Research, writing, presentation
AAC&U 2012
Summer
Residence Hall
Meals
Small Group Meetings + Mentors
Weekly Discussions/Workshops
Social Events
MathBio Seminar
Building a world class university prof. barry halliwellp_murali2011
This document discusses building a world-class university using the National University of Singapore as a case study. It notes that NUS research has improved in recent years as evidenced by bibliometric indices, grant success, industry partnerships, and think tanks located at NUS. While rankings are flawed, they are noticed and show NUS ranked highly in Asia and globally. Studying rankings can help identify successful research areas and collaborations. NUS benefits from Singapore's location and stability but lacks natural resources, requiring research strength across disciplines to support the country.
KYUEM is a college in Malaysia that prepares students for top universities worldwide through a holistic education program. It offers small class sizes with highly qualified teachers, strong pastoral care, excellent facilities, and guidance for university applications. Students learn soft skills and achieve high success rates in obtaining places at universities like Cambridge, Oxford, and Ivy League schools in the US. The college attributes its success to having high expectations, working as a cohesive team, carefully monitoring students, and ensuring everyone practices the philosophies preached.
Principal's Briefing : Sec 2 Meet-Parents-Session on 1 June 2013Yuliana Tjioe
This document provides information from a principal's briefing on 2 June 2013 about Teck Whye Secondary School. It discusses the school's mission, vision, values, academic performance, cocurricular achievements, and post-secondary education pathways. The school achieved good results in the 2012 GCE N-and O- level exams, with pass rates and distinction rates equal to or better than national averages. It has also received multiple achievement awards from the Ministry of Education for value-added performance. The briefing outlines the school's streaming process and subject combination options for Secondary 3 students.
This orientation document provides new students with an overview of resources available at UT Dallas to help them succeed during their freshman year. It outlines academic support services, student activities and leadership opportunities, and administrative offices. The document is intended to introduce students to people and departments that can help them achieve their potential and make the most of their university experience.
The document discusses China's national focus on innovation and the role of higher education institutions in supporting this goal. It outlines Zhejiang University's strategies to contribute to this national initiative through talent cultivation, international collaboration, and research excellence. Zhejiang University aims to be a top comprehensive university globally by training innovative students, conducting cutting-edge research, and partnering with leading international universities and enterprises.
The document provides information about Teck Whye Secondary School's (TWSS) mission, vision, values and strategic thrusts. It summarizes the school's academic achievements and performance in the 2011 GCE N and O-Level examinations. Top students are highlighted and analysis is given on the Sec 3 subject strengths and weaknesses of different classes. Post-secondary education pathways including junior colleges, polytechnics, ITE and work are also outlined.
Building a world class university prof. barry halliwellp_murali2011
This document discusses building a world-class university using the National University of Singapore as a case study. It notes that NUS research has improved in recent years as evidenced by bibliometric indices, grant success, industry partnerships, and think tanks located at NUS. While rankings are flawed, they are noticed and show NUS ranked highly in Asia and globally. Studying rankings can help identify successful research areas and collaborations. NUS benefits from Singapore's location and stability but lacks natural resources, requiring research strength across disciplines to support the country.
KYUEM is a college in Malaysia that prepares students for top universities worldwide through a holistic education program. It offers small class sizes with highly qualified teachers, strong pastoral care, excellent facilities, and guidance for university applications. Students learn soft skills and achieve high success rates in obtaining places at universities like Cambridge, Oxford, and Ivy League schools in the US. The college attributes its success to having high expectations, working as a cohesive team, carefully monitoring students, and ensuring everyone practices the philosophies preached.
Principal's Briefing : Sec 2 Meet-Parents-Session on 1 June 2013Yuliana Tjioe
This document provides information from a principal's briefing on 2 June 2013 about Teck Whye Secondary School. It discusses the school's mission, vision, values, academic performance, cocurricular achievements, and post-secondary education pathways. The school achieved good results in the 2012 GCE N-and O- level exams, with pass rates and distinction rates equal to or better than national averages. It has also received multiple achievement awards from the Ministry of Education for value-added performance. The briefing outlines the school's streaming process and subject combination options for Secondary 3 students.
This orientation document provides new students with an overview of resources available at UT Dallas to help them succeed during their freshman year. It outlines academic support services, student activities and leadership opportunities, and administrative offices. The document is intended to introduce students to people and departments that can help them achieve their potential and make the most of their university experience.
The document discusses China's national focus on innovation and the role of higher education institutions in supporting this goal. It outlines Zhejiang University's strategies to contribute to this national initiative through talent cultivation, international collaboration, and research excellence. Zhejiang University aims to be a top comprehensive university globally by training innovative students, conducting cutting-edge research, and partnering with leading international universities and enterprises.
