RCN-UBE: Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education (NIBLSE)

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The long-term goal of this project is to establish bioinformatics as an essential component of undergraduate life sciences education by creating a network of investigators to articulate a shared vision of the extent to which, and how best to, integrate bioinformatics into life sciences curricula. This RCN-UBE incubator project is facilitating initial networking efforts by convening faculty from a group of diverse institutions for a two-day workshop to explore core issues related to the accomplishment of the long-term goal. At the workshop, the group is focusing on how best to facilitate effective communication and enhance opportunities for collaboration by discussing current needs, resources, and opportunities in each of the following areas: 1) curriculum/pedagogy and assessment, 2) professional development, and 3) dissemination. Expected outcomes of the workshop include an online list of resources and networking opportunities related to the integration of bioinformatics into life sciences education, a white paper summarizing the current state of this integration, and, as appropriate, a full RCN-UBE proposal that defines management and coordination plans for sustaining and expanding the initial network.The field of bioinformatics, which uses techniques from computer science to store, manage, and analyze large biological data sets, has arisen to meet these challenges and is now an important interdisciplinary field that is central to studying many aspects of biology. The intellectual merit of this project rests on the need to integrate bioinformatics concepts into undergraduate life sciences education and to provide faculty with the resources and knowledge to effectively accomplish this. The network will have a broad impact on undergraduate education in the life sciences by enabling educators nationwide to effectively apply bioinformatics knowledge and skills to their teaching and research. To ensure diversity in the developing network, Steering Committee members are recruiting from a variety of organizations with active bioinformatics education initiatives, including small private liberal arts colleges, large public research universities, and minority serving institutions.This project is funded jointly by the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Directorate of Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education in support of efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education: A Call to Action http://visionandchange.org/finalreport/.