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

德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校的本科生理论生态研究(UTTER)培训计划为一批生物和数学本科生提供综合研究和教育经验。每组8名学生各参加为期两年的数学生物学辅导、研讨会、跨学科研究和特别设计的课程，每个组成部分和新课程由六名具有跨学科研究和教育经验的生物学和数学教员共同开发和协调。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，以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，为这一培训开发课程和基础设施；(3)通过在队列内和跨队列的有组织的和有指导的长期经验，让参与学生参与跨学科研究；以及(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。该项目的学术价值在于：(1)将数学和生物融入每个研究项目，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不断发展；以及(3)研究项目的优势，这些研究项目都是重要的、概念上有趣的和适时的，都很符合理论生态的总主题。该项目的更广泛影响包括：(1)侧重于从代表性不足的群体中招募和支持学生，特别是通过针对当地社区大学的招聘计划；(2)开发了三门新的跨学科课程，涉及许多学生，而不是直接参与该项目的学生，并培养了教师之间跨学科合作的文化；(3)开发了在数学生物学和其他学术领域进行有效的跨学科本科培训的新模式。

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.