RCN-UBE Incubator: Integrating Bio-inspired Innovation into Life Science Education Through Interdisciplinary Communities of Practice

该项目旨在通过纳入生物启发的设计和创新原则以及学习经验来改善本科生物教育，从而服务于国家利益。受生物启发的设计将我们对生物系统的知识融入到研究和开发中，以解决问题并开发技术发明和创新。生物启发创新已经成为生物领域越来越重要的组成部分，它负责开发新材料、药物和其他造福社会的材料。然而，在教育背景下，理解和应用生物启发的解决方案可能没有得到充分利用。这个项目将解决的问题是，本科科学教育如何在高等教育课程中包含对生物启发设计和创新的理解和应用？这一问题将通过创建和合作一个研究网络来解决，该网络的重点是开发和分享在本科生生物学中注入生物启发的创新的教学实践。这个RCN-UBE孵化器网络汇集了来自生物学、工程学和教育学的跨学科专家团队，通过识别关键的挑战和机会，将生物启发的创新整合到本科生物学和STEM教师培训计划中，随后开发初步的教学材料和网络的五年计划。总体项目目标是通过在本科生物学计划和本科教师准备计划中注入生物启发创新来改善本科生物教育。这将通过创建生物、工程和教育专家的RCN-UBE孵化器网络来实现，目的是(1)确定将生物启发创新纳入本科生物学教育的挑战、机会和现有/期望的资源；(2)确定提高教育工作者和学生的多样性和将他们纳入生物启发创新教育的挑战和机会；(3)为将生物启发设计融入中学后教育制定一套案例研究、最佳教学实践和样本资源；以及(4)制定该网络及其工作发展的五年计划。通过加强将生物启发的创新融入本科生物学的人力和智力资本，这一网络倡议将：1)促进教员努力强调生物学和工程设计与学生之间的联系；2)提高现代生物学作为跨学科性质的整体代表性和实践；3)通过积极、有重点的外展和网络扩展，为更多样化和更具包容性的本科生群体带来丰富的教育经验；4)在任职前教师计划中改善本科生的生命科学培训，并改善整个K-16 STEM管道的教育结果；和5)为生物学学生和专业人员在相邻的STEM领域与其他人合作提供新的努力和机会。该项目由现有的刺激竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)、生物科学局生物基础设施部和教育与人力资源局本科教育司共同资助，作为他们应对本科生物学教育愿景与变革中提出的挑战的努力的一部分：行动呼吁(http://visionandchange/finalreport/).This奖反映了国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving undergraduate biological education through inclusion of biologically inspired design and innovation principles and learning experiences. Bio-inspired design incorporates our knowledge of biological systems into research and development to solve problems and develop technical inventions and innovations. Bio-inspired innovation, which has been responsible for the development of new materials, medicines, and other materials that benefit society, has become an increasingly important component of the biological field. However, understanding and applying biologically inspired solutions may be underutilized in educational contexts. The question this project will address is, how might undergraduate science education include the understanding and application of bio-inspired design and innovation in higher education coursework? This question will be addressed through the creation and collaboration of a research network focused on developing and sharing pedagogical practices for infusing bio-inspired innovation in undergraduate biology. This RCN-UBE incubator network brings together an interdisciplinary team of experts from across biology, engineering, and education to address the challenges and opportunities of integrating biologically inspired innovation into undergraduate biology and STEM teacher preparation programs by identify key challenges and opportunities followed by the development of preliminary pedagogical materials and a 5-year plan for growth of the network.The overarching project goal is to improve undergraduate biological education through the infusion of bio-inspired innovation in undergraduate biology programs and undergraduate teacher preparation programs. This will be accomplished through the creation of an RCN-UBE incubator network of experts from biology, engineering and education to (1) Identify challenges, opportunities, and existing / desired resources for integrating bio-inspired innovation in undergraduate biology education, (2) Identify challenges and opportunities for improving diversity and inclusion of educators and students in bio-inspired innovation in education, (3) Develop a set of case studies, a synthesis of best pedagogical practices, and sample resources for integration of bio-inspired design into post-secondary education, and (4) Develop a 5-year plan for growth of the network and its work. By strengthening the human and intellectual capital for integrating bio-inspired innovation into undergraduate biology, this networking initiative will: 1) Facilitate efforts by faculty to emphasize the connections between biology and engineering design with their students; 2) Improve the overall representation and practice of modern biology as interdisciplinary in nature; 3) Result in enriched educational experiences for a more diverse and inclusive group of undergraduates through pro-active focused outreach and network expansion of faculty working with students from underrepresented groups; 4) Improve the life science training of undergraduate students in pre-service teacher programs and improve educational outcomes across the K-16 STEM pipeline; and 5) Catalyze new efforts and opportunities for biology students and professionals to work with others in adjacent STEM fields.This project is being jointly funded by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, 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/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.