The document provides information about Teck Whye Secondary School's (TWSS) mission, vision, values and strategic thrusts. It summarizes the school's academic achievements and performance in the 2011 GCE N and O-Level examinations. Top students are highlighted and analysis is given on the Sec 3 subject strengths and weaknesses of different classes. Post-secondary education pathways including junior colleges, polytechnics, ITE and work are also outlined.
A Few Words at the Front Lines (K-16): Teaching and Research at the Interface...SERC at Carleton College
This presentation discusses teaching biomathematics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. It begins with an overview of the university and typical freshman schedules. It then discusses challenges in STEM education like disciplinary silos and student perceptions. The presentation introduces iBLEND, a program that uses biomathematics and MATLAB to bridge disciplines and research experiences. It provides an example of using modeling to understand insulin dynamics. The presentation emphasizes collaboration and providing culturally relevant examples to engage more students in STEM fields.
The test assesses students' learning related to numbers up to 100 as outlined in the grade 2 curriculum. It contains 10 multiple choice and short answer questions assessing number recognition, counting, ordering, addition, and place value. The test aims to evaluate students' understanding of key concepts and skills for the Numbers unit in line with the curriculum learning outcomes.
Lorna Fitzjohn, Regional Director, West Midlands gave the keynote address at 'Be inspection-ready – not preparing for inspection': a conference by SSAT the schools, students and teachers network on 20 April 2016.
This document discusses the prevalence and importance of mathematics in everyday life. It provides examples of how mathematics is used in areas like health, weather, transportation, society, and more. While some applications are directly observable, others involve more complex systems that are still being understood mathematically, like DNA. The document also discusses the historical foundations of mathematics over centuries, with concepts building upon each other like a pyramid, and provides a brief biography of the mathematician Aryabhata, who made important contributions in astronomy and mathematics.
Undergraduate Research and Interdisciplinary TrainingJason Miller
A quick talk for the Trinity University's Fall 2012 HHMI conference on Truman's undergraduate mathematical biology program and how it's lead to broadening participation in STEM in different but powerful ways.
This document provides an overview of Ohio's transition to college and career readiness standards and assessments. It discusses the professional development timeline for educators, what college and career readiness means, data on student readiness, and how jobs will increasingly require postsecondary education. It outlines Ohio's standards development process and attributes of the new standards in English language arts, math, science, social studies and other subjects. The document also discusses Ohio's model curriculum, physical education evaluation, comparative analysis of kindergarten standards, integration across subjects, and timeline for new online assessments to be administered by assessment consortia beginning in 2014-2015.
Rethinking Physics Service Courses:The challenge of cross-disciplinary STEM...Joe Redish
Cross-disciplinary instruction is common in STEM programs. Physicists teach engineers; chemists teach biologists; and mathematicians teach everybody. But scientific disciplines create distinct cultures – conventions, goals, expectations, and epistemologies – and these differences can lead to serious challenges for an instructor teaching out of her discipline. In this talk, I discuss how what has been learned in decades of Physics Education Research can help us better understand these challenges. And to use that understanding to figure out how to help our non-physics students get more authentic value from our classes — and to value what they have learned.
The Physics Outreach Group was formed to encourage more student interest in physics through hands-on outreach activities. Run by student volunteers and supported by faculty, the group designs and delivers workshops in schools and on campus. Their goals are to make physics appealing, tackle misconceptions that it is difficult or boring, and increase the number of students continuing physics studies. Evaluation found their workshops improved student attitudes towards physics and increased the percentage continuing from AS to A2 physics levels.
Highs and Lows of An Interdepartmental MathBio ProgramJason Miller
This talk describes the interdisciplinary undergraduate mathematical biology program at Truman State University, its history and development, and the minor degree it offers.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy
Phone: (+84) (8) 38350831
Email: thuyntt@hcmus.edu.vn
Centers and Laboratories
- Center for Research and Application of Plasma Technology
- Center for Environmental Research and Consultancy
- Center for Research and Application of Crystal Growth Technology
- Center for Research and Application of Nanotechnology
- Center for Research and Application of Biotechnology
- Center for Research and Application of Geosciences
- Center for Research and Application of Materials Science
- Center for Research and Application of Information Technology
- Center for Research and Application of Oceanography and Hydrome
The document discusses creating a STEM school district. It outlines goals for integrating STEM education across the K-12 curriculum. This would include developing new STEM-focused courses, providing professional development for teachers, and expanding student opportunities like robotics clubs and research programs. The goal is to ensure all students experience high-quality STEM learning to prepare them for college, careers, and life.
