Enhanced Communication and Collaboration among STEM Disciplines through Undergraduate Curriculum Development and Research Opportunities

在美国国家科学基金会（NSF）通过传统黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU-UP）的支持下，塔斯基吉大学将实施名为“通过本科课程开发和研究机会加强STEM学科之间的交流与合作”的项目。该项目建立在以前的塔斯基吉HBCU-UP奖的成功基础上。该项目侧重于跨学科的课程开发。教师团队将讨论如何将两个或多个相关学科的各个方面融合到每个课程的课程或联合课程中。作为跨学科合作的成功范例，这些教师团队将开发一系列项目，提供要实现的非常具体的目标。该项目的团队将专注于以下方面。-开办一个试验性研讨会，最初为初级生物学学生开办，其目标是提高解决数学问题的能力和接触对现代生物科学至关重要的计算机工具和策略；-生物信息学项目，汇集不同学科的学生；-开发航空航天科学工程飞行模拟环境，教授STEM概念，并为当前学生在工程和心理学方面的跨学科研究提供机会；-加强电脑科学课程的保安概念、与电脑保安有关的道德问题，以及与校园科技部合办的实际训练；-有机化学荣誉研究/课程计划（火箭）；一个过渡项目（桥梁项目），这是一个面向有前途的高中毕业生的大学预科项目，使用计算机模拟和建模作为通过视觉应用增强批判性思维的手段，并在特定的STEM领域练习解决问题。本科生的研究是这种方法的一个组成部分。研究将被设计成由每个团队开发的跨学科课程增强。此外，本科生的学年和夏季研究将成为塔斯基吉大学项目的一部分。为了确保内部和外部研究的协调，将设立一个本科生研究主任的职位。这些被提议的活动的智力价值在于发展了跨学科教学的现实模型。这种发展的方法包括使用跨学科的批判性思维模块，使用模拟和建模环境。生物学入门级的试点研讨会为在本科阶段启动跨学科项目提供了一个模型。本次研讨会为本科阶段的生物信息学研究奠定了基础。生物信息学课程的发展将涉及生物学、化学、计算机科学和数学等学科。同样，加强计算机科学课程的资讯安全概念，以及航空航天科学工程系与心理学系的互动，将为本科生提供新的学习环境。该项目的研究方面将是包容性的，并为相对较小的机构的本科生参与研究提供了一个模式。参与将包括内部和外部，并将由本科生研究主任协调。所有这些方面都可以作为本项目未考虑的其他塔斯基吉大学STEM课程的模型，以及所有大学的STEM课程。该计划旨在为大一和大二的学生提供重大影响。桥梁课程的基础数学课程将应用于大学数学一年级的学年课程。这一行动将影响塔斯基吉大学的所有STEM学生。生物学的试点研讨会影响了所有生物学专业的学生。其目的是让跨学科的方法影响塔斯基吉大学所有STEM学生。研究重点，从火箭到本科生研究主任的活动，也旨在影响所有塔斯基吉STEM学生。计算机科学、航空航天科学工程和心理学的高级课程将影响各自专业的高级学生及其对专业的看法。此外，团队的活动将向塔斯基吉大学的STEM教师展示，在专业会议上展示，并在评审期刊上发表。

With the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), Tuskegee University will implement the project called Enhanced Communication and Collaboration among STEM Disciplines through Undergraduate Curriculum Development and Research Opportunities. The project builds on the successes of the previous Tuskegee HBCU-UP award. The project focuses on curriculum development across disciplines. Faculty teams will address how to blend aspects of two or more related disciplines into courses of each curriculum or into joint courses. To serve as examples of successfully working across disciplines, these faculty teams will develop a series of projects to provide very specific goals to be achieved. The teams of the project will focus on the following. - A pilot seminar, initially for introductory-level biology students, whose goals are increased mathematical problem-solving skills and exposure to computer tools and strategies crucial to modern biosciences; - A bioinformatics program to bring together students from various disciplines; - Development of an aerospace science engineering flight simulation environment to teach STEM concepts and offer opportunities to build upon current student interdisciplinary research in engineering and psychology; - Enhancement of the computer science curriculum in the areas of security concepts, ethical questions relating to computer security, and real-world training with the Campus Technology Department; - An honors research/curriculum program in organic chemistry (ROCKETS); and - A transition program (Bridge Program), a precollege program for promising high school graduates, using computer simulations and modeling as a means to enhance critical thinking through visual applications and to practice problem-solving in a specific STEM area. Research by undergraduates is an integral part of this approach. Research will be designed into the interdisciplinary curriculum enhancements being developed by each of the teams. Additionally, academic year and summer research by undergraduates will become an expected part of the program at Tuskegee University. To assure the coordination of this internal and external research, a Director of Undergraduate Research position will be established. The intellectual merit of these proposed activities is the development of realistic models for teaching across disciplines. The approach for this development includes the use of interdisciplinary critical thinking modules, using simulation and modeling environments. The introductory-level pilot seminar in biology provides a model for the initiation of interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate level. This seminar establishes the foundation for the focus on bioinformatics at the undergraduate level. The disciplines of biology, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics will be involved in the development of the bioinformatics program. Similarly, the enhancement of the computer science curriculum with information security concepts and the interaction between the Aerospace Science Engineering and Psychology Departments will provide new learning environments for undergraduate students. The research aspect of the project will be inclusive and provide a model for involving undergraduates in research at relatively small institutions. The involvement will be internal and external and will be coordinated by a Director of Undergraduate Research. All these aspects can be used as models for other Tuskegee University STEM courses not considered in this project, as well as for STEM programs at all universities. The program is designed to provide significant impact on students in the freshman and sophomore years. The foundation courses in mathematics for the Bridge Program will be applied to the academic year courses in first year college mathematics. This action will impact all STEM students at Tuskegee University. The pilot seminar in biology impacts all biology majors. The intent is for the interdisciplinary approach to impact all STEM students at Tuskegee University. The research focus, from ROCKETS to the activities of the Director of Undergraduate Research, is intended, also, to impact all Tuskegee STEM students. The upper level courses in computer science, aerospace science engineering, and psychology will impact the advanced students in the respective majors and their view of their major. Additionally, the activities of the teams will be presented to the STEM faculty of Tuskegee University, presented at professional meetings, and published in refereed journals.