Building Community-Based Approaches to Systemic Reform in Mathematical Biology Education
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Building Community-Based Approaches to Systemic Reform in Mathematical Biology Education Olcay Akman2 · Carrie Diaz Eaton1 Katerina V. Thompson5
· Dan Hrozencik3 · Kristin P. Jenkins4 ·
Received: 3 February 2020 / Accepted: 17 July 2020 / Published online: 8 August 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Starting in the early 2000’s, several reports were released recognizing the convergence of mathematics, biology and computer science, and calling for a rethinking of how undergraduates are prepared for careers in research and the science and technology workforce. This call for change requires careful consideration of the mathematical biology education system to identify key components and leverage points for change. This paper demonstrates the wide range of resources and approaches available to the mathematical biology education community to create systemic change by highlighting the efforts of four community-based education reform organizations. A closer look at these organizations provides an opportunity to examine how to leverage components of the education system including faculty, academic institutions, students, access to resources, and the power of community. Keywords Biology · Mathematics · Pedagogy reform
1 Introduction System: any group of interacting, interrelated or interdependent parts forming a complex and unified whole with a specific purpose (Kim 1999). Starting in the early 2000’s, several reports were released that recognized the convergence of mathematics, biology, and computer science (National Research Coun-
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Carrie Diaz Eaton [email protected]
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Digital and Computational Studies, Bates College, 2 Andrews Rd, Lewiston, ME 04240, USA
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Center for Collaborative Studies in Mathematical Biology, Illinois State University, Normal, USA
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Mathematics and Computer Science, Chicago State University, Chicago, USA
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Bioquest Curriculum Consortium, Germantown, USA
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University of Maryland, College Park, USA
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cil 2003, 2013; AAAS 2011; AAMC-HHMI 2009) and called for a rethinking of how undergraduates are prepared for the science and technology workforce. A common theme of these reports was an emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration among mathematicians, biologists, and computer scientists in education reform at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Computational biology, quantitative biology, and mathematical biology have emerged as interdisciplinary fields of study, taking their place in academic research and the general curriculum. Many professional organizations and federally funded institutes have arisen to support mathematical biology research and education, including the Society for Mathematical Biology, the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, the Mathematical Biosciences Institute, and the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute. All of these groups have integrated education initiatives into their portfolio of activities and have been influential in promoting cross-disciplinary educational efforts. NSF has fu
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