Pipelines and Pipets: Biotechnician Training and Undergraduate Research

管道和移液器：生物技术人员培训和本科生研究

• 批准号: 1205020
• 负责人: Gilles Bolduc
• 金额: $ 19.99万
• 依托单位: Massasoit Community College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-05-01 至 2016-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1205020&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Pipelines; Pipets; Biotechnician; Training; Undergraduate

This project is establishing a new biotechnology degree option and a new biotechnology certificate to respond to life science, allied health and biotechnology industry needs for more highly skilled, entry level laboratory technicians and is working closely with industry partners and industry associations to develop these programs. The new biotechnology degree option and biotechnology certificate are designed to incorporate relevant, real world applications of laboratory techniques that are required skills for biotechnicians. The courses being developed have sufficient rigor to also offer transfer credit to a four-year program.Intellectual Merit: Early undergraduate research has been shown to improve retention and academic success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and workforce competitiveness; however, the community college students this project targets are often at a disadvantage in gaining these experiences due to lack of institutional capacity or financial and time constraints common among students at community colleges. To overcome this gap, the college is infusing courses developed in support of this project, along with existing science and mathematics curriculum, with inquiry-based learning methodologies and research like laboratory exercises that promote success in biotechnology studies and other STEM disciplines. The college is also creating new opportunities for students to engage in workplace internships and on campus summer research that provide more intensive experiences and build practical skills. Professional development for faculty enhances teaching capacity to integrate inquiry based learning into science and mathematics curriculum. Acquisition of industry standard equipment provides the laboratory configuration necessary to deliver the biotechnology programs and develop industry required competencies in students. New courses developed in support of these programs and revitalized curricula throughout the Division of Science and Mathematics are grounded in research-like experiences that provide a means to engage students in learning in a way that helps them to be academically successful and teaches them the scientific inquiry skills needed for a truly comprehensive technical training. Broader Impact: This undergraduate research program is a model for other community colleges that are similarly challenged to provide research driven education to biotechnology and STEM students. To ensure the broader impact of the project, the college has developed a thorough dissemination plan to inform stakeholders at the local, regional, and national level on outcomes related to this initiative. Regional and state distribution channels include membership in consortia of community colleges and state universities that have the established goals of sharing experiences and promoting best practices between institutions and among colleagues. As the recipient of a model program endorsement from the Massachusetts Governor's STEM Advisory Council for its work in improving retention, graduation, and transfer rates among science majors, the college has the established credentials and support from appropriate authorities to ensure that findings from this project are both heard and heeded by institutions across the Commonwealth. On a national level, the plan is to promote the findings through accessible channels such as the annual NSF ATE conference and ATE Central, as well as seek opportunities to present findings through presentations and posters at academic conferences.

该项目正在建立一个新的生物技术学位选择和一个新的生物技术证书，以响应生命科学、联合健康和生物技术行业对更多高技能入门级实验室技术人员的需求，并与行业合作伙伴和行业协会密切合作，开发这些项目。新的生物技术学位选择和生物技术证书旨在结合生物技术人员所需技能的实验室技术的相关实际应用。正在开发的课程有足够的严密性，也可以为四年制课程提供转学分。智力优势：早期的本科研究已被证明可以提高科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）学科的保留率和学术成就，提高劳动力竞争力；然而，由于缺乏机构能力或经济和时间限制，社区大学学生在获得这些经验方面往往处于不利地位，这是社区大学学生中常见的。为了克服这一差距，学院正在为支持该项目而开发的课程，以及现有的科学和数学课程，注入基于探究的学习方法和研究，如实验室练习，以促进生物技术研究和其他STEM学科的成功。学院还为学生创造了新的机会，让他们参与职场实习和校园暑期研究，提供更丰富的经验，培养实用技能。教师的专业发展提高了教学能力，将研究性学习融入科学和数学课程。获得行业标准设备提供必要的实验室配置，以提供生物技术项目和培养学生所需的行业能力。为支持这些项目而开发的新课程，以及整个科学与数学学部振兴的课程，都以类似研究的经验为基础，为学生提供了一种参与学习的方式，帮助他们在学业上取得成功，并教授他们真正全面技术培训所需的科学探究技能。更广泛的影响：这个本科研究项目是其他社区学院的一个模式，这些社区学院同样面临着为生物技术和STEM学生提供研究驱动教育的挑战。为了确保该项目产生更广泛的影响，学院制定了一项全面的传播计划，向地方、区域和国家层面的利益相关者通报与该计划相关的成果。地区和州的分销渠道包括社区学院和州立大学联盟的成员，这些联盟的既定目标是在机构之间和同事之间分享经验和推广最佳实践。作为马萨诸塞州州长STEM咨询委员会（Governor’s STEM Advisory Council）在提高理科专业学生的留校率、毕业率和转学率方面的示范项目认可的接受者，该学院拥有既定的资质，并得到了有关当局的支持，以确保整个英联邦的机构都能听到和注意到这个项目的研究结果。在国家层面上，该计划是通过诸如年度NSF ATE会议和ATE Central等无障碍渠道推广研究结果，并寻求机会在学术会议上通过演讲和海报展示研究结果。