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Student-Centered Education in the Molecular Life Sciences II July 20-23rd, 2011

University of Richmond Richmond, VA

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 11:30AM - 1:00PM Full Conference Attendee Registration Gottwald Foyer/ D100

Lunch Heilman Center 1:00PM - 1:15PM Welcome and Introduction to the Meeting Gottwald Auditorium Ellis Bell, University of Richmond 1:15PM – 2:00PM Plenary I: Metaphorical Approaches to Implementing Gottwald Auditorium Vision & Change: Change Masters, Positive Deviants, Mentors, and Black Swan Moments [1] Jeanne Narum, Independent Colleges Office Moderator: Marilee Benore 2:30PM - 5:00PM Concurrent Sessions I Active Learning Strategies [2] Tyler Hanes 305 Hal White, University of Delaware Breakout: THC 310 Outreach Activities [3] Tyler Hanes 346 Marilee Benore, University of Michigan Breakout: THC 348 Joe Provost, Minnesota State University – Moorhead 5:15PM - 6:15PM Best Practices: Active Learning Strategies Gottwald Auditorium and Outreach Activities [4] Teaster Baird, San Francisco State University Brenda Kelly, Gustavus Adolphus College 6:30PM – 9:00PM ASBMB Reception and Dinner Gottwald Atrium Thursday, July 21st, 2011 7:15AM - 8:30AM Breakfast Heilman Center 8:30AM – 9:15AM Plenary II: Moving Beyond Inclusivity: Gottwald Auditorium Can we do a better job retaining underrepresented Students

in STEM disciplines? April Hill, University of Richmond Moderator: Jodi Osborn 10:00AM -12:00PM Grant Writing Concurrent Sessions

Grant Writing Workshop I (A) Research Tyles Hanes 310

David Rockcliffe, National Science Foundation – MCB Grant Writing Workshop I (B) STEM Education [5] Tyler Hanes 327

Mary Ledbetter, National Science Foundation – DUE Grant Writing Workshop I (C) Instrumentation Tyler Hanes 346

Ellis Bell, Former Program Officer NSF – MCB

12:15PM - 1:15PM Lunch Heilman Center 1:30PM – 4:00PM Concurrent Sessions II

Sharing Laboratory Ideas and Assessments [6] Tyler Hanes 305 Ann Aguanno, Marymount Manhattan College Breakout: THC 310

Ben Caldwell, Missouri Western State University

What Skills do Students Need? [7] Tyler Hanes 327 Graduate School and Industry Breakout: THC 331

Peter Kennelly, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Ann Stock, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Greg Bertenshaw, Correlogic Systems, Inc. Weiping Jiang, R & D Systems, Inc

Process-oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) [8] Tyler Hanes 346 Biochemistry Workshop Vicky Minderhout, Seattle University

4:45PM - 5:45PM Best Practices in Biochemistry Teaching Strategies Gottwald Auditorium and Student Development [9] Takita Sumter, Winthrop University Henry Jakubowski, Saint John’s University 5:00PM - 6:00PM Two Day Conference Attendee Registration Gottwald Foyer/ D100 6:00PM - 7:00PM Dinner & Free Night Heilman Center Friday, July 22nd, 2011 7:15AM - 7:45AM Breakfast Heilman Center 7:30AM - 8:00AM Two Day Conference Attendee Check-In Gottwald Foyer/ D100 8:00AM – 8:45AM Plenary III: Implementing Genomics and Bioinformatics Gottwald Auditorium Across the Life Sciences Curriculum [10] Cheryl Kerfeld, Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute and UC Berkeley (ASBMB 2011 Education Award Winner) Moderator: Cheryl Bailey 9:00AM – 10:30AM Concurrent Sessions III Starting and Sustaining Undergraduate Research: Gottwald E303

Cheryl Kerfeld, Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute Breakout: GOT D308 and UC Berkeley Ellis Bell, University of Richmond

From Proposal to Publication: [11] Gottwald C114 Writing and Critical Thinking Skills Breakout: GOT C112 Carla Mattos, North Carolina State University Joe Provost, Minnesota State University – Moorhead 10:45AM - 11:45PM Best Practices Gottwald Auditorium Cynthia Peterson, University of Tennessee – Knoxville Chris Rohlman, Albion College

12:00PM - 12:45PM Lunch Heilman Center 1:00PM - 1:45PM Plenary IV: An Integrated Science Curriculum for [12] Gottwald Auditorium First Year Students Lisa Gentile, University of Richmond (ASBMB 2010 Education Award recipient) 2:00PM - 6:30PM Concurrent Sessions IV

HHMI & Integrated Science Curricula Gottwald Auditorium Lisa Gentile, University of Richmond Breakout: GOT C114

RCN-UBE Workshop, Dissemination and Discussion [13] Gottwald E303

Ellis Bell, University of Richmond Breakout: E303, D308 Cheryl Bailey, University of Nebraska- Lincoln 7:00PM - 10:00PM Reception, Poster Session & Dinner Jepson Alumni Center Moderator: Kathleen Cornely Sponsored By:

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 7:15AM - 8.15AM Breakfast Heilman Center 8:30AM - 9:15AM Plenary V: Jack and the Bean Stalk and Other Gottwald Auditorium Tales of Assessment David Asai, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Moderator: Ellis Bell 10:00AM - 12:30AM Best Practices and Action Plans Gottwald Auditorium 12:30PM - 1:30PM Lunch & Departures Heilman Center Thank you for attending the Education Symposium. Shortly, you will see an email from ASBMB that contains a link to fill out the meeting survey. We value your input and encourage your ideas to help us plan future education meetings. We look forward to seeing you at future ASBMB Meetings!

2012 ASBMB

SPECIAL SYMPOSIA SERIES June 7 – October 14

Poster Presentations Abstract #

15 Harold B. White, University of Delaware

16 Katherine M. Walstrom, New College of Florida

17 Pamela S. Mertz, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

18 Margaret Franzen, Milwaukee School of Engineering

19 Laura L. Furge, Kalamazoo College

20 Rika Mallepally, Texas A&M University

21 Duane W. Sears, University of California, Santa Barbara

22 Laura Listenberger, St. Olaf College

23 Mary O. Huff, Bellarmine University

24 Didem Vardar-Ulu, Wellesley College

25 Beverly C. Delidow, Marshall University School of Medicine

26 Robert Dutnall, University of San Diego

27 Ann Aguanno, Marymount Manhattan College

28 Benjamin D. Caldwell, Missouri Western State University

29 Koren H. Deckman, Gettysburg College

30 David Gingrich, SUNY Potsdam

31 Ronald C. Peterson, Ohio Northern University

32 Margaret S. Saha, College of William and Mary

33 Jeff Elhai, Virginia Commonwealth University

34 Ann T. Taylor, Wabash College

35 John T. Tansey, Otterbein University

36 Nancy E. Hopkins, Tulane University

37 Amy T. Hark, Muhlenberg College

38 Barbara J. May, College of Saint Benedict/ Saint John’s University

1

Metaphorical Approaches to Implementing Vision & Change: Change Masters, Positive Deviants, Mentors, and Black Swan Moments Jeanne L. Narum1 1Project Kaleidoscope Any review and analyses of efforts, since the late 1980's, to transform the undergraduate STEM learning environments raises serious questions about why things change or not, specifically about how individuals advance or derail meaningful change. Through the lens of my work with Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) for more than twenty years, we will explore how individual and collective efforts make a difference in shaping and reshaping STEM communities of practice.

2 Active-Learning Strategies Harold B. White1 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Delaware, Newark, DE National reports such as “Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action” echo calls from educators in other STEM disciplines for changes in undergraduate science education, not only in what is taught, but how it is taught. Emphasis has shifted from "teaching" to "learning" and from “knowing” to “understanding”. Too often students graduate from college having had little or no experience in solving complex real-world problems; unable to identify, locate, and analyze needed information; and with attitudes that discourage cooperation on common tasks. Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), and Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), the “PXnL” pedagogies of engagement, are nontraditional active-learning approaches to education. They address these issues, yet incorporate the more traditional emphasis on content without an emphasis on lecturing. This session will compare and contrast these student-centered approaches, provide a student perspective, and introduce participants to the pedagogies with sample problems. A variety of resources for getting started will be available.