The document summarizes a STEM teacher preparation program between CSU Long Beach and Long Beach Unified School District. The program provides intensive training to 150 pre-service and in-service elementary teachers through a year-long residency program. It aims to change the culture of STEM teaching from the ground up by training teachers to teach integrated STEM disciplines through inquiry. The program involves collaboration between university faculty, school leaders, and partner organizations to provide research-based professional development and support to both new and experienced teachers.
This document summarizes the state of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University. It provides statistics showing increases in student enrollment, new undergraduates, faculty, and grants/contracts. It outlines investments in faculty salaries, new initiatives, and signature research themes. New programs and the hiring of 27 regular faculty and 7 high impact faculty are mentioned. Goals are focused on excellence, attracting new resources, and communicating the college's value and success.
- Delta College is a community college in Michigan that offers transfer and occupational programs including courses in geoscience and environmental science.
- Geoscience courses include physical geology, environmental geology, and oceanography, while environmental science courses include environmental science and regulations courses. These courses serve both general education and degree-seeking students.
- Analysis of student demographics and outcomes in geoscience courses found that while students are generally representative of Delta College, African American and older students have lower success rates. Environmental science courses also have lower overall passing rates than physical geology courses.
- Success in physical geology varies between instructors, suggesting a need to better understand the impact of teaching strategies on learning. The department aims to support student diversity
The document discusses strategies for maximizing course selection and purity within small learning communities (SLCs) through master scheduling. It recommends that student purity within each SLC should be above 90% in 9th grade and above 80% in 10th-12th grades. Teacher purity, where teachers teach most of their courses within a single SLC, should also be emphasized. Sample schedules from various schools demonstrate how to structure student and teacher time to strengthen SLC identities and learning.
Rethinking physics for life-science students: Teaching using math in physicsJoe Redish
Cross-disciplinary instruction is common in STEM programs. But scientific disciplines create distinct cultures – conventions, goals, expectations, and epistemologies – and these differences can lead to serious challenges for an instructor teaching out of her discipline. In this talk, I discuss what we learned through creating NEXUS/Physics: a deep redesign of introductory physics for life science students. Life science students show particularly strong resistance to reasoning with symbolic math. Our research helped us understand that learning to use math in physics involved skills those students had not learned in math classes and that we were not teaching to them in physics. I'll discuss one approach to remedy the situation and to help our students overcome a resistance to thinking with math.
This curriculum vitae summarizes the educational and professional background of Olaoluwa Hallowed Oluwadara. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and has received several awards for his academic achievements. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and has worked as a lecturer and researcher in Nigeria. His research focuses on fixed point theory, functional analysis, and mathematical physics.
A Few Words at the Front Lines (K-16): Teaching and Research at the Interface...SERC at Carleton College
This presentation discusses teaching biomathematics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. It begins with an overview of the university and typical freshman schedules. It then discusses challenges in STEM education like disciplinary silos and student perceptions. The presentation introduces iBLEND, a program that uses biomathematics and MATLAB to bridge disciplines and research experiences. It provides an example of using modeling to understand insulin dynamics. The presentation emphasizes collaboration and providing culturally relevant examples to engage more students in STEM fields.
The test assesses students' learning related to numbers up to 100 as outlined in the grade 2 curriculum. It contains 10 multiple choice and short answer questions assessing number recognition, counting, ordering, addition, and place value. The test aims to evaluate students' understanding of key concepts and skills for the Numbers unit in line with the curriculum learning outcomes.
Lorna Fitzjohn, Regional Director, West Midlands gave the keynote address at 'Be inspection-ready – not preparing for inspection': a conference by SSAT the schools, students and teachers network on 20 April 2016.
This document discusses the prevalence and importance of mathematics in everyday life. It provides examples of how mathematics is used in areas like health, weather, transportation, society, and more. While some applications are directly observable, others involve more complex systems that are still being understood mathematically, like DNA. The document also discusses the historical foundations of mathematics over centuries, with concepts building upon each other like a pyramid, and provides a brief biography of the mathematician Aryabhata, who made important contributions in astronomy and mathematics.
Undergraduate Research and Interdisciplinary TrainingJason Miller
A quick talk for the Trinity University's Fall 2012 HHMI conference on Truman's undergraduate mathematical biology program and how it's lead to broadening participation in STEM in different but powerful ways.
This document provides an overview of Ohio's transition to college and career readiness standards and assessments. It discusses the professional development timeline for educators, what college and career readiness means, data on student readiness, and how jobs will increasingly require postsecondary education. It outlines Ohio's standards development process and attributes of the new standards in English language arts, math, science, social studies and other subjects. The document also discusses Ohio's model curriculum, physical education evaluation, comparative analysis of kindergarten standards, integration across subjects, and timeline for new online assessments to be administered by assessment consortia beginning in 2014-2015.
