Modern Biology, Modern Mathematics, and Modern Solutions: Moving Biomathematics Education Beyond Calculus

数学科学（21）这个项目解决了教育材料的未满足的需求，展示了现代离散数学和代数统计在分子生物学中的紧迫问题的应用。由两个成功的课程、课程和实验室改进（CCLI）项目发展而来（DUE-0126740和DUE-0340930），该项目正在为微积分之外的本科数学课程制作8-10个20页的模块集合，包括有限数学，离散结构，离散动力系统，线性代数，抽象代数，图论，概率论，生物统计学，智力价值：反映了当前生物数学研究中这些领域的重要性日益增加的趋势，这些材料弥合了整个数学课程中理论和应用课程之间的现有鸿沟。通过借鉴相关教师的研究领域，弗吉尼亚理工大学生物信息学研究所正在进行的研究，以及生物学和数学计算方法的最新进展，这些模块解决了培养学生在微积分之外的数学-生物学界面的关键国家需求。学生采用开源计算代数软件来学习这些新的综合方法。更广泛的影响：正在开发和随后在甜石楠学院（一个选择性的四年制女子文理学院）和西密歇根大学（一个大型卡内基研究I区域州立大学）测试，模块被设计用于各种各样的课程超越微积分。这些独立的模块可以很容易地被广泛的本科院校采用，用于从通识教育数学到教师准备到高级本科课程的课程。此外，这些模块是灵活的：教师寻找一个单一的课程小时的练习可以选择一个模块的一部分，而教师愿意承诺更多的课堂时间，这些生物数学应用程序可以更广泛地使用模块。这些模块通过国家科学数字图书馆（NSDL）在全国范围内提供，促进更广泛的教师发展和更大的学生影响。最重要的是，通过提供当前的，基于研究的应用程序，用于整个数学课程，该项目正在进一步提高学生的参与度和专业知识在分子生物学和数学的关键联系。

Mathematical Sciences (21)This project addresses an unmet need for educational materials demonstrating applications of modern discrete mathematics and algebraic statistics to pressing problems in molecular biology. Growing out of two successful Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) projects (DUE-0126740 and DUE-0340930), this project is producing a collection of 8-10 twenty-page modules for undergraduate mathematics courses beyond calculus, including finite mathematics, discrete structures, discrete dynamical systems, linear algebra, abstract algebra, graph theory, probability, biostatistics, and mathematical modeling.Intellectual Merit: Reflecting the current trend of increased importance of these fields in biomathematics research, the materials bridge the existing divide between theory and applications in courses throughout the mathematics curriculum. By drawing from the research areas of the faculty involved, ongoing research at the Virginia Tech Bioinformatics Institute, and recent advances in computational methods in biology and mathematics, these modules address a crucial national need to train students at the math-biology interface beyond calculus. Students employ open-source computational algebra software to learn these new integrated approaches. Broader Impact: Being developed and subsequently tested at Sweet Briar College (a selective four-year liberal arts college for women) and Western Michigan University (a large Carnegie Research I regional state university), the modules are designed for use in a wide variety of courses beyond calculus. The self-contained modules can be easily adopted by a broad spectrum of undergraduate institutions for use in courses ranging from general education mathematics to teacher preparation to advanced undergraduate courses. Moreover, the modules are flexible: faculty looking for an exercise for a single course hour may choose part of a module, while faculty willing to commit more class time to these biomathematical applications can use the modules more extensively. The modules are being made available nationwide through the National Sciences Digital Library (NSDL), facilitating broader faculty development and greater student impact. Most importantly, by providing current, research-based applications for use throughout the mathematics curriculum, this project is further increasing student engagement and expertise at the critical nexus of molecular biology and mathematics.