The document discusses the development of an interdisciplinary undergraduate program in mathematical biology at Truman State University. It describes how the program grew out of undergraduate research projects involving both mathematics and biology faculty mentoring students from different disciplines. The program now includes an interdisciplinary minor that requires hands-on research experience and competencies in areas like modeling, computation, and statistics. The speaker advocates for more programs training "convergent" scientists who can work across disciplinary boundaries.

1. Interdisciplinary Training in
Mathematical Biology Through
Team-based Undergraduate
Research and Courses
Jason Miller, Ph.D.
Department of Mathematics
JMM New Orleans
9 January 2011
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2. Outline
• A couple questions
• ‘Convergence’
• Truman’s program, my mantra
• A Look at a Bigger Picture
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9 January 2011
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3. Undergraduate
Mathematical Biology
• Is there a need for undergraduate degree programs
in mathematical biology?
• What would an undergraduate curriculum in
mathematical biology look like?
• Where would a mathematical biology program live?
In a math department? A biology department?
Separate from both?
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4. JMM New Orleans
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5. JMM New Orleans
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6. JMM New Orleans
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7. JMM New Orleans
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8. JMM New Orleans
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9. ‘Convergent’ teamwork is going to be a defining
characteristic of 21st century science and
mathematics.
It can’t be taught through a series of lectures.
It can’t be taught from a textbook or by reading a
journal paper.
It can’t be taught in a course for a (single) major.
The above activities can motivate students and
prepare them to learn to be ‘convergent’
JMM New Orleans
9 January 2011
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10. It can be taught...
• Our experience provides strong evidence that
proper hands-on undergraduate research (or
research-like) projects can train undergraduates to
be ‘convergent’
• Essential characteristics:
• it’s a real research project to the mentors
• mentors from different disciplines
• undergraduates from different disciplines
• long-term immersion
• students have sense of significant ownership
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11. At Truman...
• We’ve been building and revising an interdisciplinary
training program in mathematics and biology
• Bridging the epistemological gap between
mathematics and biology.
• NSF funded: UBM program (Interdisciplinary Training
for Undergraduates in Biology and Mathematics) in
2003, 2004, and 2009
These allowed us to make mistakes
so that others wouldn’t have to.
JMM New Orleans
9 January 2011
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12. Truman’s Program
“We are not trying to turn mathematics
majors into biology majors, not are we trying
to turn biology majors into mathematics
majors. Rather, we are trying to bring both
together at the intersection of the life and
mathematical sciences to train them to work
across disciplinary boundaries.”
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13. Why, then?
• Pre-Bio2010 selfishness!
• We had math faculty who wanted to re-engage in
research, learn about mentoring undergraduates;
open-minded biologists
• Students (in CS) were ahead of us, learning
bioinformatics
• Had some limited internal support:
• Truman had a culture (outside the math
department) that valued undergraduate research
• Summer research grants for students JMM New Orleans
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14. Truman’s Program
• Our ‘program’ grew out of our undergraduate
research program, conversations with others in our
community
• HHMI, SMB, MAA BIOSIGMAA, BioQUEST, MAA
PREP, NIMBioS, MBI, NSF UBM PI meetings, CUR,
NCUR
• We have an interdisciplinary minor in mathematical
biology
• The minor requires a high-quality, interdisciplinary
research experience (on- or off-campus)
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15. Why, now?
• Having been institutionalized (curriculum), we have
internal and external pressures to continue to succeed
• Truman still values undergraduate research (even in the
mathematics department)
• Faculty are getting results (publications, grants)
• Contributing to national need for ‘convergent’ or
interdisciplinary scientists and mathematicians
• Desire to broaden participation in science and
mathematics undergraduate degree programs
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16. Looking back...
• The scope of what we have now would not
be possible without the UBM grants
• The essence of what we are doing could
continue without external funding *but not
without internal funding)
• What we are doing, others can do.
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17. There’s no STEM
without an M
• Last week, the House and Senate reauthorized the
America COMPETES act
• The America COMPETES Act is a response to ‘Rising
Above the Gathering Storm’ report
• The ‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm’ report
communicates the reasons America needs to
increase its production of STEM professionals
• As a result, we have many ‘STEM Talent Expansion’
programs fromt he NIH, NSF, etc.
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18. There’s no STEM
without an M
• Preparing ‘convergent’ scientists is an aspect of this
(scientists for the 21st century)
• This can’t happen without involvement from the
mathematics community.
• What our small community is learning about how to
collaborate with biologists can be (and should be)
applied to working with other disciplines and multi-
disciplinary teams.
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19. Minor’s Outcomes
• Data Acquisition
• Modeling
• Computation
• Statistics
• Research
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20. Requirements
• Demonstrate proficiencies in each category
(though research, courses)
• Earn 15+ credits doing so (must take Intro to
MathBio course)
• Attend MathBio Seminar
• Participate in two half-semester program
workshops/seminars
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21. http://mathbio.truman.edu
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under NSF
UBM #0337769, #0436348, and #0926737. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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9 January 2011
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