Quantitative Biology Curriculum Planning Workshop (HHMI)

 

[#description|Description] [#agenda|Agenda] [#presentations|Presentations/Links] [#photos|Photos] Abstracts

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DESCRIPTION:

 

This workshop will bring together mathematics and biology educators who have developed or wish to develop quantitative biology curricula. The major goals of the conference are to:

 

• Identify successful models that introduce applications of and connections with biology into the undergraduate mathematics and computer science curriculum.

• Identify successful models that integrate quantitative methods into biology introductory and upper level courses

• Identify resources and materials that support quantitative biology

• Stimulate creation and revision of new materials that integrate mathematics and biology

• Initiate and foster a collaborative learning community

 

The conference will contain a few invited talks by educators who have been successful in bridging mathematics and biology in the undergraduate curriculum. Most of the sessions will consist of facilitated workshop sessions to identify available resources, address challenges for institutional types, identify gaps in materials and begin planning for a series of meetings and collaborations. Conference participants will consist of collaborative teams of mathematics and biology educators who have plans to pursue such a project at their own institutions. Each team will be asked to submit a brief description of current efforts at their own institution and an outline of their future plans over the next few years. Each team will be asked to bring a poster to the workshop with some details about their current efforts and or future plans.

 

 

AGENDA:

 

July 18

 

3:00-5:00 Registration

5:00-5:30 Opening Session: Welcome and Introduction

 

WELCOME: Dr. Paul E. Stanton, President ETSU

 

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP: Karl Joplin, ETSU

This is meant to be a working meeting that will begin the formation of a collaborative community to review and develop materials and best practices for quantitative biology.

 

HHMI WELCOME: Tuajuanda Jordan or Peter Bruns

 

5:30-6:30 KEYNOTE ADDRESS

 

[#Truman|TOWARDS BIO 2020: EDUCATING BIOLOGISTS, MATHEMATICIANS, AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS COLLABORATING TO REDESIGN EDUCATION: CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY]

Jason Miller, Truman State

Dr. Miller will present a vision of quantitative biology for the 21st Century undergraduate; Incorporating Institutional approaches to integrating math and biology, collaborations between mathematics, computer science and biology departments.

 

6:30-8:30 RECEPTION AND POSTER SESSIONS

 

 

July 19

 

All day POSTER SESSIONS

8:00-9:00 Continental Breakfast

 

Tables by interest group: What math should we be teaching biology students? Designing math courses for life science majors? What quantitative skills should be part of introductory courses? What quantitative skills are needed for upper level courses?

 

9:00-9:30 BUILDING COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR BIOLOGICAL PROBLEM SOLVING, Ethel Stanley BioQUEST, Biology Department, Beloit College

Integrating models, simulations, data analysis, informatics in introductory biology courses. Resources from Biological ESTEEM (Excel Simulations and Tools for Exploratory, Experiential Mathematics), Microbes Count!, and the BioQUEST Library will be presented. Pedagogical strategies to support inclusivity and open-ended inquiry such as the use of investigative cases and problem spaces will be discussed briefly.

 

9:30-10:00 [#caudill|**INCORPORATING BIOLOGY INTO MATH COURSES**], Lester Caudill, University of Richmond

 

10:00-10:30 Break

 

10:30-1:00 Simultaneous facilitated working groups

Attendees will be asked to choose a session in advance and groups will be limited to 12 participants per facilitator. Boxed lunches will be provided in breakout rooms.

 

1. Integrating math into introductory biology courses: From biologists’ perspective, what is the role and future impact of mathematics in the biology introductory curriculum? What content needs to be addressed? What kinds of pedagogy? What resources exist? What’s missing?

 

2. Integrating biological examples into required math/computer science courses: What are some strategies for incorporating biology applications into mathematics courses that have multiple audiences, e.g., calculus or introductory statistics? What content needs to be addressed? What kinds of pedagogy? What resources exist? What’s missing?

