Ever find yourself thinking "what is bioengineering?" or "why does my food have a sticker that says 'bioengineered' on it?" We have a class for you! Introduction to Bioengineering is a Stanford undergraduate course that Professor Drew Endy and I designed to introduce students to bioengineering. The class teaches students about the basic tools used to do bioengineering research, challenges them to conceive of biology-based solutions to our world’s biggest problems, and prepares them to lead discussions about bioengineering with others, including social and ethical impacts. In 2023, we began teaching BIOE80 beyond Stanford's campus through a partnership with the National Education Equity Lab. The National Education Equity Lab is a non-profit that empowers high school students to take college courses for credit! Students must be enrolled at Title 1 high schools; Title I is a designation for schools where 40% of students are approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals. By partnering with the National Education Equity Lab, we hope to empower a generation of student “bionauts” capable of exploring the frontiers of bioengineering, much like astronauts exploring space.

All course materials are available online. If you want to learn more about bioengineering, please check them out! If you attend a Title 1 high school and want to take the class for credit, please reach out (jbrophy@stanford.edu). If you just want to learn, check out our recorded lectures and come back often for updates. Bioengineering is a dynamic field that is growing and changing very quickly - so is this class!

Course materials (2023-version): https://introbioe.stanford.edu/lectures-interviews-digital-ta

More about the National Education Equity Lab: https://edequitylab.org/ 

Get your high school enrolled! Contact jbrophy [at] stanford [dot] edu or ebrown83 [at] stanford [dot] edu

Perspective pieces: Stanford Digital Education, Stanford Report, NYT

(2) Engineering Biology Research Consortium Resources

The Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) is a community committed to advancing engineering biology to address national and global needs. The group showcases cutting-edge research in engineering biology, identify pressing challenges and opportunities in research and application, articulate compelling research roadmaps and programs to address them, and provide timely access to other key developments in engineering biology. The EBRC student and postdoc association has conducted several helpful panels to help young scientists navigate their careers.

How to choose a graduate program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJgqFoqkr4Q&t=3s 

Making the most of graduate school: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQeUMHDe8Q

Pursuing a successful postdoc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48sRJByUAM

Applying for faculty positions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuYYl44xJHM

Writing a statement of purpose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voCAl8qXDTQ 

Applying to fellowships: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ATfiHqgrY 

Engineering Biology in graduate school: 

(2022) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVn15-gcwQg 

(2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H20shDSeJ2g 

Learn more about the research we are doing and why we are doing it!