Biological Equipment for Teaching Instrumental Methods to Undergraduates

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The Department of Biological Sciences is improving its curriculum by introducing an interdisciplinary team-taught course, Instrumental Methods for Biologists. This course corrects a perceived deficiency in the undergraduate training of biologists with regard to the theory and application of sophisticated instrumentation. Through the combined use of its existing facilities and the additional equipment acquired through this project, (and with valued assistance from the Department of Chemistry), the Biology faculty is bringing to its majors fresh insights into the principles of electronics, modern data management, analytical techniques, and physiological monitoring methods. While the new course, "Instrumental Methods for Biologists" is targeted for second- or third-year biology majors, chemistry and physics majors also are invited to enroll in it. Inclusion of this course in the Biology curriculum provides students with a foundation in the analytical and evaluative techniques that are focal to their fields of inquiry, thus accelerating their transition into competent professionals. This course is facilitating the development of enthusiastic, instrumentation-literate scientists at this university. The grantee institution is matching the NSF award with an equal sum obtained from non-Federal sources.