Rethinking Physics Service Courses:The challenge of cross-disciplinary STEM...Joe Redish
Cross-disciplinary instruction is common in STEM programs. Physicists teach engineers; chemists teach biologists; and mathematicians teach everybody. But scientific disciplines create distinct cultures – conventions, goals, expectations, and epistemologies – and these differences can lead to serious challenges for an instructor teaching out of her discipline. In this talk, I discuss how what has been learned in decades of Physics Education Research can help us better understand these challenges. And to use that understanding to figure out how to help our non-physics students get more authentic value from our classes — and to value what they have learned.
The Physics Outreach Group was formed to encourage more student interest in physics through hands-on outreach activities. Run by student volunteers and supported by faculty, the group designs and delivers workshops in schools and on campus. Their goals are to make physics appealing, tackle misconceptions that it is difficult or boring, and increase the number of students continuing physics studies. Evaluation found their workshops improved student attitudes towards physics and increased the percentage continuing from AS to A2 physics levels.
Highs and Lows of An Interdepartmental MathBio ProgramJason Miller
This talk describes the interdisciplinary undergraduate mathematical biology program at Truman State University, its history and development, and the minor degree it offers.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy
Phone: (+84) (8) 38350831
Email: thuyntt@hcmus.edu.vn
Centers and Laboratories
- Center for Research and Application of Plasma Technology
- Center for Environmental Research and Consultancy
- Center for Research and Application of Crystal Growth Technology
- Center for Research and Application of Nanotechnology
- Center for Research and Application of Biotechnology
- Center for Research and Application of Geosciences
- Center for Research and Application of Materials Science
- Center for Research and Application of Information Technology
- Center for Research and Application of Oceanography and Hydrome
The document discusses creating a STEM school district. It outlines goals for integrating STEM education across the K-12 curriculum. This would include developing new STEM-focused courses, providing professional development for teachers, and expanding student opportunities like robotics clubs and research programs. The goal is to ensure all students experience high-quality STEM learning to prepare them for college, careers, and life.
The document summarizes a STEM teacher preparation program between CSU Long Beach and Long Beach Unified School District. The program provides intensive training to 150 pre-service and in-service elementary teachers through a year-long residency program. It aims to change the culture of STEM teaching from the ground up by training teachers to teach integrated STEM disciplines through inquiry. The program involves collaboration between university faculty, school leaders, and partner organizations to provide research-based professional development and support to both new and experienced teachers.
This document summarizes the state of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University. It provides statistics showing increases in student enrollment, new undergraduates, faculty, and grants/contracts. It outlines investments in faculty salaries, new initiatives, and signature research themes. New programs and the hiring of 27 regular faculty and 7 high impact faculty are mentioned. Goals are focused on excellence, attracting new resources, and communicating the college's value and success.
- Delta College is a community college in Michigan that offers transfer and occupational programs including courses in geoscience and environmental science.
- Geoscience courses include physical geology, environmental geology, and oceanography, while environmental science courses include environmental science and regulations courses. These courses serve both general education and degree-seeking students.
- Analysis of student demographics and outcomes in geoscience courses found that while students are generally representative of Delta College, African American and older students have lower success rates. Environmental science courses also have lower overall passing rates than physical geology courses.
- Success in physical geology varies between instructors, suggesting a need to better understand the impact of teaching strategies on learning. The department aims to support student diversity
The document discusses strategies for maximizing course selection and purity within small learning communities (SLCs) through master scheduling. It recommends that student purity within each SLC should be above 90% in 9th grade and above 80% in 10th-12th grades. Teacher purity, where teachers teach most of their courses within a single SLC, should also be emphasized. Sample schedules from various schools demonstrate how to structure student and teacher time to strengthen SLC identities and learning.
Rethinking physics for life-science students: Teaching using math in physicsJoe Redish
Cross-disciplinary instruction is common in STEM programs. But scientific disciplines create distinct cultures – conventions, goals, expectations, and epistemologies – and these differences can lead to serious challenges for an instructor teaching out of her discipline. In this talk, I discuss what we learned through creating NEXUS/Physics: a deep redesign of introductory physics for life science students. Life science students show particularly strong resistance to reasoning with symbolic math. Our research helped us understand that learning to use math in physics involved skills those students had not learned in math classes and that we were not teaching to them in physics. I'll discuss one approach to remedy the situation and to help our students overcome a resistance to thinking with math.
This curriculum vitae summarizes the educational and professional background of Olaoluwa Hallowed Oluwadara. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and has received several awards for his academic achievements. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and has worked as a lecturer and researcher in Nigeria. His research focuses on fixed point theory, functional analysis, and mathematical physics.
