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

Tuskegee University, Tuskegee Institute AL

Investigators

Abstract

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.