3 Outreach Activities Marilee Benore1, Joe Provost2 1University of Michigan, 2Minnesota State University – Moorhead Outreach into the community by faculty and students provide essential community links, and positively impacts public perception and understanding of the scientific process, research and scientists. Demand for science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM) outreach is growing in the K-12 communities and is an increasingly important aspect of academic programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and often a part of the campus mission. Student participation in meaningful service learning and engagement is motivating, enhances learning, and can improve critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork skills. Challenges for faculty include setting up partners, creating projects and assisting students in finding an appropriate assignment, overseeing the project and results, and assessing outcomes. Improved student learning can be better achieved with the assistance of faculty in developing and overseeing projects, and the students should reflect on how this project related theory and practice. The goal of the workshop is to present best practices to overcome these challenges, and share examples of sustaining outreach activities that are both student and faculty driven. Participants in the workshop will present and discuss potential projects and receive feedback.

4 Best Practices: Active Learning Strategies and Outreach Activities Teaster Baird, Jr.1, Brenda Kelly2 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, 2Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN 56082 One of the goals of this symposium is to advance the development of an innovative 21st century model for education in the molecular life sciences. The model should be one that enhances the educational experience for students of biochemistry and molecular biology and provides them with a solid foundation in the field. In this session, the best practices and outcomes from the Active Learning Strategies and Outreach Activities sessions will be presented and discussed.

5 Grant Writing for NSF-funded Projects in STEM Education Mary Lee S. Ledbetter1 1National Science Foundation, Arlington VA 22230 At the National Science Foundation projects involving research on education or improvement of educational practices are concentrated in the Education and Human Services (EHR) Directorate. The Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) handles grants focused at the level of two-year and four-year college education, both proposals to improve elements of the curriculum and approaches to teaching and those fostering student majors in STEM disciplines through award of targeted scholarships. In this session participants will learn about our biggest program, Transforming Undergraduate Education in the STEM disciplines (TUES). After an introduction to the program and its goals, you will undertake a mock review of a successful TUES proposal. In the process you will learn how to approach the preparation of an education-oriented NSF proposal, both nuts and bolts and larger considerations of intellectual substance. There will be ample time for questions and discussion.

6 Sharing Laboratory Ideas and Assessments Ann Aguanno1, Benjamin Caldwell2 1Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY 10021, 2Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO 64507 The undergraduate laboratory experience applies concepts learned in the classroom with the goal of content retention and integration of multiple scientific concepts and processes. This workshop will address laboratory practices in the areas of biochemistry and molecular biology and will explore various approaches for both implementing laboratory experiences and assessing their effectiveness. The workshop leaders will explore these topics by first discussing two specific laboratory courses, a sophomore level Cellular and Molecular Biology course at a small liberal arts college and a junior/senior level Biochemistry course at a midsize university. The activities typically employed in these courses will be reviewed opening the door for discussion about issues such as the extent of student involvement in reagent preparation, the basic skills required for lab activities, the use of commercial kits, and the impact of resources and time limitations on content and activities. Break-out sessions during the workshop will address these issues and bring to light additional concerns and obstacles, along with possible solutions and novel approaches to be shared by the leaders and participants. In the latter part of the workshop, leaders will address assessment strategies by identifying learning goals of these laboratory experiences and assessment instruments which are being employed in these two example courses. Breakout sessions will expand upon this discussion. Finally participants will be asked to share particular laboratory activities that have been successful at their home institutions.

7 What Skills Do Students Need? Graduate School and Industry Peter J. Kennelly1, Greg Bertenshaw2, Weiping Jiang3, Ann Stock4 1Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 2Correlogic Systems, Inc., 3R & D Systems, Inc., 4UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School The original goal of North American higher education was to produce Renaissance men and, eventually, women well versed in some area of specialization, but also possessing broad knowledge of historical, literary, philosophical, and economic events, figures, and practices that shaped contemporary civilization. The Second World War marked the beginning of an era of explosive technological change and massive accumulation of new knowledge. As STEM faculty have been forced to cram more and more content into a limited allocation of courses/credits, pressure has mounted to focus attention and energies on the "important stuff", specifically courses and activities related to the major, and to minimize investment in the liberal arts curriculum. Changes in society's expectations for higher education, specifically the demand for direct connections to a job post-graduation, has provided a second, synergistic pressure to "focus on your major". This shift has been manifested in the form of weak communication skills, limited ethical awareness, and a narrow, distorted worldview by what might be called the Enron generation. A consensus has emerged that the continuing deficits in these complementary skill areas are undermining the capacity of today's STEM graduates to contribute to the goals of either a graduate mentor's academic research laboratory or an employer's company. The objective of this session is to outline the complementary skills that have (re)emerged as important determinants of future professional success and to describe strategies for addressing them in the context of today's crowded college curricula. Following a brief introduction of our backgrounds, perspectives on career choices and needed skill sets in both academia and industry, the session will have a Q/A format. Please come prepared to ask the questions specific to your concerns and general to your peers. We will address them from our individual experiences, public expectations and philosophical perspectives.

8 POGIL Biochemistry Workshop Vicky Minderhout1, Cheryl Bailey2 1Seattle University, 2University of Nebraska Process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) is based on research indicating that students who work as part of small groups in an active classroom are more likely to be successful in learning. This approach acknowledges that knowledge is personal; students enjoy themselves more and develop greater ownership over the material when they are given an opportunity to construct their own understanding. This workshop will engage participants in active learning strategies by modeling classroom structure and formative assessment techniques using biochemistry materials.

9 Best Practices in Biochemistry Teaching Strategies and Student Development Takita F. Sumter1, Henry Jakubowski2 1Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733, 2St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321 Meeting participants and session chairs from the concurrent sessions will report out on their ideas during this session. As a result, the best practices in 1) grant writing, 2) teaching and assessing biochemistry laboratories, 3) student preparation for graduate school and industry, and 4) fostering higher ordered thinking in biochemistry using POGIL will be highlighted.

10 Implementing Genomics and Bioinformatics Across the Life Sciences Curriculum Cheryl A. Kerfeld1 1UC Berkeley/DOE Joint Genome Institute It is widely agreed that giving students a chance to do research is the ideal way to excite them about science. Bringing bioinformatics into undergraduate life sciences courses is one way to provide opportunities to large numbers of students to explore real data. Genomics not only offers a new way to teach foundational concepts, but it also can be used to show how bioinformatic algorithms are mathematical articulations of biological principles. Given that DNA sequence is the lingua franca of biology, genomics and bioinformatics also provide a unifying thread across the undergraduate life sciences curriculum. The JGI has developed the IMG-ACT system to facilitate the use of genomics and bioinformatics in undergraduate courses (Ditty et al., 2010). The JGI, in conjunction with the ASM, also provides faculty development opportunities. The program aims to expand to functional genomics to enable students to test their bioinformatic-derived hypotheses in the laboratory. Ditty, J.L., Kvaal, C.A., Goodner, B., Freyermuth, S.K., Bailey, C., Britton, R.A., Gordon, S.G., Heinhorst, S., Reed, K. Xu, Z., Sanders-Lorenz, E.R., Axen, S., Kim, E., Johns, M., Scott, K. and Kerfeld, C.A. Incorporating Genomics and Bioinformatics Across the Life Sciences Curriculum: Development and Implementation of the Integrated Microbial Genomes Annotation Collaboration Toolkit. PLoS Biology, 8(8): e1000448. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000448, 2010.

11 From Proposal to Publication: Writing and Critical Thinking Skills Carla Mattos2, Joseph Provost1 1Minnesota State University Moorhead, 2North Carolina State University Planning and conducting research for PUI or Graduate Faculty is always challenging with a constant competition for time. This workshop will focus on effective approaches to experimental design and writing manuscripts from grant to paper submission. Workshop leaders will describe how to think about research in terms of a hypothesis driven publication that will aid in planning the types of research experiments and controls necessary to focus the efforts of undergraduates at PUI's. Differences in strategies effective in R1 institutions involving both graduate students and undergraduates will also be discussed. The workshop will address effective mechanisms for approaching writing each section of a manuscript and focus on how journal editors view PUI submitted manuscripts. Challenges more typical of research-intensive environment will also be addressed. Despite significant differences in approach, there are basic common features of well-written manuscripts that are common to both groups. Ultimately the significance of the science and clarity of the presentation are the driving factors in acceptance of manuscripts for publication. The workshop will include small group work analyzing manuscripts for structure and key sentences. Attendees are encouraged to bring a draft of their work to share and analyze with a small group. If you are willing to bring a draft, please contact Joe Provost (provost@mnstate.edu).

