Integration of Biology into the Engineering Curriculum at the University of Washington

华盛顿大学工程学院提议发起一项重大的新倡议，将生物学整合到本科生和研究生的工程课程中。他们将分阶段发展这一倡议。在第一阶段，将在《行动议程》的支持下制定关键要素。在后期阶段，提出了一个三层体系，将影响华盛顿大学所有工程系的本科生。第一阶段：第一阶段将包括所有工程本科生，并将涉及工程概念的有趣生物实例（“迷你模块”）整合到大一和大二阶段现有的核心工程课程中。此外，他们还将创建ENGR/BIO新生兴趣小组，为对工程/生物界面感兴趣的学生创建一个互动论坛。第二阶段：第二阶段将包括开发一门新的初级课程，名为“工程师的生物框架”。这将是一门以实践为基础的课程，以基础工程为基础的生物学概念为基础，培养工程师的共同语言和生物学概念。第三层：第三层是生物学和工程学之间的更深入的学习体验。这些经历有多种形式：1)大量现有的和计划中的专业课程，2)本科研究机会，以及3)工程/生物界面的工业实习。一旦学生们学习了新的初级课程，他们就会更好地准备好利用这些机会。

The University of Washington College of Engineering proposes to mount a major new initiative to integrate biology into the engineering curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. They will develop this initiative in phases. In the first phase, key elements will be developed under Action Agenda support. In later phases A three-tiered system is proposed that will affect all undergraduate engineering students at the University of Washington.First Tier: The first level will include all engineering undergraduates, and will involve the integration of intriguing biological examples of engineering concepts ("mini-modules") into the existing core engineering curriculum at the Freshman and Sophomore levels. In addition, they will create ENGR/BIO Freshman Interest Groups to create a forum for students with early interest in the engineering/biology interface to interact.Second Tier: The second level will involve development of a new Junior-level course entitled,"Biological Frameworks for Engineers." This will be a hands-on project based course in fundamental engineering-based biological concepts that will develop in engineers the common language and concepts of biology. Third Tier: The third level is a more in-depth learning experience in the interface between biology and engineering. These experiences take many forms: 1) a large number of existing and planned courses in more specialized subjects, 2) undergraduate research opportunities, and 3) industrial internships at the engineering/biology interface. Once students have taken the new junior-level course, they will be better prepared to take advantage of each of these opportunities.