UBM: Research-Based Interdisciplinary Training for Mathematics and Biology Majors

知识价值：技术创新已经引起了生物学和数学的复兴。蛋白质组学和微阵列的发现以及基因组的破译已经改变了生物学家收集和分析信息的类型。分析技术和计算能力的同步进步使研究人员能够以前所未有的力量探索假设和评估结论。为了利用这些信息，需要培训和装备下一代科学家，使他们具备跨学科的工具，既能在智力上综合数学模型，又能实施和理解技术驱动的数据采集。在本科教育中，尽早并经常地传授对研究文化的欣赏也是必要的。此外，学术上的卓越需要结合不同的观点和在不同文化和种族人群中工作的能力。正是本着这种精神，本项目开始对数学和生物专业的学生进行跨学科的培训。该计划将数学和生物学的跨学科课程与多年的研究项目相结合。该培训计划包括来自生物系、数学系和统计学系的8名教师导师，他们提供与生物学和数学跨学科研究相关的教学和研究培训。该项目结合了该大学生物学和数学教师的实力，以及该大学对多样性、本科研究和跨学科研究的承诺。综合的，以研究为基础的课程包括生命科学学生微积分，大学生物学，数学生物学和生态学课程，以及一系列关于生物学和数学如何结合在当代跨学科研究中检验假设和分析数据的研讨会。因此，课程包括为具有不同生物学和数学知识的不同背景的学生提供入门点的课程。该项目提供重要的课外体验，确保知识的广度，并为学员的高级学习做好准备。一个顶点课程确保学生有机会严格和彻底地分析他们的数据，准备手稿，并在年度研讨会上发表论文。美国社会学协会通过以下实践来提高学生的保留率，毕业和专业学习。更广泛的影响：该培训计划旨在通过早期识别和培训学生来提高整体教育质量，严谨性和多样性。该项目的一个特别之处在于培养了为期四年的师徒关系。课程和研究项目被整合到学生研究提案的开发和批判性评估中，以帮助学生在本科阶段发展充足的研究专业知识。培训项目的活动正在通过博闻社项目网站广泛传播。在大学层面，该项目加强了生物与数学和统计部门在教学和研究方面的合作。

Intellectual Merit: Technological innovation has caused a renaissance in both biology and mathematics. The discovery of proteomics and microarrays and the deciphering of genomes has changed the types of information biologists collect and analyze. Concurrent advances in analytical techniques and computational capabilities enable researchers to explore hypotheses and evaluate conclusions with unprecedented power. To use this information there is the need to train and equip the next generation of scientists with interdisciplinary tools to both intellectually synthesize mathematical models and implement and understand technology driven data acquisition. It is also necessary to impart an appreciation of research culture early, and often, in undergraduate education. Further, academic excellence requires combining various points of view and the ability to work among diverse cultural and ethnic populations. It is in this spirit that this project is initiating interdisciplinary training for mathematics and biology majors. This program integrates interdisciplinary courses in mathematics and biology with multi-year research projects. The training program involves eight faculty mentors from the Departments of Biology and Mathematics and Statistics who provide teaching and research training linked to interdisciplinary research in biology and mathematics. The project combines the strength of the university's biology and mathematics faculty with the university's commitments to diversity, undergraduate research and interdisciplinary studies. The integrated, research-based curriculum includes Calculus for Life Science Students, College Biology, a Mathematical Biology and Ecology course, and a Seminar series on how Biology and Mathematics combine to examine hypotheses and analyze data in contemporary interdisciplinary studies. Thus, the curriculum includes courses that offer entry points for students from diverse backgrounds with differing knowledge of biology and mathematics. The program delivers significant extracurricular experiences that ensure breadth of knowledge and prepare trainees for advanced studies. A capstone course ensures that students have the opportunity to rigorously and thoroughly analyze their data, prepare manuscripts, and present papers at annual symposia. Student retention is enhanced by following practices demonstrated by the American Sociological Association to enhance retention, graduation and professional study.Broader Impacts: The training program is designed to enhance overall educational quality, rigor and diversity by identifying and training students early in the pipeline. An exceptional aspect of the program is the four-year mentoring relationship being fostered. Curriculum and research projects are integrated into the development and critical evaluation of student research proposals to help students develop ample research expertise at the undergraduate level. Activities of the training program are being broadly disseminated via the UBM program website. At the university level, the program strengthens collaboration among biology and mathematics and statistics departments in both teaching and research.