12 An integrated science curriculum for first year students Lisa N. Gentile1 1University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173 In 2008, the University of Richmond was awarded an HHMI Undergraduate Science Education Award that supported the development of an integrated quantitative science (IQS) course for first year students. The goal of the course is to build skills and perspectives that allow students to study problems from multiple disciplines, and from the space between disciplines. IQS is a full year, double course with lab and workshop that was developed, and is being team taught, by 10 faculty members (2 each in biology, chemistry, computer science, math, and physics). It integrates, around a particular theme, the material from the first semester course in each of these 5 disciplines. In addition to this first year experience, an Integrated Science minor allows students to continue thinking in this manner throughout their undergraduate years. During the time in which we developed and implemented this program, the University of Richmond was also selected to participate in the PKAL/Keck Facilitating Interdisciplinary Learning (FIDL) project. Our interdisciplinary program will be discussed, set in the context of the recommendations from the FIDL project.

13 What are concept assessments and how can they help us teach? Cheryl P. Bailey1 1University of Nebraska-Lincoln Many disciplines are generating lists of core concepts. Core concepts can be described as ideas that someone in the discipline routinely uses. Core concepts are helpful tools for educators because they are a mental idea that is constructed from particular information, or content. Teachers interested in helping students learn core concepts in a discipline can also use core concepts as an overarching context for the plethora of content knowledge. Concept inventories are questions devised to learn whether students understand core concepts of a discipline that have been shown to be validated and reliable through statistical analysis. Incorrect answers are common misconceptions, so that all answers chosen inform teachers about what students are thinking. As new information expands and disciplinary boundaries become merged, core concepts and tools to assess student understanding of these concepts can provide structure for teaching and learning.

15 Awake and Working, 8:00 AM MWF: 19 Years of Total PBL in Majors Introductory Biochemistry Harold B. White1 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE In 1993, CHEM-342, Introduction to Biochemistry, was among the first courses to adopt a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) format at the University of Delaware. It pioneered and has served for 19 years as a national model for the use of classic research articles as PBL problems. CHEM-342 emphasizes student initiative through a problem-based learning (PBL) approach to instruction. In class, students work in small groups of 4 to 5 students. They learn content through study and discussion of complex, real-world problems. To fuel in-class discussion, students on their own must find information from a variety of sources between classes. The “problems” in this class are a series of about ten research articles that trace the history of our understanding of hemoglobin and sickle cell disease beginning in 1864. The instructor visits each group each class period and comes to know well the strengths and weaknesses of every student. In CHEM-342, the groups are guided by an upper-class tutor facilitator who has taken the course before. Comprehensive course evaluations, initiated with the support of an NSF grant in 1994 and administered every year since, provide a rich data base on student perceptions of PBL and performance. For example, attendance for this 8:00 am Monday, Wednesday, Friday class has averaged over 95% for nearly two decades. The syllabus, schedules, course examinations, and student evaluations over the past 10 years are available on line at: . Supported in part by HHMI, NSF, FIPSE, and PEW grants.

16 Implementing Case Studies and Grant Proposals in Biochemistry at New College of Florida Katherine M. Walstrom1 1Div. Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL 34243 I attended the first ASBMB Student-Centered Education Meeting in 2009. At the time, my Biochemistry courses were somewhat conventional in that I often gave a lecture using figures from the textbook in PowerPoint, and the students wrote a research paper/review article at the end of Biochemistry II. Students also gave class presentations about journal articles that I assigned that were related to the class material and that usually dealt with some aspect of a human disease. After the 2009 meeting, I implemented active learning activities in my Biochemistry I and II courses. During 17 out of 47 class periods the students worked on case studies. Some of these were from Kathleen Cornely at Providence College, and I developed others using journal articles or the Clinical Companion that accompanies the Berg Biochemistry textbook (W. H. Freeman publisher). I formed groups of 4 or 5 students with approximately equal numbers of male and female students and a mix of academic and social abilities. At the end of Biochemistry II, the students wrote a grant proposal, and I gave the 2007 ACS Biochemistry exam. Qualitatively, the active learning exercises seemed to raise the performance of weaker students on my essay-type exams so they did not drop the class as readily. In addition, some of the weaker students wrote creative and interesting grant proposals. Quantitatively, there was a slight decrease in the average score on the ACS Biochemistry exam after implementing the active learning exercises. These outcomes are based on results from the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

17 Student Presentations of Research Articles Integrated into a Biochemistry II Laboratory Course Pamela S. Mertz1 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD 20686 During a Biochemistry II laboratory course taken the same semester as Biochemistry II lecture, students in groups presented primary research articles from the scientific literature that were related to topics covered in the lecture class as well as techniques performed in lab. The goals of this endeavor included having the students practice reading and analyzing scientific literature as well as to seeing real world applications of course material. The layout of the lab course will be outlined, and student feedback will be presented.

18 Active Learning Modules for the Biomolecular Sciences Shannon Colton1, Margaret Franzen1, Mark Hoelzer1, Tim Herman1 1Center for BioMolecular Modeling, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI 53202 This project combines an instructional materials development project with a physical modeling project in which a team composed of an undergraduate educator and several undergraduates work closely with a researcher to create a physical model of a protein that is central to an ongoing research project. The educator first selects a protein that is featured in a course they teach. A small group of undergraduate students is then assembled to work closely with a research lab that is investigating some aspect of the protein. As the students learn about the research project, they design and build, by 3D printing technology, a physical model of the protein, based on the atomic coordinates of the solved structure. With the physical model in hand, the students then work with the educator to create additional instructional materials --- in the form of narrated Jmol tutorials, molecular animations and cellular landscapes. The physical model and associated instructional materials are then used by students in the educator’s classroom, where the impact of the materials on student learning is assessed. This project is funded by NSF-CCLI award DUE-1022793 to MSOE.

19 A Few of My Favorite Things: Critical Thinking Exam Questions that Utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy Laura L. Furge1 1Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies levels of intellectual learning into six tiers: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. A goal for undergraduate education is to expose students to more problems that require applying, analyzing, and even evaluating and creating skills to enhance critical thinking and intellectual growth. Reports indicate that there are more higher-order critical thinking questions on exams for high school AP Biology than on undergraduate course exams and on first-year medical school exams as well as on the MCAT (Science 2008 319, 414). Developing exam questions that go beyond testing student knowledge and comprehension of content is an ongoing challenge that requires considerable instructor time and creative energy. Presented are a few example problems used on biochemistry exams at Kalamazoo College and approaches to developing higher order critical thinking exam questions.

20 Invisible Jungle Rika Mallepally1, 2, Alexander Mijalis1, 2 1Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology; Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843, 2Department of Honors and Undergraduate Research; Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843 Invisible Jungle is a radio program that promotes STEM education by providing interesting and relevant information to the public about the "invisible" world of microbes. An interdisciplinary group of honors students at Texas A&M University (College Station, Texas) manages all facets of research and broadcast production of the show, which started in the Fall of 2009. To date, Invisible Jungle has produced and broadcast over 65 two minute-long shows with a weekly listenership of 20,000 listeners across east and central Texas. It has established itself as a regular presence within local radio and promotes access to materials via various e-media channels. We describe the genesis and development of the show, breaks with traditional STEM education banks, and our plans for expanding Invisible Jungle Radio and e-media into becoming a premier resource for educating the public about the microbial sciences.

21 Promoting biological literacy and evidence-based thinking with online problem-solving exercises focused on human immunodeficiency disorders Duane W. Sears1 1MCDB, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9625 As with any science, biology is grounded in core concepts that unify knowledge in all areas of the discipline. By the time undergraduates near the end of their studies, they have likely encountered these core concepts in many ways in different courses. However, critical knowledge gaps may emerge when these concepts are referenced later on in a different context. For example, certain activities in my immunology course predictably reveal that some students still harbor a fuzzy relational understanding of eukaryotic gene structure, transcription, and translation, even though these core concepts are addressed in much of their prior course work. Some students, for example, may hold fast to the idea that a nonsense mutation not only results in a truncated protein product encoded by the mutant gene but also physically shortens the RNA transcript and even the gene itself. To address such fundamental misconceptions as well as stimulate students’ critical thinking skills, a series of case-based computer exercises have been developed whereby students systematically investigate the underlying defects that cause specific immunodeficiency disorders. Students engaged in these exercises are presented with a lengthy menu of diagnostic test options that they can systematically select and analyze in order to find clues about a given patient’s medical condition. After gathering as much evidence as they feel is necessary, students attempt to select the “best diagnosis” for the condition after being presented with a lengthy list of possibilities. A non-trivial scoring system “rewards” them for selecting the most relevant tests for any particular case and for identifying the “best diagnosis” from the available evidence. To promote biological literacy, students are expected to analyze and interpret raw experimental data, with controls. This integrated systems approach to immunology tends to foster better evidence-based thinking and helps students recognize their critical knowledge gaps.