Amity Campus is among the top 10 Applied Science Colleges in Delhi.pptxamitynoida
Amity University Noida Campus is among the top 10 Applied Science Colleges in Delhi. The main thrust and philosophy behind the establishment of the Institute is to promote in depth undergraduate & postgraduate education and conduct research in emerging areas of Applied Sciences that will be beneficial for the Nation and the World at large.
The G-Post is the Official Student Publication of Galgotias University, Greater Noida. In November 2011, founder Dean Dr. D.K. Jha started the newsletter
with the aim of providing information and bringing a collection of the finest articles, the most delicate and sensitive poems, reviews, recommended places,
and a lot more.
A Research-based Model for Interdisciplinary Training of STEM Undergraduat…Jason Miller
Truman State University has developed a mechanism for effective training undergraduates to work at the intersection of the life and mathematical sciences, and it uses the pedagogy of undergraduate research. This 'machine' can be appropriated for other interdisciplinary pairings our groupings. Slides are for a talk given for the Missouri State University's Chemistry Seminar on 17 October 2012.
1. The document discusses two options for sequencing science courses in secondary school: the traditional biology-chemistry-physics sequence and the physics-chemistry-biology sequence.
2. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each approach based on research and the district's past performance data.
3. The district science coordinator proposes implementing a two-program model that gives students a choice between the two sequences to address challenges while fitting with the district's emphasis on customer service.
1. The document discusses two options for sequencing science courses in secondary school: the traditional biology-chemistry-physics sequence and the physics-chemistry-biology sequence.
2. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each approach based on research and the district's past performance data.
3. The district science coordinator proposes implementing a two-program model that gives students a choice between the two sequences to address concerns while fitting with the district's emphasis on offering options.
Similar to Preparing Undergraduates to Work at the Intersection of Biology and Mathematics (20)
Computational Acoustic Identification of Bat SpeciesJason Miller
in this talk, I describe a project I've been working on with undergraduates on and off for several years. We are attempting to solve an inverse problem where we identify a bat's species using only measurements made from a recording of its search-phase echolocation call.
Bats of the Channel Islands: Using Mathematics to Protect our Elusive Noctur...Jason Miller
Bats are a misunderstood species. This general audience talk aims to introduce an audience of Southern Californians to bats, their history, their habits, their benefits, and some threats to their well being. Of special interest are the bats of the Channel Islands National Park. Also discussed some mathematics on acoustic classification of bats.
Genericity, Transversality, and Relative Critical SetsJason Miller
The document summarizes a talk on genericity, transversality, and relative critical sets. It discusses:
1) Defining 1-dimensional ridges and the structure theorem stating that generically, the closure of 1-dimensional ridges is a discrete set of smooth curves with boundary points at certain critical points.
2) Defining genericity as a property holding for a residual set of functions.
3) Defining transversality and Thom's transversality theorem.
4) How the structure theorem is established by using structure mappings, collecting submanifolds of jet space, and applying Thom's theorem.
Bats and Stats: Summary of Effort to Identify Bats to SpeciesJason Miller
In this talk to undergraduates, I describe work previously done on the question of identifying bat species using information about their search phase echolocation calls. I then open the door to continuing this work with students on the Channel Islands.
Conference on Transfer and Articulation 2012 PresentationJason Miller
This document proposes establishing pre-STEM pathways to increase success in four-year STEM degrees. It notes declining STEM enrollment in Missouri and increasing national rates. Existing programs like STEP increased STEM degrees but identified issues with STEM transfer pathways. The proposal suggests a pre-STEM pathway where students take STEM-focused courses at two-year schools with advising before transferring to complete their AA and bachelor's degrees.
Interdisciplinary Training in Mathematical Biology Through Team-based Undergr...Jason Miller
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.
Rising Above the Gathering Storm by Building Bridges for STEM Transfers from ...Jason Miller
Increasing the production of STEM degree holders requires efforts to broaden participation in STEM degree programs. Because more students choose to start their college careers at community colleges, we must understand the special challenges they face along the pathway to earning a baccalaureate degree in STEM. These slides communicate the results of am October 2009 workshop in Belknap Springs aimed at understanding these challenges and identifying best-practices in overcoming them. The workshops was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and is associated with the NSF DUE STEP program.
Computer Vision, Computation, and GeometryJason Miller
Jason Miller is an associate professor of mathematics who studies visual perception and computation using techniques from geometry and topology. He gave a talk outlining his work using medial axes and relative critical sets to analyze medical images and segment objects. This involves translating assumptions about images into mathematical models and comparing implications to real data. His subsequent work has applied these methods to projects in biology and medical imaging.
