UBM-Group: Research and Education Program (REP) in BioMath

该项目的主要目标是招募有才华的生物学和数学学生，使他们能够从事融合生物学和数学的跨学科研究和职业，并通过传达生物数学研究的兴奋感来吸引和鼓励所有生物学和数学学生。每年，六个高度积极性和合格的数学和生物学专业（3每个部门）正在指导五个教师（2数学; 3生物学）在他们的大三和大四的跨学科研究。研究领域涉及分子生物学、细胞和发育生物学以及种群生态学。对来自代表性不足群体的学生给予特别考虑。用于评估该计划的成果评估措施包括课程作业，研讨会，研究成果以及学生进入研究生院或工作场所的成功。一个重要的评估组成部分是由生物技术和生物数学专家组成的外部委员会进行评价。智力优势：参与者正在通过课堂和基于调查的研究进行培训。目前正在开发三门新课程：生物数学入门、生物学和生态学数学方法以及生物统计学。在这些课程中，学生学习数学和生物学的不同语言，以促进跨学科的交流。这些课程还为学生提供适当的生物学背景，并教他们解决问题和建模技能，确保成功完成尖端的跨学科研究。体验式学习涉及动手实验室研究，其中三组学生，由数学和生物学教师指导，对未解决的原始研究问题进行研究。每两周一次的非正式研讨会提供了一个研讨会类型的环境，讨论研究项目的状态。学生被教导思考，设计，计划，执行，然后交流他们的研究。更广泛的影响：该计划提供了揭示数学与生物学相关性的场所，反之亦然。该计划加强了该机构的教育和研究基础设施。它为本科生发展部门之间的联系，这是一项具有挑战性但在小型大学中必不可少的活动。此外，通过将严格的数学分析纳入正在进行的基础生物学研究计划，个人研究计划的质量和机构的整体研究基础正在得到加强。该计划加强了所有生物学学生的数学培训和所有数学学生的跨学科培训，并为两个部门的学生更好地准备工作场所，并提高他们的职业机会。该机构坚定地致力于跨学科的本科研究，并认为学生参与者通过科学和个人奖励的长期研究经验而丰富。

The primary objectives of the project are to recruit talented biology and mathematics students and equip them to pursue cross disciplinary studies and careers that meld biology and mathematics, and to interest and encourage all biology and mathematics students by conveying the excitement of bio-math research. Annually, six highly motivated and qualified mathematics and biology majors (3 per department) are being mentored by five faculty (2 mathematics; 3 biology) in interdisciplinary research in their junior and senior years. Research areas involve Molecular Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Population Ecology. Particular consideration is given to students from underrepresented groups. Outcome assessment measures used to evaluate the program include coursework, seminars, research accomplishments, and student success in entry to graduate school or the work place. An important assessment component is evaluation by an external committee composed of experts in biotechnology and biomathematics. Intellectual Merit: Participants are being trained through both classroom and inquiry-based research. Three new courses are being developed: Primer for BioMath, Math Methods for Biology and Ecology, and Biostochastics. In these courses students learn the different languages of mathematics and biology to facilitate cross disciplinary communication. These courses also provide students the appropriate biological background and teach them problem solving and modeling skills that ensure successful completion of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. Experiential learning involves hands-on laboratory research, in which three teams of students, mentored by mathematics and biology faculty, work on unsolved, original research problems. Biweekly informal seminars provide a workshop type environment where the status of the research projects is discussed. Students are being taught to think, design, plan, execute, and then communicate their research. Broader Impact: This program provides the venue that reveals the relevance of mathematics to biology, and vice versa. The program strengthens both the educational and research infrastructure at the institution. It develops connections for undergraduates between departments, an activity that is challenging but essential in a small university. In addition, the quality of individual research programs and the overall research foundation of the institution are being enhanced through the integration of rigorous mathematical analyses into ongoing basic biological research programs. The program strengthens mathematical training for all biology students and interdisciplinary training for all mathematics students and better prepares students from both departments for the work place and enhances their career opportunities. The institution is strongly committed to interdisciplinary undergraduate research and believes that the student participants are enriched by scientifically and personally rewarding long-term research experiences.