual Property Optimization (IPO) to learn about fundamentals of intellectual property, patent search, patent filing procedures, and associated market research.
4. A4: Trainees will attend a high-profile seminar series, "Frontiers in Biotechnology" that provides immersive and interdisciplinary exposure to contemporary research in academia and industry (separate series).
5. A5: CBIS Student Seminar Series. Trainees organize and attend this seminar series. It gives trainees a greater appreciation of different research projects, addresses contemporary issues, and enhances their training experience.
6. A6: Exposure to enrichment activities about human health, physiology, and disease. The Training Program participates in myriad seminar series/enrichment activities with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Health Hackathon), the University at Albany (Life at the Interface of Science and Engineering (LISE) Lecture Series), and the Albany Medical College.
7. A7: Trainees will participate in the Annual Retreat in biomolecular science and engineering. Here, trainees and others on campus interact with outside researchers in the field and hold breakout sessions in contemporary research areas and careers in biotechnology.
8. A8: Dual Advising and Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Thesis Committee Membership, with the goal of having all trainees earn their Ph.D. degree with a dissertation based on research conducted in the laboratories of two participating faculty advisors from different departments, while completing all of the individual departmental requirements for the Ph.D. degree in their home department.
9. A9: An Industrial Internship is required for all trainees where each trainee spends 2-3 summer months (or more) in an industrial research laboratory.
10. A10: International Experience (optional and contingent upon research project progression). CBIS has established partnerships with several international institutions.
11. A11: A dedicated course in the area of responsible conduct of research (entitled "Ethical Considerations in Biotechnology"), as well as eight online modular units, developed through an NIGMS Administrative Supplement on curricular or training activities in Rigor and Transparency to enhance Reproducibility are mandatory for trainees.
12. A12: Participation in a set of dedicated activities (personalized for each trainee based on Individualized Development Plan) is required of all trainees to provide exposure and knowledge and soft skills required for diverse biomedical careers.
13. A13: Provide annual progress reports for each year of Ph.D. training, complete annual surveys related to mentor-mentee relationships, etc., until graduation in a timely fashion, and assist in the training program activities requiring student participation and input.

Student Thesis Plan

The student thesis plan outlines the source of support for each year of the Ph.D. program:

• Year 1: TA or Rensselaer/Isermann Fellowship (plus three lab rotations) or Training Program Fellowship.
• Year 2: Training Program Fellowship.
• Year 3: Training Program Fellowship.
• Summer between years 3 and 4: Industrial internship.
• Year 4: RA (research assistantship) from faculty research grant.
• Year 5 (if necessary): RA from faculty research grant.