22 The first-year program in integrated chemistry and biology at St. Olaf College Laura Listenberger1, Kim Kandl1, Mary Walczak1, Beth Abdella1 1St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN 55057 Recognizing that many current and future problems will require solutions that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries, the biology and chemistry faculty at St. Olaf College have developed a sequence of courses that explores the ways in which chemistry informs biology and biology exemplifies fundamental chemical principles. This integrated chemistry/biology course sequence may be taken in place of the traditional introductory courses in chemistry and biology (Chemistry 125, Chemistry 126, and Biology 125) and is intended for first year students who have an interest in chemistry or biology or other interdisciplinary fields (for example, environmental science, biomolecular science, neuroscience, pre-medicine or pre-health). The first two courses in the sequence primarily introduce chemistry topics within a biochemical or biological context. The third course is the most biological of the three and applies the principles learned in the first two courses to the study of the major principles of cellular and molecular biology and genetics. Students who completed the integrated sequence of courses have done well in advanced courses in chemistry, biology, and related fields. They are competitive applicants for research programs as well as medical and professional schools. Moreover, our data suggests that these students have a broader view of interdisciplinary science after finishing the sequence compared to their counterparts in the traditional chemistry or biology sequence.

23 A semester-long laboratory exercise demonstrating the relationship between gene to protein function using yeast alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (ADH1) Mary O. Huff1, Bryce V. Plapp2 1Department of Biology, Bellarmine University, Louisville KY 40205, 2Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242 Project-based (research-driven) laboratory courses have been shown to stimulate student involvement, improve critical thinking and initiate cooperative learning. To this end, a 10-week laboratory project (or 7 lab sessions for a shorter version) was designed to accompany a second semester biochemistry course to reinforce the fundamental relationship between protein structure and function and cell physiology using yeast alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (ADH1). Working in small groups, students reviewed the scientific literature, proposed a specific amino acid change in the ADH1 sequence, and hypothesized how this change might alter the kinetics and structure of the enzyme, for which a three-dimensional structure is available. Host yeast expressing no ADH activity and a YEp13 shuttle vector containing the ADH1 gene were used. Students designed primers and performed site-directed mutagenesis to generate a mutated form of ADH1. These plasmids were propagated in E. coli, sequenced, and reintroduced into yeast. The growth patterns on selective media were determined. Yeast cell lysates were prepared for electrophoresis on native gels for staining of enzyme activity and analysis of mobility changes. Kinetics (Km values) with ethanol and NAD as substrates were compared for the mutated and wild type ADH. For further analysis, ADH can be purified to homogeneity by chromatography and turnover numbers can be determined. Each group was required to submit a formal lab report resembling a journal publication. Student performance was evaluated based on the quality of the formal lab report, individual lab notebooks, and weekly participation.

24 Making Student Centered Learning Time, Content, and Competency Efficient Didem Vardar-Ulu1 1Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481 Due to their interdisciplinary nature, molecular life science courses contain enourmous amount of content that needs to be conveyed to the students. Moreover, since the field is advancing so rapidly expectations from graduates in terms of content mastery and skill competency are also constantly changing. This results in a big demand to update instructional materials often and keep adopting more effective teaching stratagies to meet the new needs. As an instructor how do you do overcome the challenge of covering the same breadth of material in the limited amount of class time, continue developing engaging and current materials to accomplish this, and still give the reigns to the students? This work describes a strategy that streamlines the development of multiple content and skill competencies using student created instructional materials. For this work, students were instructed to use primary literature to learn the underlying molecular features critical for a functional macromolecular assembly they chose as a group. Then they were asked to develop a memorable class presentation to highlight the important concepts. Finally, each student was required to write a specific question with an answer key to assess another student's understanding of a concept covered during the presentation. The questions were subjected to peer review by the other group members before being distributed to the class as study materials. The strategy generated numerous high quality, up-to date study materials that reflected students’ interests. Since each group was initially assigned a different content focus, it gave every student a chance to practice one content area in depth while providing ample opportunities to be exposed to the broader content covered by other groups through the student developed materials. It also facilitated the development of important skills such as studying primary literature, communicating what is learned, working in groups, and conducting peer reviews.

25 Communication Skills for Biomedical Science Students: An interactive course designed to enhance skills pertinent to the graduate career and future professional development Beverly C. Delidow1, Anne Silvis1 1Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV 25755 The successful science PhD student must be able to communicate scientific knowledge to a broad variety of professional and lay audiences. Communications Skills (BMS 660/661) was designed as a required course for first-year graduate students in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. The course intent is to identify, enhance and add to the existing skills of students in both oral and written scientific communication. This is a unique offering, as there few such courses for the science graduate. The course employs a "record and replay" model. Students prepare a three-minute presentation each week. Presentation topics cover a range of scientific and creative material, each with a primary instructional objective. The talks are video recorded and played back in turn. Students receive constructive feedback on features of the presentation that were either more or less effective. All students participate in speaking and in giving feedback to classmates, allowing them to learn from each other, as well as from instructors. Students benefit by gaining experience and confidence in styles of presentation appropriate for the classroom, scientific platform talks, journal clubs, and for speaking to the lay public. They are encouraged to experiment with tools for persuasion, for planning presentations and to bring both creativity and personality to their presentations, while learning to present with a professional demeanor. The course allows them to discover and build their skills, and encourages the students to find a comfortable style of presenting their scientific knowledge in front of a live supportive audience. There are two instructors for the course, a returning faculty member, and a new participant. This year a senior graduate student instructor (AS) was invited to participate in the instruction of the course as a means to gain teaching experience. Learning to listen critically and provide effective feedback was valuable to enhance instructional skills and abilities.

26 Protein Portfolios: Active Learning Exercises Integrated Into A One-Semester Biochemistry Course That Examine Protein Structure And Function Robert N. Dutnall1, Stephen A. Mills1, Leigh A. Plesniak1, 2 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, 2Department of Biology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110 Protein Portfolios is a collection of active learning exercises that are integrated into a one-semester biochemistry lecture course. This course covers macromolecular structure (focusing on proteins, lipids and carbohydrates), enzyme kinetics and mechanisms, and metabolism (focusing on glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation). In the Protein Portfolios exercises, students work in small groups (2 - 3 students). Each group is assigned the sequence of a specific enzyme as the basis for five exercises that are assigned during the semester that allow students to investigate the structure and function of their enzyme. The exercises are designed to integrate with lecture material, allowing them to apply and extend their knowledge. They introduce students to the use of current bioinformatics and molecular graphics programs as well as various online databases to identify, compare and analyze protein sequences, view three-dimensional structures and find other relevant information about protein function. Through the exercises each group of students builds a portfolio of information about the enzyme that includes its name, multiple sequence alignments, protein structures, the reaction it catalyzes, catalytic mechanism, inhibition and regulation and how it is involved a metabolic pathway. They also search for interesting information about the medical or socio-economic relevance of the enzyme. The assigned enzymes can be chosen based on a number of criteria but are typically from pathways that are distinct from, but can be connected to those covered in lecture. Students complete the exercises outside of lecture and present their combined findings to the class in short 8 – 10 minute presentations.

27 Gaining those important lab skills: Three different training programs at a liberal arts college Ann Aguanno1, Devin Columbus1, Ray Romano1, Ashley Brower1 1Department. of Natural Sciences, Marymount Manhattan College NY, NY Hands-on biology experiences beyond the classroom can be powerful pedagogy tools. Their value is even greater at a liberal arts college, since these experiences foster proficiency in many aspects of biology without sacrificing the value of a liberal arts education. Moreover, these types of programs benefit students beyond the obvious provision of scientific knowledge by enhancing public speaking, problem solving, and time management skills, along with self confidence. Here we outline three training opportunities available to students in the undergraduate biology program at Marymount Manhattan College. The initial opportunity begins when students participate in a "Lab Skills" workshop designed to train newer students in basic laboratory skills and techniques such as pipetting, accurate measurement, and instrumentation. Students may follow this experience by participation in undergraduate research programs, where they are guided by both of a faculty member and upper-classmen in a structured training program focusing on skills specific to the research project. Through this program the students also learn how to review and analyze primary literature, develop and execute research project, and finally present research findings at scientific conferences. An alternate opportunity allows students to train under the Laboratory Supervisor of the Biology Department, as a way to step beyond the classroom and research lab. Students involved in this training program acquire knowledge in chemical hygiene, biological and general laboratory safety, and hazardous waste management. Students are introduced to compliance standards on a local, state and federal level and taught to interpret and apply these standards in the laboratory setting. As a result of the training opportunities Marymount Manhattan College provides, many students have gone on to have success in different areas of the scientific field, making this experience an invaluable learning opportunity.

