Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges of The Claremont Colleges are expanding the pool of undergraduates who complete a major in biology, chemistry, physics, or related interdisciplinary fields, primarily by creating a sequence of introductory courses that brings together major principles and concepts of biology, chemistry and physics. Students who complete this laboratory-intensive, three semester sequence are well prepared to participate in interdisciplinary research. Indeed, the second major initiative of this program is to extend opportunities for first- and second-year students to participate in interdisciplinary research projects. The expanded undergraduate research program includes opportunities for students to become involved in research while studying abroad at selected sites, such as a tropical field station in Costa Rica. These activities form the centerpiece of a renewed effort to recruit students to science majors. Not only does the integrated course sequence present a challenging and forward-looking introduction to the natural sciences, but the accelerated program gives students more flexibility in their undergraduate curriculum. These features encourage entering students to study science even as they help improve retention of science majors. The major intellectual merit of this proposal lies in the development of the integrated introductory course sequence. Reflecting current opinion about how to improve undergraduate science teaching, this course sequence features an interdisciplinary treatment of biology, chemistry, and physics and investigative laboratory work. The case study approach provides the framework for substantive interaction of the three disciplines while providing students with a structure within which they can understand and relate diverse abstract concepts. The new integrated introductory course is taught in parallel with the current introductory courses in biology, chemistry, and physics allowing detailed evaluation of the new approach in comparison to a more traditional approach. This project has a broader impact in several respects. Dissemination includes formation of a library of case studies that are being made available to others who are interested in adapting this approach at their institutions. Also, the results of a program assessment based on direct comparison of two methods of teaching introductory science to undergraduates will contribute useful information to current debates about improving undergraduate science education. The educational experience of the classroom and teaching laboratory are connected with the research laboratory by linking the integrated introductory course with new opportunities for undergraduate research. The participation of women in science is enhanced because one of the participating colleges, Scripps College (the women's college in the Claremont consortium), promotes science education and research as key contributors to the implementation of its mission. Finally, by promoting an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate science education, this program is preparing students to work at the interface of traditional scientific disciplines where many of the future problems in science are likely to reside.
