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

该项目提供了两组六名本科生在生物学和数学的跨学科教育，重点是通过连接到水生生态系统的原始研究项目的协作学习。研究活动开始有针对性的密集课程序列在生物学数学建模，通过生物学的例子介绍数学概念和方法，并演示相关的实验室和计算技术。在学习这门课程的同时，学生参加一个研究研讨会，介绍水生生物学的研究问题。在第二年，研究小组设计并实施了自己的研究计划，以调查当前五大湖水生生物的问题。学生由生物和数学教师和研究生广泛指导。智力优势：研究领域是令人兴奋的，现代的，相关的，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，包括关键元素的评估，控制变量的识别和混沌系统的探索;（B）新的分子数据集的评估和整合到传统的框架。这些问题自然受益于并需要结合数学和生物学的方法。跨学科的方法加上密集的合作工作推进了对这些问题的理解，并有助于更好地决策和实施有关国家的水产资源。更广泛的影响：该计划作为一个模式，以扩大和鼓励本科生的研究以及跨学科的合作。该计划确定，激励和培训未来的专业人士，他们的技能与自然资源管理问题高度相关。它结合了重要的科学问题与综合教学方法，吸引和激励学生。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的教师之间的跨学科合作。这些合作导致更多的增强研究机会，以及更多的团队教学和生物学课程的综合数学建模的发展，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保持五大湖健康的国家利益高度相关，该方案的结果可供科学界以及非科学家和公共政策决策者使用。

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.