28 Use of a mock lab report to assess student learning and comprehension of biochemistry laboratory methods Benjamin D. Caldwell1 1Department of Chemistry, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO Assessing student learning and performance in the laboratory can often be more challenging than in the classroom. This presentation will describe a final examination approach used in an introductory biochemistry lab course. Following thirteen weeks of laboratory instruction students are given a lab report describing methods used to purify a mammalian protein, Na,K-ATPase, expressed in yeast. Methods described in the report include cell lysis, extraction of membrane proteins, chromatography methods, and analysis for the presence of the proteins using spectrophotometry, protein assays, gel electrophoresis, and enzyme kinetics. Students are also provided with sample data related to each step in the purification process and asked to analyze and make judgments about the progress of the purification at each step according to the data provided much like they might when reading a journal article. Students are also asked to calculate various factors such as protein concentrations and kinetic parameters (K-m and Vmax) based on data provided, as well to validate equipment reliability using calibration measurement (micropipette accuracy and precision). The report does not include a discussion or conclusion section, but requires students to summarize the results address specific issues related to the purification scheme. This approach focuses on data analysis and the student’s ability to put multiple pieces of evidence together and synthesize conclusions based on the data.

29 Mutation to Molecular Mechanism of Pathology: A Biochemistry Laboratory Centered Around CRX, A Vision Transcription Factor Koren H. Deckman1, Katrina A. Dempster1, Shelby Lutz1, Brian Lauderback1, Amrit Khalsa1 1Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325 Research-based biochemistry laboratories allow these students to utilize knowledge from various disciplines including, but not limited to, biology and chemistry in order determine whether changes to a protein structure affect function. We designed an integrated multi-week biochemistry lab to demonstrate how a mutation (single base deletion) in a gene may lead to blindness in a pedigree of cats. The cone-rod homeobox protein, CRX, is an important transcription factor that plays a role in the development and maintenance of photoreceptor cells in the eye. This protein has two important domains: the DNA binding domain (N-terminus) and the transcriptional transactivation (TT) domains I and II (C-terminus). The single base deletion causes a premature stop codon and the last third of the putative protein is eliminated, potentially disrupting the ability of CRX to bind and/or activate retinal genes. Western blot analysis demonstrates that the truncated (Rdy) and wild-type (WT) CRX proteins are expressed in this mammal model. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay analyzes the DNA binding properties of the Rdy and WT proteins, showing that both proteins bind to the BAT-1 recognition sequence. A method using a dual vector expression and luciferase reporter system in human HEK293 cells is being developed to measure the TT activity of the Rdy and WT proteins. This method will be incorporated into the biochemistry laboratory. Furthermore, plasmid sequencing, probe design, NCBI database analysis, protein modeling, and chemistry-based detection assays add to the analytical tools necessary to evaluate this biomedical system. As a clear example of translational research, this demonstrates the current methodology to understand the mechanism of pathology of a mammal model of human disease.

30 The Development of Biochemistry Laboratories Centered on Hemoglobin David Gingrich1, Jan Trybula2 1SUNY Potsdam, Department of Chemistry, 2SUNY Potsdam, Department of Biology We are developing a series of biochemistry laboratory modules centered on the protein hemoglobin. The modules are designed to span a two-semester biochemistry laboratory course sequence plus include selected laboratories in General Chemistry and Genetics. The research literature and also existing biochemistry exercises from the biochemical education literature are being used in the development of the modules. Some selected examples include molecular genetics modules on DNA cloning and PCR that utilize a plasmid containing the genes for both alpha and beta hemoglobin chains, SDS PAGE and chromatography modules that use the protein expressed from the same plasmid, as well as bioinformatics and site-directed mutagenesis modules. During the second semester, students utilize these and other techniques as they design small research projects in small groups. Evaluation methods include a mix of diagnostic concept tests and attitudinal surveys. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0737460).

31 A Student-Designed Procedure to Purify Egg White Lysozyme Ronald C. Peterson1 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH 45810 Introductory biochemistry classes present methods of purification of proteins based on differences in physical properties, such as, size and charge. In this experiment, students will separate lysozyme from other proteins in egg white. Instead of a protocol-driven laboratory, students will work through a series of exercises designed to aid them in development of a purification scheme. To start, the students use the amino acid sequences of the five major proteins of chicken egg white and calculate the differences in the size and charge among these proteins. A spreadsheet calculation is used to predict the charge of each protein over a range of pH values. From this calculation, the students find that the calculated isoelectric pH of lysozyme does not match the experimental value that has been reported in the literature. Through the use of PDB structures for lysozyme, students can determine how many of the cysteine side chains are in disulfide bonds and make appropriate alterations in the calculation of the pI. The calculated net charges of the proteins can be used to predict the affinity of the proteins for ion exchange resins at different pH values. Since carboxymethyl-cellulose has a high capacity for binding lysozyme, the students are guided to design an experiment to bind lysozyme to CM-cellulose and elute the bound protein using a high pH and high salt concentration. The purification of lysozyme can be quickly accomplished using a batch mode of binding and elution. Analysis of the protein concentrations and enzyme activities of the fractions indicate a significant increase in the specific activity after a single purification step. SDS-PAGE can be used to confirm the extent of purification. This experiment allows the students to relate the amino acid sequence to the physical properties of proteins and then to use that information to design and execute an experiment to purify a protein from a natural source.

32 Integrated Science and Math Instruction at the College of William and Mary Margaret S. Saha1, Eric L. Bradley1, Mark H. Forsyth1, W&M HHMI Group1 1College of William and Mary Numerous studies have demonstrated the pedagogical value, both short and long term, of approaches that integrate science teaching across a range of disciplines. However, many factors including strong departmental structure, national accreditation standards, standardized exams (e.g. MCATs), and the need to serve hundreds of students with very diverse backgrounds enrolling in introductory science courses make the implementation of such approaches extremely challenging at most universities. In order to address these challenges and to serve a large and diverse group of students, the College of William and Mary has implemented a multi-pronged strategy that entails both horizontal and vertical integration. For horizontal integration, instructors of the large introductory classes in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics work together to employ similar examples so that students experience the same material in multiple classes, yet learn the same concepts from different but complementary perspectives. This strategy continues into sophomore and upper level classes as well. Particular emphasis is placed on incorporating quantitative approaches into all life science courses. Vertical integration entails a deliberate effort to employ material covered in classes from other disciplines that builds upon previous coursework. In addition, a significant number of strong interdisciplinary courses are built into the curriculum of all science majors, with many being offered through the multidisciplinary Department of Applied Science. This is complemented with a strong emphasis on authentic undergraduate research experiences integrated into coursework and in faculty research labs that employ cross-disciplinary approaches and multiple advisors. Such approaches, with initial impetus from HHMI funding, are now encouraged and supported by internal funding opportunities as well as support during the tenure and promotion system--promoting mutual benefits for faculty and students alike.

33 Integration of a continuous research experience into the freshman-sophomore curriculum Jeff Elhai1, Allison Johnson1, Greg Buck1 1Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA A National Research Council's report on undergraduate education urged that "all students should be encouraged to pursue independent research as early as is practical& hellip;." This is a difficult mandate to fulfill, as freshmen generally require a highly structured first research experience. However, the greatest gains are achieved when students work through the process of choosing research questions and how to address them. To help undergraduates become full partners in the process of science, we have devised a two-year program that takes students through a one-year guided research experience and then a semester-long research project in which they bear the primary creative responsibility. Students, mostly freshmen, take a year-long HHMI-sponsored lab, replacing the conventional lab accompanying introductory biology. In the fall semester, students isolate a bacterial virus (a phage), characterize its physiology, and isolate its DNA. In the spring semester, they are provided with a preliminary sequence of the phage DNA and proceed to complete it, identify its genes, and characterize their functions. Throughout the year, students learn to read articles from the primary literature and presenting their insights orally and in writing. In the subsequent spring semester students take a course introducing them to bioinformatics. After learning basic tools used in the analysis of DNA sequences, the latter half of the semester is given over to research projects. The class is broken up into groups to consider different aspects of phage physiology, and each group decides how to break down the topic further so that each student has primary responsibility over one aspect of the whole. Their work and the work of the phage lab are presented at a joint, year-end symposium. The computationally intensive research projects are made possible through a computer programming environment specifically designed for researchers who have no prior programming experience.

