Talent Expansion in Quantitative Biology

1. Talent Expansion in Quantitative Biology

2. What is Talent Expansion in Quantitative Biology ? • A joint undergraduate program of the ETSU  Departments of Biological Sciences and Mathematics. • The Research aspect has been funded by the • National Science Foundation • by a 5-year, $1,000,000STEP grant. • The Curricular aspect has been funded for $1,700,000 by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

3. FROM THE HOWARD HUGHES WEBSITE, unedited Press Release East Tennessee State Universityin Johnson City, Tennessee, plans to integrate mathematics and biology—fields in which specialists traditionally work at arm's length from one another— to encourage students to approach biological questions as research scientists address them. One ambitious goal for the project is to retool the math and biology faculty so that they become literate in each other's discipline. Natural Tunnel State Park and Lodge

4. 2006 Undergraduate Science Education Program Grant Awards Cornell University, $1,600,000 Dartmouth College, $1,500,000 Duke University, $1,900,000 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee $1,700,000 Emory University Atlanta, Georgia $1,900,000 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. $1,800,000 Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts $1,500,000 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts $1,800,000

5. STEP  (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our Goal Georgia Aquarium Ripley’s Aquarium

6. The purpose of the ETSU Talent Expansion in Quantitative Biology program is to provide a research- intensive curriculum in quantitative biology for talented undergraduate students who have the potential to develop a successful academic career at the confluence of mathematical, biological and computing sciences. Fields traditionally kept at arms length will be merged!! Natural Tunnel State Park

7. Program details • Summer Bridge Program This is a five week camp-like summer bridge experience that features: • (i) an interdisciplinary course in quantitative biology that includes topics such as genomics, neural networks, systems ecology, fractals, and cancer data analysis; • (ii) a seminar on research methodology and careers; • (iii) field trips to research and educational facilities • Tuition/costs are paid (for the summer bridge program only) • 3 ETSU credits will be earned • A $500 stipend will be awarded Student Projects from Summer 2006 and 2007

8. First Academic Year • Students will declare a major in math or biology (quantitative biology track); • A preliminary research project conducted year round in a lab rotation format will be rewarded with a $1500 stipend; • Last but not least, students will begin an exciting new math-biology curriculum called Symbiosis, which reviewers have called brilliant… We will replace BIOL 1, BIOL 2, BIOL 3, CALCULUS 1, PROBABILITY/STATISTICS, AND PARTS OF HIGHER LEVEL MATH CLASSES (19 hrs) WITH An integrated team taught 18 hour sequence (Symbiosis 1,2 and 3) in QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY

9. Summer following 2nd Academic year Students will participate in a more extensive summer research project and earn a $2500stipend. Projects will be conducted in teams of two, and be directed by one mathematician and one biologist.

10. 3rd Academic year • Students will travel to professional meetings to present their research results. • Students will apply to summer REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs. • Stipends for these very prestigious NSF-funded summer programs (that are run across the nation) average $3500. • Career counseling for a variety of academic, government and industry careers will begin in earnest. Natural Tunnel State Park

11. 4th Academic year • Complete research projects; • Present research at professional meetings; • Write a senior thesis; • Graduate school applications will be made or cutting edge jobs will be procured. Our unique program will allow students to be very competitive in obtaining admission into premier graduate programs or gain employment in the public or private sector. Natural Tunnel State Park

12. Who Should Apply… • If you are: • a High School senior in any school in Tennessee or anywhere in the US • an academically successful student with good grades in math and science • considering a career in Science, Mathematics, Engineering or Technology • interested in spending your college years doing research in the company of select science-oriented students and • getting paid for it • ...this program is for you! • Women, first generation college students, low income • students and underrepresented minorities are especially • encouraged to apply. • Between 15 and 20 students will be admitted for • each of the next two years.

13. Minimum Requirements • 2.75 overall GPA on 4.0 scale • Composite ACT = 23 • Math = 22 • Science = 24 • (Or comparable SAT scores) • Official transcript • Two letters of recommendation , one of which must be from your math or science teacher • Must be willing to major in math or biology • Highly competitive, only 20 students will be admitted each year • U.S. citizens and permanent residents eligible Last Year’s Class… Average ACT scores: Comp = 27.06 Math = 26.72 Science = 25.83 Average GPA = 3.78

14. What’s in it for me…? • Extra Money $8000+ • A broader, more integrated, multi-disciplinary, competitive education • A guaranteed chance to do undergraduate research with several distinguished faculty in both depts., and to enjoy FOUR separate research experiences • A chance to travel and network within your field • A chance to be part of a program on which the nation’s attention is focused

15. What can I do with a degree in quantitative biology? Bioinformatician Human Genome Project  but also corn and alfalfa genome projects as relate to food crops Computational Biologist   neuroscientist systems biologists Biomedical Engineer Design prostheses, medical equipment, etc… Metabolic Engineer Work on modifications of metabolism of organisms or microbes.   This also has application for “value-added” foods as well as application in the horticultural industry (the cut flower industry is lucrative) by engineering flower appearances (color, shape, etc). Product trials specialist Is this drug ready for FDA approval? Is this sweetener effective and safe? Quality control specialist product testing and statistical chance of success or failure (food mixes, etc); also testing trials are big business for the flavor industry. Scientific Researcher agricultural and biomedical sciences (find cures for diseases); animal behavior, biochemistry, etc Epidemiologist Looks for correlations between environmental factors (e.g. nuclear power plant) and certain diseases (e.g. cancer)

16. FAQ • Do other colleges have a program like TEQB at ETSU? Well, in a nutshell, no… • What if I don’t know what I want to do for a career? We will introduce you to a huge array of options that are high tech, in demand, cutting edge, and high paying • Do I have to be accepted to ETSU first, before applying? No, but you have to accept the offer to attend ETSU by April 15th, 2009. Verification that you will participate in the TEQB program must be given by April 25th 2009 or no later than June 1st, 2009. • What about the Honors Program at ETSU? You would be a good candidate for the ETSU Honors Programs and Honors scholarships • How do I apply? • Start at www.etsu.edu/teqb/ • Who can my parents or I talk to? • Lev Yampolsky yampolsk@etsu.edu, 439-4359 • Jeff Knisley knisleyj@etsu.edu, 439-5359 • Anant Godbole godbolea@etsu.edu