UBM-Institutional: Undergraduate Training in Theoretical Ecology Research (UTTER)

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The Undergraduate Training in Theoretical Ecology Research (UTTER) program at the University of Texas at Arlington provides an integrated research and education experience for cohorts of undergraduates in biology and mathematics. Five cohorts of eight students each pursue a two-year program of mentoring, seminars, interdisciplinary research, and specially designed coursework in mathematical biology, with each component and new course being jointly developed and coordinated by six faculty members from biology and mathematics with experience in interdisciplinary research and education. UTTER's four primary goals are: (1) to recruit talented students from historically underrepresented groups to complete interdisciplinary training in mathematical biology; (2) to develop curriculum and infrastructure for this training through new courses and formalized interactions between faculty and students from the two departments; (3) to involve participating students in interdisciplinary research through structured and mentored long-term experiences within and across cohorts; and (4) to facilitate participant transitions into graduate studies and other interdisciplinary careers following program completion and graduation. The intellectual merit of the project lies in: (1) the integration of mathematics and biology into each of the research projects, and how each of the projects helps students develop specific skills; (2) the continued development of an interdisciplinary curricular framework to support students as they pursue their research and to encourage the development of an on-going community of students interested in theoretical ecology; and (3) the strength of the research projects which are all significant, conceptually interesting and timely, and which all fit well under the general theme of theoretical ecology. The project's broader impacts include: (1) its focus on the recruitment and support of students from underrepresented groups, particularly through a recruitment plan targeting local community colleges; (2) the development of three new interdisciplinary courses that involve many students other than those directly participating in the project and foster a culture of interdisciplinary cooperation among faculty; and (3) the development of new models of effective interdisciplinary undergraduate training in mathematical biology as well other academic areas.