34 Integrating genetic counseling into the BMB classroom Ann T. Taylor1, Jill C. Rogers1 1Wabash College, Crawfordsville IN 47933 The ease of molecular biology techniques such as RFLP mapping and SNP analysis opens the door for teaching students about genetic testing. Laboratory experiments can muddy the distinction between classroom investigation and medical testing, but conversations with a genetic counselor expose students to a different point of view and expand their understanding of biochemically related careers. While the goals and issues surrounding classroom genotyping do not directly align with those of clinical testing, instructors can use the guidelines and standards established by the medical genetics community when evaluating the ethics of human genotyping. This creates the ideal situation for collaborating with a genetic counselor in the classroom. A science faculty member led the scientific background and laboratory portion of the material, while a genetic counselor facilitated the discussion of the ethical concepts underlying genetic counseling: autonomy, beneficence, confidentiality, and justice. Using this team teaching model, students demonstrated an understanding of the practice guidelines established by the genetics community and acknowledged the ethical considerations inherent in p53 genotyping. Given the burgeoning market for personalized medicine, teaching undergraduates about the psychosocial and ethical dimensions of human genetic testing is important and timely. Moreover, incorporating a genetic counselor in the classroom discussion provided a rich and dynamic discussion of human genetic testing.

35 Teaching ethics in the undergraduate science curriculum through readings and online discussions John T. Tansey1, 2, Gregory H. Hanson2 1Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Otterbein University, Westerville, Ohio 43081, 2Chemistry Department, Otterbein University, Westerville, Ohio 43081 Numerous agencies (including ASBMB, ACS, IUBMB, NSF, and NIH) have called for formal ethics education in the undergraduate curriculum, yet there is widespread confusion over what this means, and therefore how to accomplish the task. Furthermore, while bioethics, animal rights, or medical ethics are rich fodder for discussion, the discussions are often polarizing, difficult to manage, and fail to achieve the desired outcomes (broadening the students understanding of ethics and ability to conduct science in line with a code of conduct). We hypothesized that students already have an ethical basis for ‘big picture’ judgments, but lack a basic knowledge of the code of ethics of professional societies. In this study, students were required to read a series of essays throughout the quarter and participate in an online discussion. At the end of the quarter students were given a two part surveys designed to determine if they could identify an ethical violation and determine how severe a violation was. Following the surveys, students were given the professional codes of conduct of ASBMB, ACS, and IUBMB. Classroom discussion dissected student opinions. Feedback from students was largely positive. They were surprised to see what a code of conduct contained and what was or was not considered ethical behavior in the sciences. Preliminary results indicate that this method is a viable way to introduce professional ethics to undergraduates. In the next stage of the study we propose to compare groups that read essays with an ethical theme to those without to see if this influences the result. We also plan to follow the students through their college careers to see if the learning that occurred in the freshman year will be retained as they progress through their careers.

36 Principles in Biomedical Writing: A Literature Research Capstone Experience Nancy E. Hopkins1 1Cell & Molecular Department & Biological Chemistry Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118 Principles of Biomedical Writing is a writing intensive course which satisfies the capstone requirement for the Cell and Molecular major at Tulane University. In the two years it has been taught, the course has become very popular with students. In the exit survey, students report a high satisfaction with the course and all perceive improvement not only their writing skills but also their ability to read and understand scientific journal articles. Assignments include written critiques of journal articles, a poster presentation, an oral presentation and a review article. Students are allowed to choose a topic in any biological or medical field but the topic must be studied from the molecular perceptive. The class meets with the science librarian to learn how to use databases and reference management software. The first critique is done on a recent paper on the chosen topic. Subsequent assignments explore the topic. Posters are presented in a poster session type forum and oral presentations are presented in the manner of a meeting platform session. The review article is written in the style of the mini-reviews in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Students as well as the instructor provide feedback on presentations. The review paper and the two presentations are assessed using the capstone assessment that is common to all capstone experiences in the department. This data will be used to determine if the students improve in the critical core learning objectives of our department.

37 Connections to Liberal Education: exploring science in a broader context as part of an undergraduate biochemistry course Amy T. Hark1 1Muhlenberg College In their recent report on biochemistry/molecular biology education to the Teagle Foundation, an ASBMB working group compared skills from the ASBMB recommended curriculum to learning outcomes articulated by the Association of American Colleges & Universities LEAP Initiative, which in part highlighted the question of how ASBMB might best support learning outcomes characterized in the areas of “personal and social responsibility” and “integrative learning” (LEAP Initiative). In response to this report, I integrated a course component referred to as Connections to Liberal Education (CLE) into the intermediate-level biochemistry course I teach at a liberal arts college. In addition to investigating biochemical content, approaches, and problems, students engaged in a broader course aim designed to explore ways in which science intersects with the academy, the clinic, and society. Students discussed and produced written reflections on readings focused primarily on defining and evaluating science and ethical responsibilities of scientists. In the Fall 2010 semester, students engaged in two additional opportunities: discussions with a Religion & Science class taught by a full-time faculty member in the Religion Studies Department and participation in Muhlenberg College’s Center for Ethics programming series entitled Science & Sensibility: Studying Nature as a Human Endeavor. Students reported gains in their awareness of major research questions and ethical issues in the molecular life sciences. Students also expressed increased confidence in their ability to approach problems in an integrated manner and to discuss science with a variety of audiences. Further course revisions designed to help students frame issues at the forefront of biochemistry and make connections to other areas of academic discourse and contemporary societal issues will be explored. This work was supported by an ASBMB/Teagle grant and travel award and course development grants from Muhlenberg College.

38 Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Integrative Research Module Barbara J. May1, Jennifer Galovich1, Adam Whitten1, Karen Bengtson1, Larry Davis1 1College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are in the process of developing an Integrative Science (IS) curriculum. Our implementation of an IS curriculum is meant to enable science and education majors alike to think like scientists by increasing student learning and critical thinking skills in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. The curriculum begins with a series of introductory courses that utilize inquiry-based pedagogies to engage students using critical concepts from seven STEM disciplines (Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Math, Computer Science, and Nutrition). The courses are taught in the context of an interdisciplinary research theme. This spring semester, we piloted and assessed one of our IS research themes, Mass Extinction. Faculty and student-led discussions along with a series of student-driven research experiments were conducted to introduce a series of concepts from multiple science disciplines. Here, we present examples of the inquiry-based curriculum, examples of concepts that were covered from the different disciplines, and our assessment results. We anticipate, with some modifications, that we will be able to successfully utilize this research theme as an effective module to introduce a selection of disciplinary concepts to undergraduate students using an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach. With the incorporation of several additional research themes (Wandering the Watab River, the Brain, etc..), we will be able to create the series of introductory courses to help science and education majors think like scientists.

Attendee List * Indicates ASBMB Members

Julie Aaron* Assistant Professor Natural Science DeSales University 2755 Station Ave Center Valley, PA USA 18034 ph: 6102821100 e: julie.aaron@desales.edu Janet Adams Assistant Professor Biology J Sargeant Reynolds Community College PO Box 85622 Richmond, VA USA 23285-5622 ph: 8045235255 e: jadams@reynolds.edu

Ann Aguanno* Associate Professor Biology Marymount Manhattan College Main Bldg, Rm 603 221 East 71st St New York, NY USA 10021 ph: 2127744838 e: aaguanno@mmm.edu

David Asai* Director, Precollege And Undergraduate Science Edu Science Education Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Grants 4000 Jones Bridge Road Chevy Chase, MD USA 20815 ph: 3012158874 e: asaid@hhmi.org

Nicholas Audette* Undergraduate Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Delaware 93 Rose St Newark, DE USA 19711 ph: 4015568858 e: naudette@udel.edu

Cheryl Bailey* Assistant Professor Dept of Biochemistry University of Nebraska, Lincoln N106 The Beadle Center Lincoln, NE USA 68588-0664 ph: 4024723530 e: cbailey7@unl.edu

Teaster Baird* Associate Professor Department Of Chemistry And Biochemistry San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue, Th 806 San Francisco, CA USA 94132 ph: 4154050935 e: tbaird@sfsu.edu

Ellis Bell* Professor of Chemist Structural Biology Biophysics & Bioinformatics University of Richmond Gottwald Science Center Richmond, VA USA 23173 ph: 8042898244 e: jbell2@richmond.edu

Marilee Benore* Professor Natural Sciences University of MI at Dearborn 4901 Evergreen Road Science Building Dearborn, MI USA 48128 ph: 3135935490 e: marilee@umich.edu

