NSF provides a new funding opportunity to improve
undergraduate education in biology
We call your attention to an opportunity to
request support from the National Science
Foundation for networks that will catalyze
positive changes in biology undergraduate
education. Application of new technologies to
enhance pedagogy, increased use of inquiry based
learning, enhancement of curricula with ideas
from the frontiers of science, and building
research into curricula to motivate the next
generation of scientists all may benefit from
increased collaboration among those who develop
and offer undergraduate biology curricula.
Research Coordination Networks Undergraduate
Biology Education (RCN-UBE) is a track within
NSF's existing RCN program that will provide
opportunities to join biology and education
researchers and practitioners in networks that
enhance the exchange of ideas and innovative practices related to biology.
You can view the Dear Colleague letter at:
<http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08035/nsf08035.jsp>http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08035/nsf08035.jsp
Please note the target due date for proposals for
the current round of funding is June 30, 2008.
The longer version of this announcement:
Dear Colleague:
We call your attention to an opportunity to
request support for networks that will catalyze
positive changes in biology undergraduate
education. Application of new technologies to
enhance pedagogy, increased use of inquiry based
learning, enhancement of curricula with ideas
from the frontiers of science, and building
research into curricula to motivate the next
generation of scientists all may benefit from
increased collaboration among those who develop
and offer undergraduate biology curricula.
Research Coordination Networks Undergraduate
Biology Education (RCN-UBE) will provide
opportunities to join biology and education
researchers and practitioners in networks that
enhance the exchange of ideas and innovative practices.
The Research Coordination Networks (RCN) Program
considers proposals that encourage and foster
interactions among scientists to create new
research directions or advance a field.
Innovative ideas for implementing novel
networking strategies are especially encouraged.
Groups are supported to communicate and
coordinate their research, training and
educational activities across organizational,
institutional, and geographical boundaries. The
proposed networking activities should have a
theme as a focus of its collaboration. The focus
could be on a broad research question, a specific
group of organisms, or particular technologies or approaches.
For details of the RCN program see:
<http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691&org=BIO%20>http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691&org=BIO
.
The RCN-UBE Track is part of the RCN Program in
Biological Sciences (NSF 06-567). The Directorate
for Biological Sciences and the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources (Division of
Undergraduate Education) are working together to
augment funding to the RCN Program to support the RCN-UBE Track.
The RCN-UBE track further defines the scope of
and expands the audience for the RCN program. It
focuses on proposals that address the following
special review criterion from the RCN solicitation (Section VI.A.):
Integration of Education and Research:
One of the principal strategies in support of
NSFs goals is to foster integration of research
and education through the programs, projects, and
activities it supports at academic and research
institutions. These institutions provide abundant
opportunities where individuals may concurrently
assume responsibilities as researchers,
educators, and students and where all can engage
in joint efforts that infuse education with the
excitement of discovery and enrich research
through the diversity of learning perspectives.
We are seeking proposals that foster the
development of networks exploring topics in
biology undergraduate education and related
disciplines. These could include, but are not limited to such topics as:
* Improving learning in "gateway" courses
(e.g., exploring the use of methods that foster
active learning or inquiry-based learning).
* Improving learning through the use of
emerging technologies in the biology curriculum.
* Strategies and approaches for engaging
biology faculty in professional development
activities related to undergraduate education
* Incorporating emerging sub-disciplines into
the biology curriculum (e.g., informatics
research, proteomics, ecological stoichiometry).
* Improving assessment of student learning.
* Improving the transition of students from
two-year to four-year institutions.
* Incorporating authentic research
experiences in undergraduate laboratory courses,
with an emphasis on introductory and lower division courses.
Investigators, who wish to have a project
considered in response to this Dear Colleague
Letter, should submit their proposal to the RCN
program in compliance with normal target dates
and/or deadlines. The title of the project must
include the prefix RCN-UBE. Proposals will be
reviewed by standard review practices.
Proposers should review the RCN Program
Solicitation to ensure that eligibility
requirements are met. Investigators with an
interest in the RCN-UBE track are strongly
encouraged to send a brief e-mail note of inquiry
to <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] to
initiate discussion of potential proposal topics
with an appropriate NSF program officer.
We look forward to receiving your proposals.
Sincerely,
James P. Collins
Assistant Director, National Science Foundation
Biological Sciences
Cora Marrett
Assistant Director, National Science Foundation
Education and Human Resources