UBM-Group: Integrated Undergraduate Research Experiences in Aquatic Biology and Mathematical Sciences

UBM 集团：水生生物学和数学科学的综合本科研究经验

• 批准号: 0827217
• 负责人: Istvan Lauko
• 金额: $ 24万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-10-01 至 2012-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0827217&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: UBM; Group; Integrated; Undergraduate; Research

This project provides two cohorts of six undergraduate students with cross-disciplinary education in Biology and Mathematics with emphasis on collaborative learning through original research projects connected to aquatic ecosystems. Research activities begin with a targeted intensive course sequence in Mathematical Modeling in Biology that introduces mathematical concepts and methods through biological examples and demonstrates relevant laboratory and computational techniques. While taking this course, students participate in a Research Seminar where research problems in aquatic biology are introduced. In year two the cohorts design and implement their own research plan to investigate a current problem concerning aquatic life in the Great Lakes. The students are extensively mentored by biology and mathematics faculty and graduate students.Intellectual Merit: The research area is exciting, modern, relevant, and reflects the interests and expertise of participating faculty. The problems follow two main threads: (a) the composition and dynamics of aquatic microbial communities including the evaluation of critical elements, the identification of controlling variables, and the exploration of chaotic systems; and (b) the evaluation and integration of new molecular datasets into traditional frameworks. These problems naturally benefit from and necessitate a combined mathematical and biological approach. The interdisciplinary approach together with the intensive collaborative work advances the understanding of these problems and contributes to better policy decisions and implementations concerning the nation's aquatic resources.Broader Impacts: The program serves as a model to extend and encourage undergraduate research as well as interdisciplinary collaborations. The program identifies, motivates, and trains future professionals with a skill set that is highly relevant to problems of management of natural resources. It combines significant scientific problems with integrated teaching and learning approaches which engage and motivate students. The activities foster interdisciplinary collaborations between the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences, the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and the Great Lakes Water Institute. These collaborations lead to more enhanced research opportunities as well as more team-teaching and the development of an integrated Mathematical Modeling in Biology course that is expected to be one of the core courses in an interdisciplinary Biology and Mathematics major. Because the research projects are highly relevant to national interests in restoring and maintaining the health of the Great Lakes, the results of the program are being made available for use by the scientific community as well as by non-scientists and public-policy decision makers.

该项目为两批六名本科生提供生物学和数学的跨学科教育，重点是通过与水生生态系统相关的原创研究项目进行协作学习。研究活动从生物学数学建模的有针对性的强化课程序列开始，通过生物学实例介绍数学概念和方法，并演示相关的实验室和计算技术。在学习本课程时，学生将参加研究研讨会，其中介绍了水生生物学的研究问题。第二年，该小组设计并实施了自己的研究计划，以调查五大湖水生生物的当前问题。学生们受到生物学和数学教师以及研究生的广泛指导。智力优势：该研究领域令人兴奋、现代、相关，并反映了参与教师的兴趣和专业知识。这些问题遵循两条主线：（a）水生微生物群落的组成和动态，包括关键要素的评估、控制变量的识别以及混沌系统的探索； (b) 评估新的分子数据集并将其整合到传统框架中。这些问题自然受益于并需要数学和生物学相结合的方法。跨学科方法加上密集的协作工作促进了对这些问题的理解，并有助于更好地制定有关国家水生资源的政策和实施。更广泛的影响：该计划作为扩展和鼓励本科生研究以及跨学科合作的典范。该计划识别、激励和培训未来的专业人员，使其具备与自然资源管理问题高度相关的技能。它将重大科学问题与吸引和激励学生的综合教学方法结合起来。这些活动促进了生物科学系、数学科学系和五大湖水研究所教师之间的跨学科合作。这些合作带来了更多的研究机会、更多的团队教学以及综合生物学数学建模课程的开发，该课程预计将成为跨学科生物学和数学专业的核心课程之一。由于这些研究项目与恢复和维护五大湖健康的国家利益高度相关，因此该计划的结果可供科学界以及非科学家和公共政策决策者使用。