Supporting Institutional Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: American Institute of Biological Sciences? Role in the PULSE Project

American Institute Of Biological Sciences, Herndon VA

Investigators

Abstract

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is awarded a grant to work with the collaborating organizations in the Partners in Undergraduate Life Science Education (PULSE) initiative: National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health-NIGMS (NIH), and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the PULSE working partner, Know Innovation (KI), to achieve the goal of coordinating systemic change in undergraduate life science education. AIBS core strengths in working with the community and facilitating high quality peer advisory and review services are a strong addition to this unique and exciting program designed to mobilize change in undergraduate life sciences education. The award fits the EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research because of its high potential for producing an implementation framework for transforming biology departments within the nation?s colleges and universities. AIBS will work with the program partners throughout its lifespan by 1) working to raise awareness of the PULSE project among the community and encouraging participation in the project and 2) facilitating the selection of the Vision and Change Fellows in the initial phase. Both the selection of Fellows and promotion of the project to the broad biology education community are integral to the success of the PULSE project. AIBS is extremely well qualified to carry out both of these activities. The Institute has years of experience successfully conducting high quality peer-review for private foundations, government agencies, and other clients. AIBS has been very successful in reaching intended audiences through its public policy and media relations work. The proposed strategy for developing and promoting a press release about the Request for Applications and Selection of Fellows is based upon expertise gained over the years and knowledge about the focused effort required to effectively reach an intended audience. Other scientific disciplines will learn about the outcomes of the PULSE project because AIBS is actively involved in collaborations and coalitions across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The results of AIBS?s work will ensure that the top individuals in the country are poised to work with the leaders in life science research and education, NSF, NIH, and HHMI, to move institutional reform efforts forward. The proposed activities are expected to make a significant contribution to an unprecedented transformation of the undergraduate biology education community's understanding of institutional barriers to change and of strategies for overcoming them.