NOVA Biotechnology Leadership in Education (NOBLE) Project

大华盛顿特区地区是众多生物技术公司的大本营，这些公司需要受过教育的熟练技术劳动力(STW)才能运营。该项目将通过北弗吉尼亚社区学院(NOVA)的生物技术计划招募、培训和提高学生的技能，以支持行业需求。Nova的生物技术课程位于理想的位置，为学生提供成功地在生物技术入门级职位上就业的技能。该项目设在威廉王子郡的马纳萨斯校区，这是英联邦第一个少数族裔占多数的县。该项目将从代表性不足的人群中招收学生和非传统学生，包括退伍军人。该项目预计每年将使20-40名学生受益，为他们提供在生物经济工作中初级就业所需的技能。该项目将招收和毕业越来越多的Nova生物技术学生，以满足区域生物技术和生命科学行业的劳动力需求。四项项目活动将指导主要调查员的工作。首先是招收学生，目的是增加服务不足的学生的数量，包括妇女、退伍军人和非传统学生，如成人学习者。第二是通过暑期迎新计划支持留学生，为生物技术专业的学生指派导师/顾问，发展更有活力的研究经验和实习计划机会，以及发展同行辅导计划。第三，修订生物技术课程，以满足区域生物技术产业的需要，并为教师和合作伙伴高中教师提供专业发展。第四，最后是开发和实施一系列职业准备讲习班，为生物技术学生为劳动力做准备。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。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。

The greater Washington, D.C. area is home to numerous biotechnology companies that require an educated skilled technical workforce (STW) in order to operate. This project will support the industry needs by recruiting, training, and upskilling students through the Biotechnology Program at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). NOVA’s Biotechnology Program is ideally situated to provide students the skills to be successfully employed in entry-level positions in biotechnology. The program is housed on the Manassas campus in Prince William County, the first minority majority county in the Commonwealth. The project will recruit students from underrepresented populations and non-traditional students, including military veterans. This project is expected to benefit 20-40 students each year by providing them with the skills necessary for entry-level employment in the bioeconomy workforce.The project will recruit and graduate increasing numbers of NOVA biotechnology students to meet the workforce needs of the regional biotechnology and life sciences industries. Four project activities will guide the efforts of the principal investigators. First is to recruit students with the aim of increasing the numbers of underserved students including women, veterans, and non-traditional students such as adult learners. Second is to support student retention through a summer orientation program, assigning mentors/advisors for biotechnology majors, developing more robust research experiences and internship program opportunities, and developing a peer tutoring program. Third is to revise biotechnology curriculum to meet the needs of regional biotechnology industries and provide professional development for faculty and partner high school teachers. Fourth, and finally is to develop and implement a career preparation workshop series to prepare biotechnology students for the workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation's economy.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.