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

德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校的理论生态学研究本科培训（UTTER）项目为生物学和数学专业的本科生提供了一个综合的研究和教育经验。每组8名学生参加为期两年的课程，包括指导、研讨会、跨学科研究和专门设计的数学生物学课程，每个组成部分和新课程由6名具有跨学科研究和教育经验的生物学和数学教师共同开发和协调。UTTER的四个主要目标是：(1)从历史上代表性不足的群体中招募有才华的学生，完成数学生物学的跨学科培训；(2)通过新课程和两个系师生之间的正式互动，为培训开发课程和基础设施；(3)通过有组织和有指导的长期经验，让参与研究的学生参与跨学科研究；(4)促进参与者在项目完成和毕业后过渡到研究生学习和其他跨学科职业。该项目的智力价值在于：(1)将数学和生物学融入到每个研究项目中，以及每个项目如何帮助学生发展特定技能；(2)继续发展跨学科课程框架，以支持学生进行研究，并鼓励对理论生态学感兴趣的学生建立一个持续的社区；(3)在理论生态学的总体主题下，具有重要意义、概念上有趣且及时的研究项目的优势。该项目更广泛的影响包括：(1)侧重于招募和支持来自弱势群体的学生，特别是通过针对当地社区大学的招聘计划；(2)开设3门新的跨学科课程，让除直接参与项目的学生以外的许多学生参与其中，并培养教师之间的跨学科合作文化；(3)在数学生物学和其他学术领域开发有效的跨学科本科培养新模式。

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.