What Has Been Achieved:

GlycoMIP’s second annual summer school was held in the VT GlycoMIP facility June 13-17, 2022. A diverse group of 22 academic and industry scientists from 11 different universities and companies participated in the program. The in-person format allowed for instrument and technique demonstrations as well as hands-on exercises to accompany the lectures and panel discussions central to glycomaterial synthesis, characterization, and modeling. GlycoMIP 2022 Summer School @ VT supports the MIP’s goals of broadening participation and diversity in glycomaterials research and training the next generation of glycomaterial scientists.

Importance of the Achievement:

Glycomaterials research is a challenging discipline to enter mostly due to a lack of educational programs and resources. GlycoMIP is dedicated to broadening participation in this field and the in-person Summer School provides a foundation for students and scientists to begin designing glycomaterials and analyzing them towards desired outcomes. The professional networks established during this one-week program are anticipated to foster continued interest and collaboration in glycomaterials science and retain researchers in the field.

Unique Feature(s) of the MIP that Enabled this Achievement:

GlycoMIP has a large and renown group of faculty investigators, many of which are on the VT campus. The in-person format allowed participants to speak directly and personally with these experts, providing a unique resource towards their own interests and projects. These experts were crucial to the developing of an exceptional and comprehensive introduction to glycomaterials research. Also, the VT GlycoMIP facility is equipped with the majority of instrumentation critical to GlycoMIP’s synthesis and characterization areas and has adequate lab space to accommodate the 21 participants.