The HHMI Science Education Alliance

1. The HHMI Science Education Alliance Create Refine Network Disseminate Resources for Science Education Tuajuanda Jordan, Ph.D. Senior Program Officer Howard Hughes Medical Institute

2. The Mission of theScience Education Alliance (SEA) • To be a national resource for science education by • Developing and providing new materials and methods to the education community • Assembling and supporting educator networks working on common activities

3. The SEA • Key players • Scientists • Educators • Ultimate goal • Improve the production and quality of 21st-century scientists

4. One Strategy RESEARCH 1. Survey EDUCATION 2. Identify 3. Develop

5. Development Process • Workshops • Institutes • Short courses • Sabbaticals

6. Dissemination Plan • Quality control and adaptability • Peer review • Beta testing • Methods of dissemination • Workshops • Institutes • Internet • Multimedia

7. A SEA Example • A fact • Undergraduate research is important • The problem • Faculty time • Resources: human, physical, financial • A solution • Develop a mechanism to infuse research into the curriculum • The mechanism • A national experiment to be implemented as an introductory biology course

8. National Phage Genomics Initiative • What are the expectations? • Short-term • Increased exposure of lower-division students to the practical aspects of science • Enhanced critical-thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills • Increased involvement in mentored undergraduate research experiences • Development of new and improved pedagogical methods • Enhancement of knowledge to the general scientific community

9. National Phage Genomics Initiative • What are the expectations? • Long-term • Improved percentage of students pursuing advanced graduate and professional degrees • Increased production of individuals pursuing research careers • Improved public awareness of the basic aspects of science • Broad dissemination of innovative methods in pedagogy • Enhanced public understanding of the scientific process

10. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Why bacteriophage? • Plentiful • Highly diverse • Easily isolated directly from the environment • Relatively simple and small genomes • Well established techniques to • Isolate, propagate, and purify the phage • Isolate, purify, clone, and characterize the DNA

11. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Why Introductory Biology course? • Freshmen and sophomores • Opportunity to encounter the organism/research products in other, more advanced, cross-disciplinary courses • What is the implementation format? • Lecture + lab • Lecture integrated into the lab

12. National Phage Genomics Initiative • What is the course implementation method? • Full year • One semester • Modular

13. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Full-year implementation • 1st semester • Introductory exercises • Lab safety • Scientific ethics • Notebooks • Basic laboratory techniques and calculations • Microbiology • Molecular biology

14. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Full-year implementation (continued) • 2nd semester • Introductory exercises • Genomics • Finishing • Annotation • Comparative analysis • Summer (optional) • Annotation • Draft manuscript

15. National Phage Genomics Initiative • One-semester (examples) • Phage isolation and characterization, or • Phage genomic analysis (finishing, annotation, and/or comparative genomics) • Modular • The specific topic(s) to be implemented is/are up to the faculty

16. National Phage Genomics Initiative • The SEA will provide • Faculty (& staff) training workshops (1 week each) • Introduction to The Concept and The Question; logistics (late Fall) • Microbiology and Molecular biology (early Summer) • Bioinformatics (Winter break) • Resource/protocol book • General protocols that have been tested with troubleshooting guide • Pull out step by step outline • Decision trees • Kits containing required biologicals, solutions, etc. • “Back up” phage stock that has been incompletely characterized either by Hatfull’s group or by a previous participant

17. National Phage Genomics Initiative • The SEA will provide • Equipment not normally available at the institution • Access to all necessary databases, web-tools, and computer programs • Sequencing services • Communications system to facilitate data exchange and discussions between participants and staff • Electronic bulletin board (portions secured from public viewing) • Wiki (open to the public but secured deposits and edits) • Other mechanisms as required

18. National Phage Genomics Initiative • The SEA will provide • Networking, planning, and trouble-shooting workshops • Annual symposium • Student research presentations • Faculty presentations on pedagogical strategies/models • Computer support staff and dedicated server • Paid travel and lodging expenses to the SEA conferences and symposia • Course resource support for up to three cycles • Curriculum development assistance

19. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Expected commitment from participants • Faculty • Attend all training workshops and conferences with a colleague • Implement the course, in agreed upon format, the semester immediately following attendance of 1st training workshop • Agree to run the course for at least two cycles • Assist SEA in evaluating the course and ancillary activities & resources assessing impact on student learning and career path

20. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Expected commitment from participants • Faculty • Write draft of experimental results for inclusion in manuscript and work with lead scientist to ensure integrity of submitted data • Collect “permanent” contact information for student participants • Agree to disseminate results of course implementation via mechanisms recognized by the scientific and education communities • Agree to make any developed resources accessible and freely available to the general public via the HHMI SEA website

21. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Expected commitment from participants • The Institution • Salary + fringe benefits of the participating faculty • Teaching laboratory space • Basic supplies and equipment found in a standard Intro Biology laboratory course • IT support • Assist with tracking participating students and identifying suitable control groups • Agree to institutionalize the course, if proven successful, after three continuous cycles of HHMI support • Agree that any resource developed as a result of participating in this initiative will be made accessible and freely available to the public

22. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Requirements of all members of The Alliance • Willing to assist others • Willing to be assisted by others • Sharing all developed resources • Other matters • Who can participate? • Virtually any 4-year, accredited institution with a sufficient number of STEM majors

23. National Phage Genomics Initiative • Other matters (continued) • How will selections be made? • When will selections be made? • How do you notify HHMI of your interest? • natexp@hhmi.org

24. The SEA • If you have suggestions for additional SEA initiatives, • feel free to send me an email • Caveat: should be an activity that • is congruent with our mission • Has the potential to benefit the community at large