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.

该项目为两组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目标强化课程序列开始，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。在学习本课程的同时，学生将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，队列设计并实施他们自己的研究计划，以调查有关五大湖水生生物的当前问题。学生们受到生物和数学教师以及研究生的广泛指导。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。这些问题遵循两个主线：(a)水生微生物群落的组成和动态，包括关键要素的评估，控制变量的识别和混沌系统的探索；(b)评估和整合新的分子数据集到传统框架中。这些问题自然得益于数学和生物学相结合的方法。跨学科的方法与密集的协作工作一起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决策和实施。更广泛的影响：该计划作为扩展和鼓励本科研究以及跨学科合作的典范。该计划确定，激励和培训未来的专业人员的技能，是高度相关的自然资源管理的问题。它将重要的科学问题与综合教学方法相结合，吸引和激励学生。这些活动促进了生物科学系、数学科学系和大湖水研究所教员之间的跨学科合作。这些合作带来了更多的研究机会，以及更多的团队教学和综合生物学数学建模课程的发展，该课程有望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持五大湖健康的国家利益高度相关，因此正在向科学界以及非科学家和公共政策决策者提供方案的结果。