Redefining Biological Engineering with an Integrated Research and Cooperative based Undergraduate Curriculum

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This planning grant is reforming the Biological Engineering curriculum at Utah State University, by improved integration of core courses, enhancement in information delivery through digital learning materials, an applied learning environment on campus, an integral co-operative research/design experience, and outreach, mentoring, and tracking efforts to enhance diversity and retention. The focal points and proposed activities are: (1) Biological engineering is an evolvingdiscipline that needs to be reevaluated to coherently bridge the subcomponents stemming fromagricultural and biomedical engineering as well as encompass emerging bio-technologies. (2) Topics presented in the freshman year are forgotten by the senior year unless revisited, adapted by the student in the context of a more advanced concept, and then reapplied; (3) Interactive digital materials are effective learning tools permitting campus time to be devoted to solving problems, participating in team design projects, using advanced instrumentation, and designing and performing experiments under expert guidance; (4) A cooperative experience builds student confidence, fosters team effort and provides invaluable real-world training while fostering collaborations, networking, and growth of research. Intellectual merit The PIs contend that biological engineering is an evolving discipline and that it needs to be evaluated and implemented to coherently bridge the divergent areas of medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. The project would look at means to implement interactive, digital materials to improve the learning process. The co-op experience would "round out" the undergraduate student with real world training. Broader impacts The models for integration and for applied learning both have the potential for application in many other programs. The proposal is specifically aimed at improving the learning process and fostering diversity. The program has already seen an increase in female enrollment and diversity of ethnicity. Additional diversification and a general strengthening of the incoming credentials of the students should also result from the proposed changes.