A model for research-oriented education at the intersection of biology and mathematics: The undergraduate training in theoretical ecology research (UTTER) program

Background/Question/Methods

In order to provide a substantive research experience at the intersection of ecology and mathematics we developed the Undergraduate Training in Theoretical Ecology Research (UTTER) program. The program was funded by the National Science Foundation to recruit students from both Math and Biology disciplines and enable them to learn the concepts, language, and culture of another discipline. Over two academic years, students take three program courses, complete four semesters of a seminar class, and take a summer research workshop. The courses and seminar are all team taught by biologists and mathematicians, so that instructors can meet biology and mathematics majors on their own terms and clarify critical terms and key concepts. Course activities are strongly project-oriented: topics are introduced that serve as course projects and provide open-ended questions leading to novel research topics. The research component of this program is enriched by seminars focused on reading and analyzing the published literature, which also provide guest visits by established researchers, and by workshops emphasizing research, analytical, computational, and presentation skills.

Results/Conclusions

Four cohorts of 8 students, all including both biology and mathematics majors have been scholars in the program. Of the 32 students recruited, 17 are female, 7 Hispanic, and 1 African American; 12 are first-generation college students and 5 transferred from community colleges. Only one student has failed to complete the program due to academic difficulties. Many students, especially those majoring in biology, have strong interests in human health, and many research projects have focused on epidemiology or microbial ecology. Students in the UTTER Program have made 18 presentations at local or regional conferences, and 7 at national meetings. They have been active in outreach to community colleges and K-12 schools. Many of the practices developed will be carried into a new Mathematical Biology option for the undergraduate degree program in Mathematics, and can serve as a model for cross-fertilizing the disciplines of biology and mathematics. Assessments to date indicate that students are enthusiastic about team-taught, interdisciplinary coursework, opportunities to conduct research, and other enrichments of the academic experience. Attesting to the success of the program, 5 students (3 female and 2 Hispanic) attended research-oriented graduate programs, and others are attending medical school or entered K-12 teaching.