NOVA Biotechnology Leadership in Education (NOBLE) Project

大华盛顿，华盛顿特区地区是众多生物技术公司的所在地，这些公司需要受过教育的熟练技术劳动力（STW）才能运营。该项目将通过北方弗吉尼亚社区学院（NOVA）的生物技术项目，通过招聘、培训和提高学生技能来支持行业需求。NOVA的生物技术计划是理想的位置，为学生提供的技能，成功地在生物技术的入门级职位就业。该计划位于威廉王子县的马纳萨斯校区，这是英联邦第一个少数民族占多数的县。该项目将从代表性不足的人口和非传统学生中招收学生，包括退伍军人。预计该项目每年将使20至40名学生受益，向他们提供生物经济劳动力入门级就业所需的技能，该项目将招收越来越多的NOVA生物技术学生并使其毕业，以满足区域生物技术和生命科学行业的劳动力需求。四个项目活动将指导主要调查员的工作。首先是招收学生，目的是增加得不到充分服务的学生的人数，包括妇女、退伍军人和非传统学生，如成人学习者。第二是通过夏季定向计划支持学生保留，为生物技术专业分配导师/顾问，开发更强大的研究经验和实习计划机会，并开发同行辅导计划。第三是修订生物技术课程，以满足区域生物技术产业的需求，并为教师和合作伙伴高中教师提供专业发展。第四，也是最后一个是开发和实施职业准备讲习班系列，以准备生物技术学生的劳动力。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于推动国家经济的先进技术领域的技术人员的教育。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值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.