Since 2004, Truman State University has trained students to conduct interdisciplinary research in mathematical biology through a combination of research experiences with faculty collaborators, courses, and field trips. This program of experiences for undergraduates has been made possible by the National Science Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Training for Undergraduates in Biology and Mathematics (UBM) program. This talk will outline our courses and our research program (including a portfolio-based interdisciplinary minor in mathematical biology), what we have learned about assessing interdisciplinary learning, and the role field trips have played in the professional development of faculty and students.
Connectedness as a Measure of RobustnessJason Miller
Talk to the Kirksville Chapter of Sigma Xi that describes research on describing the vascular structure of networks of HUVEC cells. I also talk a little bit about Truman's mathematical biology program.
The Undergraduate Research Machine at TrumanJason Miller
This is a short, 10 minute, presentation at a Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) institute hosted by Truman. The presentation outlined the highlights of the Good Things we do to provide undergraduates with high quality learning experiences through research with faculty.
Training Undergraduates in Mathematical Biology using Research with FacultyJason Miller
Truman State University has Missouri's only undergraduate program in mathematical biology. We prepare undergraduate to work at the intersection of the life and mathematical sciences through coursework and through an innovative, team-based research program.
Relative Critical Sets: Structure and applicationsJason Miller
A talk at the 2009 Joint Mathematics Meeting in Washington, D.C., on relative critical sets and their properties. The talk ends with an open question whose answer will help extend our understanding of the local generic structure of relative critical sets.
Charting a Course Toward Interdisciplinary CollaborationsJason Miller
Prof. Jason Miller discusses forming interdisciplinary collaborations between different academic fields, specifically coming together to influence curriculum and help students understand connections between STEM fields. He details his experiences with successes, failures, and enjoyment working to bridge disciplines through undergraduate research projects at Truman State University, where he is an Associate Professor of Mathematics.
Field Trips Motivate Student to Pursue MathematicsJason Miller
A talk given at the annual Joint Mathematics Meeting in January, 2008, in San Diego, CA. The slide accompany a talk about a project at Truman State University to use field trips to regional metro areas to get students jazzed up about their major studies. The program includes students in science and computer science, as well.
Field Trips Motivate Student to Pursue Mathematics
Preparing Undergraduates to Work at the Intersection of Biology and Mathematics
1. Preparing Undergraduates to
Work at the Intersection of
Biology and Mathematics
Jason Miller, Ph.D. - Department of Mathematics
Timothy Walston, Ph.D. - Department of Biology
Truman State University
Available on http://www.slideshare.net/millerj870/ AAC&U 2012
7. About Truman
• Missouri’s only “highly selective” public
liberal arts University; pride in high-quality
teaching, small class size
AAC&U 2012
8. About Truman
• Missouri’s only “highly selective” public
liberal arts University; pride in high-quality
teaching, small class size
• ~6000 undergraduates, ~300 faculty, 150
Masters students
AAC&U 2012
9. About Truman
• Missouri’s only “highly selective” public
liberal arts University; pride in high-quality
teaching, small class size
• ~6000 undergraduates, ~300 faculty, 150
Masters students
• Institutional commitment to Undergraduate
Research and to Interdisciplinary teaching
AAC&U 2012
10. About Truman
• Missouri’s only “highly selective” public
liberal arts University; pride in high-quality
teaching, small class size
• ~6000 undergraduates, ~300 faculty, 150
Masters students
• Institutional commitment to Undergraduate
Research and to Interdisciplinary teaching
• EX: all students must take a Junior
Interdisciplinary Seminar
AAC&U 2012
12. About Truman
• about 25 biology faculty, 35 mathematics
faculty (math+stats+CS)
AAC&U 2012
13. About Truman
• about 25 biology faculty, 35 mathematics
faculty (math+stats+CS)
• biology: research expected of faculty (with
students); experienced mentors
AAC&U 2012
14. About Truman
• about 25 biology faculty, 35 mathematics
faculty (math+stats+CS)
• biology: research expected of faculty (with
students); experienced mentors
• mathematics: teaching focus, little or no
support for research activity; 10 new faculty
between 1998-2000
AAC&U 2012
15. Other Truman Factoids
• T&P research expectation varies between
departments
• Biology: medium
• Math & CS: low
• No formalized definition for faculty
workload beyond ‘credit load’ or ‘contact
hours’
AAC&U 2012
16. Photo by w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines) - http://flic.kr/p/aPw9Xe
AAC&U 2012
17. pre-2003
Biology
Math
(Silos not to scale)
Photo by keeva999 - http://flic.kr/p/bXchED AAC&U 2012
30. R E P OR T T O T H E PR E SI DEN T
ENGAGE TO E XCEL: PRODUCI NG ONE M ILLION
A DDI T IONA L COLLEGE GR A DUAT ES W I T H
DEGR EES I N SCIENCE , T ECH NOLOGY,
ENGI NEER I NG, A N D M AT HEM AT ICS
Executive Office of the President
President’s Council of Advisors
on Science and Technology
F E BRUA RY 2 01 2
AAC&U 2012
33. Miller, Walston. Interdisciplinary Training in Mathematical
Biology Through Team-based Undergraduate Research and
Courses. CBE Life Sci Educ. 2010 Fall;9(3):284-9.