Greg Bertenshaw* Director New Technology Biomarker Discovery and Development Correlogic Systems, Inc. 20271 Goldenrod Lane, Sute 2070 Germantown, MD USA 20876 ph: 3017951704 e: gbertenshaw@correlogic.com Elena Bogonez Associate Professor Dept Biología Molecular, CBMSO, UAM Universidad Autónoma de Madrid C/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Campus de Cantoblanco Madrid, NO Spain 28049 ph: 34911964622 e: ebogonez@cbm.uam.es Eric Bradley Professor Biology College of William and Mary 450 Landrum Drive Integrated Science Center Williamsburg, VA USA 23185 ph: 7572212220 e: elbrad@wm.edu Wes Cain Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Mathematics University of Richmond Dept. of Mathematics Richmond, VA USA 23178 ph: 8042898083 e: jwcain@vcu.edu

Benjamin Caldwell* Professor Dept of Chemistry, Agenstein Hall, 302 Missouri Western State University 4525 Downs Dr St. Joseph, MO USA 64507 ph: 8162714392 e: caldwell@missouriwestern.edu

Lester Caudill Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Mathematics University of Richmond Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science Richmond, VA USA 23178 ph: 8042898083 e: lcaudill@richmond.edu

Joseph Chihade* Associate Professor Dept of Chemistry Carleton College 1 North College St Northfield, MN USA 55057 ph: 5072227446 e: jchihade@carleton.edu Margaret Franzen Program Director MSOE Center for BioMolecular Modeling Milwaukee School of Engineering 1025 N. Broadway St Milwaukee, WI USA 53202 e: franzen@msoe.edu

Kathleen Cornely* Professor Dept of Chemistry & Biochemistry Providence College 1 Cunningham Square Providence, RI USA 29180001 ph: 4018652866 e: kcornely@providence.edu

Michael Cox* Professor Dept of Biochemistry University of Wisconsin - Madison 433 Babcock Drive Madison, WI USA 53706-1544 ph: 6082621181 e: COX@BIOCHEM.WISC.EDU

Koren Deckman* Associate Professor Dept of Chemistry Gettysburg College 300 N Washington St Gettysburg, PA USA 17325 ph: 7173376264 e: kholland@gettysburg.edu

Beverly Delidow* Associate Professor Dept of Biochemistry & Microbiology Marshall University School of Medicine 1 John Marshall Dr, BBSC 336G Huntington, WV USA 25755 ph: 3046967266 e: delidow@marshall.edu

Stephanie Dew* Assoc. Professor Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Centre College 600 W Walnut St Danville, KY USA 40422 ph: 8592385316 e: stephanie.dew@centre.edu

Ben Dunn* Distinguished Professor Dept of Biochemistry University of Florida P O Box 100245, JHMHC Gainesville, FL USA 32610-0245 ph: 3523923362 e: bdunn@ufl.edu

Robert Dutnall* Assistant Professor Department Of Chemistry And Biochemistry University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA USA 92110 ph: 6192607527 e: rdutnall@sandiego.edu

Jeff Elhai Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Center for the Study of Biological Complexity Virginia Commonwealth University Center for the Study of Biological Complexity Box 842030 Richmond, VA USA 23284 ph: 8048280794 e: ElhaiJ@VCU.Edu

Patti Erickson* Assistant Professor Biological Sciences Salisbury University 1101 Camden Ave HS214 Salisbury, MD USA 21801 ph: 4106775325 e: pterickson@salisbury.edu

Silviu Faitar* Assistant Professor Natural Sciences D'Youville College 320 Porter Ave Buffalo, NY USA 14201 ph: 7168298278 e: sfaitar@yahoo.com

Kristin Fox* Director Of Biochemistry Dept of Chemistry Union College 807 Union St Schenectady, NY USA 12308 ph: 5183886250 e: foxk@union.edu

Laura Furge* Associate Professor Dept of Chemistry Kalamazoo College 1200 Academy St Kalamazoo, MI USA 49006 ph: 2693377020 e: lfurge@kzoo.edu

Jennifer Galovich Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Mathematics College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University Collegeville, MN USA 56323 ph: 3203633192 e: jgalovich@csbsju.edu Joan Geiling Meetings Manager American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 302 Rockville, MD USA 20852 ph: 2402836600 e: jgeiling@asbmb.org

Lisa Gentile* Assoc Prof Chemistry Chemistry University of Richmond 28 Westhampton Way Dept Of Chemistry Richmond, VA USA 23173 ph: 8044841578 e: lgentile@richmond.edu

David Gingrich* Assoc Prof Dept of Chemistry SUNY Potsdam 44 Pierrepont Ave Potsdam, NY USA 13676 ph: 3152672273 e: gingridj@potsdam.edu Brian Goess Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Chemistry Furman University 3300 Poinsett Hwy Greenville, SC USA 29613 ph: 8642942318 e: brian.goess@furman.edu

Barbara Gordon Executive Director American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 302 Rockville, MD USA 20852 ph: 2402836600 e: asbmb@asbmb.org Bill Hamilton Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology & Environmental Science Washington & Lee University Howe Hall Lexington, VA USA 24450 ph: 5404588890 e: hamiltone@wlu.edu

Amy Hark* Associate Professor Dept of Biology Muhlenberg College 2400 Chew Street Allentown, PA USA 18104 ph: 4846643747 e: hark@muhlenberg.edu Eli Hestermann Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology Furman University 3301 Poinsett Hwy Greenville, NC USA 29613 ph: 8642943527 e: eli.hestermann@furman.edu April Hill Associate Professor Dept of Biology University of Richmond Gottwald Science Center Richmond, VA USA 23173 ph: 8044841591 e: ahill2@richmond.edu

Kathy Hoke Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty mathematics University of Richmond A&S Deans Office University of Richmond Richmond, VA USA 23173 ph: 8042898089 e: khoke@richmond.edu

Nancy Hopkins* Professor of Practice Dept of Cell & Molecular Biology Tulane University 6400 Freret St 2000 Stern Hall, Cmb Dept. New Orleans, LA USA 70118 ph: 5048623162 e: nhopkin@tulane.edu

Mary Huff* Associate Professor Dept of Biology Bellarmine University 2001 Newburg Rd Louisville, KY USA 40205 ph: 5022728495 e: mhuff@bellarmine.edu Helen I'Anson Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology Washington & Lee University Howe Hall Lexington, VA USA 24450 ph: 5404588974 e: iansonh@wlu.edu

Henry Jakubowski* Professor Department of Chemistry St. John's University/ College of St. Benedict 37 South College Ave St. Joseph, MN USA 56374 ph: 3203635354 e: hjakubowski@csbsju.edu

Weiping Jiang* Director R&D Systems, Inc. 392/mmp 614 Mckinley Pl Ne Minneapolis, MN USA 55413 ph: 6126564411 e: weiping.jiang@rndsystems.com Allison Johnson Assistant Director Center for the Study of Biological Complexity Virginia Commonwealth University P.O. Box 842030 Richmond, VA USA 23284 ph: 8048286782 e: aajohnson@vcu.edu

Margaret Johnson* Associate Professor Biological Sciences The University of Alabama 1518 Berkley Ave Bessemer, AL USA 35020 ph: 2053481819 e: majohnso@bama.ua.edu Joan Kalkut Biochemistry Editor Higher Education John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ USA 7030 ph: 2017486254 e: jkalkut@wiley.com

Brenda Kelly* Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Dept of Biology and Chemistry Gustavus Adolphus College 800 West College Ave St Peter, MN USA 56082 ph: 5079337039 e: bkelly@gustavus.edu

Peter Kennelly* Professor Dept of Biochemistry Virginia Polytechnic Inst and State Univ 111 Engel Hall Blacksburg, VA USA 24061 ph: 5402314317 e: pjkennel@vt.edu Michael Kerckhove Associate Professor Department of Mathematics and Computer Science University of Richmond Richmond, VA USA 23173 ph: 8042898774 e: mkerckho@richmond.edu Cheryl Kerfeld Professor Education/Structural Genomics/Plant and Microbial JGI/UCB 2800 Mitchell Drive Walnut Creek, CA USA 94598 ph: 9252965691 e: ckerfeld@berkeley.edu

Amy Kerzmann* Visiting Assistant Professor Chemistry Dept. College of St. Elizabeth 2 Convent Road Morristown, NJ USA 7960 ph: 9732904029 e: amy.kerzmann@gmail.com Nicole Kresge Editor, ASBMB Today American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 302 Rockville, MD USA 20852 ph: 2402836600 e: nkresge@asbmb.org

