Training Week not only covers general laboratory safety and training, but also includes detailed information about keeping a laboratory notebook, reading and writing research papers, and preparing oral presentations. As part of the course credit the participants received, all BE@SLU participants are expected to become proficient in general cell culture and sterile technique. During Training Week, participants are expected to meet with their advisor to begin mapping out their research plan and goals for the summer.

Training doesn’t end when the research project begins. During BE@SLU, programming targeted at improving skills such as written and oral communications continues, with programming directed by the peer mentors and BE@SLU Director. Students present their research goals in the second week of the program to the participants and faculty mentors; feedback regarding these presentations will be given and discussed with Dr. Barnett with the goal of not only jumpstarting the research project, but also improving the final presentation. During the program, each participant will write a personal statement for their career objective(s) and be given feedback on the statement from the faculty. Ultimately, at the end of the program, participants will present their findings in oral format to their peers and faculty advisors and in written format, in the form of an extended abstract, to their faculty advisors and Dr. Barnett. These papers will be the basis for BMES student award papers for the following year, or for BMES abstracts (REU division) for the current year.