RCN-UBE: A National Malate Dehydrogenase Protein-Centric Molecular Life Sciences Couse-based Undergraduate Research Network

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project will serve the national interest by facilitating adoptions of a protein-centric course-based undergraduate research by faculty at an array of types of institutions, dramatically increasing the number of students from diverse backgrounds that will experience the benefits of research integrated into their undergraduate education. The U.S. economy in STEM is growing but the workforce for these demanding fields is not keeping pace. In a time when demand for STEM-educated workers is growing, an alarming number of students leave before completing their degrees, and this pattern is especially true for women, first generation students and students of color. One of the ways to retain students in STEM is by engaging them in research. Because the number of traditional undergraduate faculty-mentored research opportunities are limited, it is critical to develop ways to integrate research into the curriculum to broaden access to all students. This project will develop a national network of faculty who study and teach about the same protein. The network will develop and refine a course-based undergraduate research course so that a wide range of students learn about and contribute to our understanding of the protein. The integration of research into the teaching environment using course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) has significant positive impact on motivation and persistence of STEM students similar to that seen from traditional undergraduate research experiences. Sustained support and availability of these experiences is critical and best conducted within a network of faculty each working in a common research tread/topic. Missing in STEM is a protein-centric CURE network for a robust and sustainable experience developing biochemistry and molecular biology research skills. This project will grow a network of collaborating life-scientists to integrate biochemistry, cell biology and other disciplines in a protein-centric CURE. To accomplish this goal, the project will: 1) Develop a dynamic training and mentoring program to attract a diverse array of faculty and facilitate their adoption of CUREs using the malate dehydrogenase (MDH) enzyme; 2) Create a regional infrastructure of Hubs to maximize the community benefits that contributed to the success of the MDH CURE community and will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the network; and 3) Develop electronic and physical resources and partnerships to further lower the energy barriers for the MDH CURE adoption and maximize the impact these aims. The project will implement its strategic partnerships with other NSF Funded networks, organizations, and companies to optimize these efforts. When completed a sustained collaborative network of faculty engaging a wide range and number of students in protein CUREs will be in place. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange.org/finalreport/).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.