Jim Lawrence* Assistant Professor Dept of Chemistry University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Science Building D-142 Stevens Point, WI USA 54481 ph: 7153463699 e: jim.lawrence@uwsp.edu Mary Lee Ledbetter Program Director EHR/DUE National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA USA 22230 ph: 7032924671 e: msledbet@nsf.gov Neocles Leontis Program Officer/Professor Molecular and Cellular Biology National Science Foundation 119 N. Summit St Bowling Green, OH USA 43402 ph: 7032927113 e: nleontis@nsf.gov Simon Levy Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Computer Science Washington & Lee University Parmly Hall Lexington, VA USA 24450 ph: 5404588419 e: levys@wlu.edu Min-Ken Liao Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology Furman University 3302 Poinsett Hwy Greenville, NC USA 29613 ph: 8642943246 e: Min-Ken.Liao@furman.edu

Ovidiu Lipan Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Dept. of Physics University of Richmond Richmond, VA USA 23176 ph: 8042876670 e: olipan@richmond.edu

Laura Listenberger* Assistant Professor Biology and Chemistry St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Regents Hall of Natural Sciences Northfield, MN USA 55057 ph: 5077863804 e: listenbe@stolaf.edu Georgi Lukov Assistant Professor Biochemistry and Physical Science Brigham Young University - Hawaii 55-220 Kulanui St. BYUH # 1967 Laie, HI USA 96762 ph: 8086753812 e: georgi.lukov@byuh.edu

Peter Lyons* Research Associate Molecular Pharmacology Albert Einstein College of Medicine Molecular Pharmacology Rm F248 1300 Morris Park Avenue Bronx, NY USA 10461 ph: 7184302173 e: peter.lyons@einstein.yu.edu

Debra Martin* Professor Biology Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 700 Terrace Heights Winona, MN USA 55997 ph: 5074571628 e: dmartin@smumn.edu

Carla Mattos* Professor Dept of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry North Carolina State University 128 Polk Hall, CB 7622 Raleigh, NC USA 276957622 ph: 9195132556 e: carla_mattos@ncsu.edu Barbara May Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University Biology Department NSC204 Collegeville, MN USA 56321 ph: 3203633173 e: bmay@csbsju.edu

Pamela Mertz* Associate Professor Dept of Biochemistry and Chemistry St. Mary's College of Maryland 18952 Fisher Rd St. Mary's City, MD USA 20686 ph: 2409250532 e: psmertz@smcm.edu Kristy Miller Associate Professor and Chair Chemistry University of Evansville 1800 Lincoln Ave. Evansville, IN USA 47722 ph: 8124881077 e: km123@evansville.edu

Vicky Minderhout* Professor Dept of Chemistry Seattle University 901 12th Avenue PO Box 222000 Seattle, WA USA 98122-1090 ph: 2062965959 e: vicky@seattleu.edu

Rick Moog Professor Chemistry Franklin & Marshall College PO Box 3003 Lancaster, PA USA 19335 ph: 7172913804 e: rick.moog@fandm.edu

Deborah Neely-Fisher* Assistant Professor Biology J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College P O Box 85622-5622 Richmond, VA USA 23285-5622 ph: 8045235741 e: dneely-fisher@reynolds.edu

joDi Lynn Osborn* Graduate Research Assistant/Lab Instructor Cellular Molecular Biology and Physiology Georgia State University Po Box 4010 Atlanta, GA USA 30302 ph: 4044135372 e: josborn1@student.gsu.edu Christopher Paradise Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology Davidson College Box 7118 Davidson College Davidson, NC USA 28035 ph: 7048942890 e: chparadise@davidson.edu

Cynthia Peterson* Professor Dept of Biochemistry University of Tennessee M407 Walters Life Sciences Bldg Knoxville, TN USA 37996-0846 ph: 8659744083 e: cbpeters@utk.edu

Ronald Peterson* Professor Of Biochem Dept of Chemistry & Biochemistry Ohio Northern University 525 S Main St Ada, OH USA 45810 ph: 4197722338 e: r-peterson@onu.edu Terry Platt Professor of Biology Univ. of Rochester 402 Hutchison Hall Rochester, NY USA 14627 ph: 5852758244 e: tpla@mail.rochester.edu

Joseph Provost* Professor Dept of Chemistry Minnesota State University Moorhead 1104 7th Ave South 407 Hagen Hall Moorhead, MN USA 56563 ph: 2184774323 e: provost@mnstate.edu Angela Reynolds Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Mathematics Virginia Commonwealth University 1015 Floyd Ave. Richmond, VA USA 23284 ph: 8048285664 e: areynolds2@vcu.edu

Christopher Rohlman* Associate Professor Dept of Chemistry Albion College Putnam Hall, 354 Albion, MI USA 49224 ph: 5176290257 e: crohlman@albion.edu

Margaret Saha Professor Biology College of William and Mary ISC 450 Landrum Dr WIlliamsburg, VA USA 23185 ph: 7572212407 e: mssaha@wm.edu Hannah Scherer Assistant Professor Agricultural and Extension Education Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 2270 Litton Reaves Hall (0343) Blacksburg, VA USA 24061 ph: 4153107168 e: hannah.scherer@gmail.com Marquita Sea Instructor Mathematics J Sargeant Reynolds Community College PO Box 85622 Richmond, VA USA 23285-5622 ph: 8045235506 e: msea@reynolds.edu

Duane Sears* Professor Dept of Molecular Cell & Develop Biology University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA USA 93106-9610 ph: 8058933499 e: sears@lifesci.ucsb.edu

John Shabb* Assoc Prof Dept of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology University North Dakota School of Medicine 501 Columbia Rd N, Ms 9037 Grand Forks, ND USA 58202-9037 ph: 7017774946 e: john.shabb@med.und.edu

Patricia Soochan Non-Profit Professional Science Education HHMI 4000 Jones Bridge Rd Chevy Chase, MD USA 20815 ph: 3012158876 e: soochanp@hhmi.org Krista Stenger Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Biology University of Richmond Department of Biology Richmond, VA USA 23175 ph: 8042876570 e: kstenger@richmond.edu

Ann Stock* Professor Biochemistry UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Center For Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine 679 Hoes Lane Piscataway, NJ USA 08854-5627 ph: 7322354844 e: stock@cabm.rutgers.edu Craig Streu Assistant Professor Biochemistry St. Mary's College of Maryland 112 Cliveden Ave Glenside, PA USA 19038 ph: 2158989939 e: craigstreu@gmail.com

Takita Sumter* Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Dept of Chemistry Winthrop University 701 Oakland Ave Rock Hill, SC USA 29733 ph: 8033234991 e: sumtert@winthrop.edu

Jim Swartz Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Chemistry Grinnell College Noyce Science Center, 1116 8th Avenue Grinnell, IA USA 50112-0806 ph: 6412694892 e: swartz@grinnell.edu Doug Szajda Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Computer Science University of Richmond Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science Richmond, VA USA 23177 ph: 8042876671 e: dszajda@richmond.edu

John Tansey* Associate Professor and Program Director Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Otterbein University Science 206 Otterbein University Westerville, OH USA 43081-2006 ph: 6148231497 e: jtansey@otterbein.edu

Ann Taylor* Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Dept. of Chemistry Wabash College P O Box 352 Crawfordsville, IN USA 47933 ph: 7653616186 e: taylora@wabash.edu

Martha Thomson* Associate Professor Dept of Biological Sciences Kuwait University Faculty of Science PO Box 5969 Safat, NO Kuwait 13060 ph: 96524985710 e: mmtkuwait2003@hotmail.com

Zeki Topcu Professor Mol. Biol. & Pharm. Biotechnol. Ege University Faculty of Pharmacy Izmir, NO Turkey 35100 ph: 905325071886 e: zeki.topcu@ege.edu.tr

Didem Vardar Ulu* Assistant Professor Dept of Chemistry Wellesley College 106 Central St Wellesley, MA USA 2481 ph: 7812833255 e: dvardar@gmail.com

Rebekah Waikel* Assistant Professor Dept. of Biological Sciences Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Ave Room 235 Richmond, KY USA 40475 ph: 8593210591 e: rebekah.waikel@eku.edu Katherine Walstrom Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Division of Natural Sciences New College of Florida 5800 Bay Shore Rd Sarasota, FL USA 34243 ph: 9414874493 e: kwalstrom@gmail.com

Harold White* Professor Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Delaware Department Of Chemistry And Biochemistry Newark, DE USA 19716-2522 ph: 3028312908 e: halwhite@udel.edu

Adam Whitten Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Physics College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University Physics Department PENGL 101 Collegeville, MN USA 56322 ph: 3203633172 e: awhitten@csbsju.edu

Ann Wright Professor Biology Canisius College 2001 Main Street Buffalo, NY USA 14208 ph: 7168882574 e: wrighta@canisius.edu

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