AAC&U 2012
37. Mathematical Biology
Seminar (since 2003)
• Program fulcrum
• Biweekly meeting of faculty and
undergraduates
AAC&U 2012
38. Mathematical Biology
Seminar (since 2003)
• Program fulcrum
• Biweekly meeting of faculty and
undergraduates
• Initially, a “Biology Fashion Show”
AAC&U 2012
39. Mathematical Biology
Seminar (since 2003)
• Program fulcrum
• Biweekly meeting of faculty and
undergraduates
• Initially, a “Biology Fashion Show”
• Engineered several cross-disciplinary,
research hook-ups
AAC&U 2012
40. Mathematical Biology
Seminar (since 2003)
• Program fulcrum
• Biweekly meeting of faculty and
undergraduates
• Initially, a “Biology Fashion Show”
• Engineered several cross-disciplinary,
research hook-ups
• Pairings provided us with a foundation for
NSF UBM grant proposals
AAC&U 2012
51. • selection occurs in the Fall, students start
work in January (year-long)
AAC&U 2012
52. • selection occurs in the Fall, students start
work in January (year-long)
• weekly meetings during the academic year
AAC&U 2012
53. • selection occurs in the Fall, students start
work in January (year-long)
• weekly meetings during the academic year
• Intense 10-week summer research program
AAC&U 2012
75. UBM Accomplishments
• about 60 student participants
• 20+ faculty participants
• 80%+ students to graduate school
• 10%+ students to industry
• 20 papers in peer-reviewed scientific
journals
• scores of presentations at regional, national,
and international meetings
AAC&U 2012
76. UBM Accomplishments
From more than one ‘mathphobic’ biology
faculty member, research mentor:
“This program has changed the way
I think about doing research.”
AAC&U 2012
77. UBM Accomplishments
From more than one ‘mathphobic’ biology
faculty member, research mentor:
“This program has changed the way
I think about doing research.”
If it’s changing the way they think in the lab,
then it’s changing the way they talk with
students about mathematics
AAC&U 2012
78. “We are not trying to turn mathematics
majors into biology majors, nor 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.”
AAC&U 2012
79. “We are not trying to turn mathematics
majors into biology majors, nor 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.”
We work to bridge an epistemological gap
between the mathematical and life sciences.
AAC&U 2012
87. UBM Program
• a small group of faculty from math, CS, and
biology leveraged Truman strengths and
Hopper’s Law of Retroaction:
AAC&U 2012
88. UBM Program
• a small group of faculty from math, CS, and
biology leveraged Truman strengths and
Hopper’s Law of Retroaction:
“It is easier to seek forgiveness than
permission.”
AAC&U 2012
89. UBM Program
• a small group of faculty from math, CS, and
biology leveraged Truman strengths and
Hopper’s Law of Retroaction:
“It is easier to seek forgiveness than
permission.”
• NSF UBM grants in 2003, 2004, and 2009
AAC&U 2012
90. UBM Program
• a small group of faculty from math, CS, and
biology leveraged Truman strengths and
Hopper’s Law of Retroaction:
“It is easier to seek forgiveness than
permission.”
• NSF UBM grants in 2003, 2004, and 2009
• Established research-focused
interdisciplinary training program in mathbio.
AAC&U 2012
93. We Wanted More...
• impact a bigger group of students
• institutionalize the changes in culture,
activity
• courses
• Bioinformatics
• Introduction to Mathematical Biology
• Biostatistics/Biometry
• Introduction to Computational Science*
• (new, 2012) Calculus & Mathematical Methods for
the Life Sciences
AAC&U 2012
96. Data Competency-based
Minor
Modeling
Computational
Statistics
Interdisciplinary
Research
AAC&U 2012
97. Data Competency-based
Minor
Modeling
Computational
• Demonstrate proficiencies in each
category (though research,
courses)
Statistics
Interdisciplinary
Research
AAC&U 2012
98. Data Competency-based
Minor
Modeling
Computational
• Demonstrate proficiencies in each
category (though research,
courses)
Statistics • Earn 15+ credits doing so (must
take Intro to MathBio course)
Interdisciplinary
Research
AAC&U 2012
99. Data Competency-based
Minor
Modeling
Computational
• Demonstrate proficiencies in each
category (though research,
courses)
Statistics • Earn 15+ credits doing so (must
take Intro to MathBio course)
Interdisciplinary • Attend MathBio Seminar
Research
AAC&U 2012
100. Data Competency-based
Minor
Modeling
• competencies straddle disciplinary
boundaries
Computational
• create learning plan
• use experiences (incl. courses) to
Statistics show competencies
• faculty oversight committee
Interdisciplinary approves plan, notifies Registrar
Research when completed
AAC&U 2012
101. Other Courses
• Any that makes a connection between the
areas. Some example:
• Math Modeling • Developmental
• Ecology Biology
• ODEs • (Electron)
Microscopy
• Genetics of • Plant/Animal
Animal and Plant
Improvement Breeding
AAC&U 2012
112. ‘Convergent’ teamwork is going to be a defining
characteristic of 21st century science and
mathematics.
