Vision & Change in Biology Undergraduate Education
Starting the Conversation
Penelope Firth and Linda Slakey
National Science Foundation
NSF BIO-EHR Working Group
charge:
2006
2007
1. Examine and address key issues in
biology undergraduate education
2. Recommend strategy and actions
2008
2009
NSF BIO/EHR Working Group
Deborah Allen, EHR
Peter Arzberger, BIO
Dondra Bailey, BIO
J. Ellis Bell, BIO
Celeste Carter, EHR
Mary Chamberlin, BIO
James Collins, BIO
LaJoyce Debro, BIO
Penelope Firth, BIO
Linnea Fletcher, EHR
Catherine Fry, EHR
Elizabeth Gaige, BIO
Brian Gates, EHR
Richard Inouye, BIO
Gera Jochum, BIO
Liz Lawrence, BIO
Emily Leichtman, BIO
Dan Litynski, EHR
Wesley Lumpkin, EHR
Rick McCourt, BIO
Al Savitzky, BIO
Judy Skog, BIO
Linda Slakey, EHR
Jessica Slater, EHR
Dan Udovic, EHR
Terry Woodin, EHR
Kasey Yturralde, BIO
Strategy developed by BIO-EHR Working Group:
1. Conversations – listen for shared vision and the changes needed
to achieve it
2. Big Conference – crystallize initiative and partnerships
3. Report – articulate the vision, synthesize previous efforts;
recommend changes needed & roles; address sustainability
4. Implementation – make investments; implement commitments;
improve communication; leverage feedback loops
Approved by a joint meeting
of the BIO Advisory
Committee and the EHR
Advisory Committee in
November 2006
NSF supported regional conversations
during 2007-2008 – AAAS facilitation:
211 participants from…
community colleges, PUIs,
MSIs, major R1 universities,
museums, science centers,
education organizations, other
federal agencies, National
Academies, field stations,
professional societies…
2006
2007
2008
Denver
San Francisco
Chicago
Boston
Washington
Atlanta
Image created with Google Maps
2009
Professional societies & organizations
represented at conversations
2006
2007
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
American Institute for Biological Sciences (AIBS)
American Physiological Society (APS)
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
American Society for Plant Biologists (ASPB)
Biophysical Society
2008
Botanical Society of America (BSA)
Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Genetics Society of America (GSA)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
National Academies
National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL)
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)
Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE)
2009
Photo: Kathy Yturralde
2006
We listened to other inputs during
2007-2009:
2007
•AIBS Biology Education Summit (May 2008)
•HHMI Invitational Summit on Undergraduate Biology:
The Role of Disciplinary Societies (Nov 2008)
•NSF Advisory Committee meetings
•Biological Sciences
•Education & Human Resources
•Environmental Research & Education
•NRC reports
•National Science Board reports
•NSF merit review panel meetings
•Professional society meetings
2009
2006
MAJOR
Biology – 43%
Other STEM – 31%
Humanities – 15%
Arts – 3%
Undecided – 9%
Mini-conversations during 2009 with
undergraduate majors and non-majors
to gauge importance of issues to
students, discuss potential approaches:
2007
231 student participants from 13 institutions.
Convened by participants from the
regional conversations.
Some students are HERE!
2008
2009
Image created with Google Maps
We heard elements of an emerging
shared vision
Concept Literacy
Experiential
Learning
Broad Career
Horizons
We heard repeated calls for change
Curriculum
Institutions
Faculty Development
Reward systems
Tools &
Networks
Experiential
Learning
Concept Literacy
Critical thinking &
Communication
Broad Career
Horizons
2006
2007
2008
Planning for Vision & Change
Conference
2009
THANK YOU to the Steering Committee
Chairs
Carol A. Brewer – Univ of Montana
Alan I. Leshner – AAAS
Members
Peter J. Bruns - HHMI
Ingrid C. Burke - Univ of Wyoming
Alan P. Covich – Univ of Georgia
Lynn W. Enquist – Princeton Neuroscience Inst
Louis J. Gross - Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville
Felicia Keesing - Bard College
Jay B. Labov – NAS National Research Council
Thomas Pollard –Yale Univ
Mary Poss – Pennsylvania State Univ
Muriel E. Poston – Skidmore College
Robert S. Seville – Univ of Wyoming
Daniel Udovic - Univ of Oregon
Thomas A. Woolsey – Washington Univ St. Louis
Maria Elena Zavala - California State Univ Northridge