An Undergraduate Computer Laboratory for the Biological Sciences.

计算机技术在生物科学中发挥着越来越重要的作用。计算机正被用于数据采集和分析，它们使复杂生物系统的模拟成为可能。尽管它们很重要，但将计算机整合到本科生物课程中并没有始终如一地实现。这意味着，学生们往往低估了现代生物学研究中对量化技能的需求。这个项目试图通过开发一个生物科学的计算机实验室来克服这个问题。该实验室正在配置一个由12台MacIntosh II计算机组成的网络，以便教师和学生之间进行互动。该实验室的主要用途之一是让学生通过设计生物过程的模拟模型来发展他们的分析技能。模拟用于该系的生态学、湖泊学、人类生理学和研究课程。新设备还支持开发一门进化论课程，在该课程中，大多数实验室将基于模型构建。此外，许多班级的学生使用该实验室从科学仪器获取数据，并对这些数据进行后续的统计分析。最后，计划利用计算机实验室进行文献检索，并通过学院的局域网访问外部数据库。接受资助的机构正在将NSF的奖励与从非联邦来源获得的同等金额相匹配。

Computer technology is playing an increasingly important role in the biological sciences. Computers are being used for data acquisition and analysis, and they make the simulation of complex biological systems possible. Despite their importance, the integration of computers into the undergraduate biology curriculum has not been consistently achieved. This means that students often underestimate the need for quantitative skills in modern biological research. This project attempts to overcome this problem by developing a computer laboratory for the biological sciences. The laboratory is being configured with a network of 12 MacIntosh II computers to allow for interaction among the instructor and students. One of the main uses of the lab is to allow students to develop their analytical skills by designing simulation models of biological processes. Simulations are used in the department's Ecology, Limnology, Human Physiology and Research courses. The new equipment also supports the development of an Evolution course in which the majority of the labs are to be based on model building. In addition, the lab is used by students in a number of classes to acquire data from scientific instruments and to conduct the subsequent statistical analyses of these data. Finally there are plans to use the computer lab for literature searching and accessing external databases through the college's local area network. The grantee institution is matching the NSF award with an equal sum obtained from non-Federal sources.