Integration of Biology into the Engineering Curriculum at the University of Washington

华盛顿大学工程学院提议发起一项重大的新倡议，将生物学纳入本科生和研究生的工程学课程。他们将分阶段发展这一举措。在第一阶段，将在行动议程支助下制定关键要素。在以后的阶段中，我们提出了一个三级制，它将影响到华盛顿大学的所有工程学本科生。第一级：第一级将包括所有工程学本科生，并将把有趣的工程学概念的生物学例子(“迷你模块”)整合到一年级和二年级现有的核心工程学课程中。此外，他们将创建ENGR/BIO新生兴趣小组，为对工程/生物界面早期感兴趣的学生创建一个互动的论坛。第二层：第二层将涉及开发一门新的初级课程，名为《工程师的生物框架》。这将是一门基于基础工程的生物学概念的实践项目课程，将在工程师中发展生物学的共同语言和概念。第三层：第三层是生物学和工程学之间更深入的学习体验。这些经历有多种形式：1)大量现有的和计划中的更专门学科的课程，2)本科生的研究机会，3)工程/生物交界处的工业实习。一旦学生参加了新的初级课程，他们将为利用这些机会做好更好的准备。

The University of Washington College of Engineering proposes to mount a major new initiative to integrate biology into the engineering curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. They will develop this initiative in phases. In the first phase, key elements will be developed under Action Agenda support. In later phases A three-tiered system is proposed that will affect all undergraduate engineering students at the University of Washington.First Tier: The first level will include all engineering undergraduates, and will involve the integration of intriguing biological examples of engineering concepts ("mini-modules") into the existing core engineering curriculum at the Freshman and Sophomore levels. In addition, they will create ENGR/BIO Freshman Interest Groups to create a forum for students with early interest in the engineering/biology interface to interact.Second Tier: The second level will involve development of a new Junior-level course entitled,"Biological Frameworks for Engineers." This will be a hands-on project based course in fundamental engineering-based biological concepts that will develop in engineers the common language and concepts of biology. Third Tier: The third level is a more in-depth learning experience in the interface between biology and engineering. These experiences take many forms: 1) a large number of existing and planned courses in more specialized subjects, 2) undergraduate research opportunities, and 3) industrial internships at the engineering/biology interface. Once students have taken the new junior-level course, they will be better prepared to take advantage of each of these opportunities.