NSF Award
0827205
This program will advance interdisciplinary education in mathematics and biology by mentoring mathematics and biology students in collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects and developing a series of courses that incorporate both mathematical modeling and biology. The program?s goals are to engage undergraduates in interdisciplinary research, enhance knowledge of mathematical biology, immerse students in the scientific community, develop effective cross-disciplinary communication, institutionalize courses and degree options in biomathematics, and recruit members of underrepresented groups to mathematical biology. Students will participate actively in unique research that supports their development of proficiency in interdisciplinary communication and entry into the professional research community. Selected undergraduate students, Mathematical Biology (MB) scholars will work in teams of equal numbers of biology and mathematics majors and, with joint mentorship of biology and mathematics faculty, will develop research projects within the central theme of mathematical modeling and analysis of cellular processes. Students will initiate their research during a summer full-time research program, continue their research during the following semesters, and submit a final written report, in journal-ready format. They will learn techniques of electrophysiology, immunochemistry, proteomics, dynamical systems analysis, mathematical modeling, and statistics and apply these methods to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the biochemistry or proteomics of cellular dynamics. <br/> The program will train and mentor undergraduates for careers in mathematical biology. Students will disseminate their results through journal publications and presentations at scientific meetings, and a regional undergraduate student conference in mathematical biology will be initiated to extend impact of the research program to other students. Both new courses and existing courses will be enhanced with interdisciplinary mathematical biology content and laboratories, also extending the benefits of the program to students beyond the MB scholars. New degree options and a minor in Biomathematics will form the institutional structure to make biomathematics an integral part of the curriculum at YSU. The program will foster minority participation through collaboration with the Ohio Science and Engineering Alliance / Louis-Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation.
