NEW ORLEANS – This summer, Tulane University is launching a new National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. The 10-week initiative, titled the Tulane Use-Inspired Research and Entrepreneurship Program, integrates rigorous laboratory research with real-world impacts.
In a close partnership with the Tulane Innovation Institute, the program will pair 10 faculty members from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with eight U.S. students for the summer. The program will also have weekly seminars and skill-building workshops.
Noshir Pesika, associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of TURE, said he views the program as a stepping stone for students pursuing graduate education or careers in research and development.
“With the TURE program … students learn about innovation and take that knowledge … when they’re furthering the education in graduate programs or in their careers in the research and development field,” Pesika said.
Tulane: Shifting Toward Impact-Driven Research
Pesika said the program reflects Tulane’s shift toward impact-driven research.
“Rather than doing just curiosity-driven research, this is going to be use-inspired research, which in itself is meant to develop prototypes that can eventually lead to new technologies,” he said.
Claiborne Christian, executive director of commercialization at the Innovation Institute, said the program is an important bridge between academic research and real-world impact. Students will not only conduct experiments but also learn how to frame their work in terms of value creation and social benefit.
“The whole idea behind applied research is … so that people can directly benefit from it in their everyday lives,” Christian said. “That’s part of what this program is training people to do.”
For Christian, the program reflects Tulane’s broader mission. He directly connects the REU to the university’s motto: “Not for oneself, but for one’s own.” In his role, that motto remains “first and foremost in our minds” when thinking about how research can better society not just for people in New Orleans, but around the globe.
Pesika said that although 10 weeks is limited, he hopes the experience will “serve as a seed” encouraging students to continue their education and careers in engineering. Christian said that the limited time frame is an asset because it forces students to think quickly and be able to pivot.
“Our hope is that students who are enrolled in the TURE program will someday become CEOs of startups, and they will be developing new technologies which can then be used to benefit society,” Pesika said.
– by Nora Duong, Staff Writer at The Tulane Hullabaloo