 

1:00-2:00 Reports from the breakout sessions

 

2:00- 3:00 Demonstrations of materials

Presenters and participants can set up demonstrations of their materials.

 

3:00-4:00 Breakout Sessions (registrants will select one)

 

1. Identification of resources for teaching modules, lab modules, datasets, examples, resources, etc. What’s available? What’s missing?

2. Changing the way we teach science and mathematics: Challenges and solutions

3. Issues related to professional collaboration: What opportunities are available? What kind of “cross-training” is needed and how can one do it? How can communication, modes of inquiry, and pedagogical differences be overcome?

4. Mathematics in upper division Biology classes Facilitator: Joe Watkins

 

4:00-5:00 Reports on breakout sessions

 

5:00-7:00 Reception

 

7:00 Dinner

 

 

July 20

 

8:00-9:00 Continental breakfast

 

Table Interest Groups: Developing a plan (by institutional type). What are our challenges? Next steps?

 

9:00-10:00 [#usher|** BIO 2010: THEORY MEETS REALITY**], David Usher and John Pelasco, University of Delaware

The challenges encountered in getting a program started will be discussed. When is it appropriate to design a minor or a major or is it better to simply integrate mathematics and biology into extant courses? What is it that we are trying to accomplish?

 

10:00-10:30 Break

 

10:30-11:30 BREAKOUT SESSIONS: MAJORS, MINORS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS

 

1. How do you develop mathematics research projects for biology students and biology research projects for mathematics students?

2. How do you integrate math with biology in the classroom?

3. How do you get interdisciplinary interactions started within a university?

4. How do you foster biology & math interaction between universities?

 

 

 

11:30-12:15 Reports on breakout session

12:15-1:30 Lunch: Team meetings to develop next steps for their own institutions identify challenges to implementing ideas discussed

 

1:30-2:00 BUILDING A COLLABORATORY TO REVIEW AND DEVELOP MATERIALS

 

COLLABORATION TOOLS:

Sam Donovan, University of Pittsburgh

 

BEST PRACTICES WEBSITE:**

Pat Marsteller, Emory University

 

2:00-2:30 [#Jungck|**CHALLENGES AND CONNECTIONS, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?**], John Jungck, Beloit College

 

2:30-3:30 Plenary Discussion

 

 

 

3:30-4:30 Closing remarks

 

 

**PRESENTATIONS/LINKS:**

 

Presentations/Posters:

 

 

The Introductory Life Science Mathematics Sequence (Dwight Duffus, Emory University)

 

 

Quantitative Biology at Clemson University (Bob Kosinski and Jim Peterson, Clemson University)

 

 

Quantitative Biology at The College of William and Mary (George W. Gilchrist and Paul Tian, The College of William and Mary)

 

 

Building a Collaboratory to Review and Develop Materials: Best Practices Website (Pat Marsteller, Emory University)

 

 

Links Between Biology and Math at Haverford College (Phil Meneely and Rob Manning, Haverford College)

 

 

Educating Biologists, Mathematicians and Computer Scientists Collaborating to Redesign Education: Content and Pedagogy (Jason Miller, Truman State University)

 

 

BIO 2010: Theory Meets Reality (David Usher and John Pelesko, University of Delaware)

 

 

Incorporating Biology into Math Courses at the University of Richmond (Lester Caudill and Kathy Hoke, University of Richmond)

 

 

Rethinking Calculus and Modeling (Lester Caudhill, Kathy Hoke, Scott Knight, University of Richmond)

 

 

Integrating Mathematical Concepts Across the Biology Curriculum - Remediation Efforts, Introductory Biology Sequence, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Initiatives (A.M. Findley, J. Bhattacharjee, S. Saydam, and D. Magoun, University of Louisiana at Monroe)

 

 

Challenges and Connections, Where Do We Go From Here? (John Jungck, Beloit College)

 

 

Strategic Planning for Quantitative Biology at Emory (Pat Marsteller, Emory University)

( download PDF) 

Links:

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**PHOTOS:**