AAC&U 2012
113. ‘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.
AAC&U 2012
114. ‘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.
AAC&U 2012
115. ‘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.
AAC&U 2012
116. ‘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’
AAC&U 2012
118. ‘Convergence’ can be taught...
• Our experience provides strong evidence that
proper hands-on undergraduate research (or
research-like) projects can train undergraduates to
be ‘convergent’
AAC&U 2012
119. ‘Convergence’ 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:
AAC&U 2012
120. ‘Convergence’ 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
AAC&U 2012
121. ‘Convergence’ 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
AAC&U 2012
122. ‘Convergence’ 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
AAC&U 2012
123. ‘Convergence’ 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
AAC&U 2012
124. ‘Convergence’ 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
AAC&U 2012
129. Our program is costly
• research program:
• ≈$40k per team
• time and effort to recruit
• not easily sustainable
• minor: faculty time
• oversight
• recruiting, mentoring students
• courses
• departmental zero-sum, silo mentality
• team-teaching is seen as frivolous
AAC&U 2012
130. Funding Reality
1998 2015
From Tuition From State
How to sustain a program in this environment?
AAC&U 2012
131. Funding Reality
• Show program’s cost-benefit leans toward
‘benefit’ (e.g., credit generation, revenue)
• Show your program’s outcomes align with
University’s strategic plan
• Track student successes (e.g., subsequence
grades, post-graduation experiences) and
share
• Cultivate faculty buy-in (individual, group,
departmental, and school)
AAC&U 2012
132. Program Dashboard
• Applications to the summer research
program are low
• Enrollment in interdisciplinary courses and
minor is low-ish
• Our Intro to MathBio course was not team-
taught last semester
AAC&U 2012
135. Lessons Learned
• Starting a new interdepartmental program
requires guts and a theme that you (or
your team) can carry
• Sustaining a interdepartmental program
requires strong leadership and
administrative champion(s)
• Grant money opens a door, but membership
requires faculty buy-in
• This model for bringing disciplines together
could work for any pair of disciplines
AAC&U 2012
141. millerj@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.
AAC&U 2012
Editor's Notes
Thank the organizers (names)\n\n
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END: an intersection of coincidences led a group of mathematical science faculty to reach out to biology faculty as a source of expertise in UR\n\nfeeding that interest: articles in professional society publications, Bio2010, and finally an NSF solicitation\n
END: an intersection of coincidences led a group of mathematical science faculty to reach out to biology faculty as a source of expertise in UR\n\nfeeding that interest: articles in professional society publications, Bio2010, and finally an NSF solicitation\n
END: an intersection of coincidences led a group of mathematical science faculty to reach out to biology faculty as a source of expertise in UR\n\nfeeding that interest: articles in professional society publications, Bio2010, and finally an NSF solicitation\n
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Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
Spring of 2003\n\nI had been working with a colleague in Biology...\nBegan noticing calls going out in the professional societies...\n\nFloated the idea of a mathbio seminar...\n
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Goal: to create infrastructure for a self-sustaining, research-based undergrad training program in mathematical biology\n+ elevate faculty scholarship \n
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Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
Overlaps of interest and project needs get students working togeth informally and spontenously. coding, phylogenies, statistical tests, LaTeX or some other software environment, Matlab\n\nThe wide variety of faculty and research projects led us to adopt a program management strategy that was hands-off in many ways; we communicated the program goals and expectations repeatedly, to the community and the teams, but beyond that we did little to mandate how faculty managed their teams.\nWe knew that meeting frequently was important. We knew that communication would be challenging, so we encouraged them to maintain line of communication and put more effort into that than they might think nece\n\nstudents identify with the community; get to know many faculty members from both departments\n
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Through interdisciplinary experiences, bring mathematics majors to the point where they are capable of interacting with (collaborating with) professionals in the life sciences\n\nLikewise for biology majors.\n