Catalyst Award: Enhancing the Academic Infrastructure in Biology at FVSU by Enriching Course Offerings and Faculty Development

催化剂项目支持历史悠久的黑人学院和大学致力于建立教职员工的研究能力，以加强科学、技术、工程和数学本科教育和研究。预计该奖项将进一步提高教职员工的研究能力，改善该机构的研究和教学。并让本科生参与研究体验。福特谷州立大学的这个项目将重新设计三门生物课程。福特谷州立大学的学生将获得本科生研究机会并学习科学交流。外国语大学教职员工将能够通过参加培训讲习班来提高他们的教学技能。福特谷州立大学建议加强生物学的学术基础设施，以满足对少数族裔科学家从事临床和实验室研究事业的日益增长的需求。将修订三门高级课程的课程，重点是将现代概念纳入生物技术。这将通过采用建构主义教学法、整合以课程为基础的研究经验(CURE)和网络教学来实现。主动学习的实践可能会培养学生的核心能力--科学过程的应用、定量推理、有效沟通、协作、对科学跨学科性质的欣赏以及对科学交流技能的掌握。通过积极的参与，学生们将建立有意义的联系，获得对现代科学的多元观点，从而提高批判性学习和解决问题的技能，从而为21世纪的技能做好更好的准备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Catalyst Projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution. and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. This project at Fort Valley State will redesign three biology courses. Students at Fort Valley State University will be provided undergraduate research opportunities and learn scientific communication. FVSU faculty will be able to enhance their teaching techniques by participating in training workshops. Fort Valley State University proposes to enhance the academic infrastructure in biology to meet the increasing demand for minority scientists to pursue careers in clinical and laboratory research. The curricula in three upper-division courses will be revised with an emphasis on integrating modern concepts in biotechnology. This will be accomplished by employing constructivist pedagogy, integration of course-based research experiences (CUREs), and cyber-instruction. The practice of active learning is likely to build student’s core competencies- application of the process of science, quantitative reasoning, effective communication, collaboration, appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of science, and mastery in scientific communication skills. Through active engagement, students will make meaningful connections, gain multiple perspectives on modern-day-science leading to improved critical learning and problem-solving skills, and thus will be better prepared for the 21st-century skills.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.