This project establishes the Visual Analytics in Biology Curriculum Network (VABCN)--an international network of multidisciplinary researchers, educators and students who are developing approaches for incorporating visual analytics into biology undergraduate education. Visual analytics is defined as the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces. Formation of the network is being initiated through two workshops that will be conducted to (i) create awareness among biology educators of the importance of including visual analytics tools within the curriculum and (ii) develop the framework for design of needed materials and strategies for incorporating visual analytics within the undergraduate biology curriculum.
Intellectual Merit: As a result of the explosion of multimodal and complex biological datasets, biology has become a science that relies heavily on the use of bioinformatics tools. Interactive visualization tools combined with human reasoning are being used to improve access to and analysis of diverse biological data that are now important components of every field in modern biology ranging from the categorization of cellular molecules to long-term ecological measurements. In order to adequately prepare the next generation of biologists and to help educate all students about modern biology, it is important to make students aware of the field of visual analytics and to train them to use and understand the tools it provides.
Broader Impacts: The VABCN will connect diverse organizations and groups including community colleges, minority serving institutions, predominantly undergraduate institutions and research institutions. The lead institution, Jackson State University, is an HBCU with a strong track record in innovative educational approaches targeted for minority students. The international dimension will broaden the horizon of network participants from the United States to prepare a globally-engaged next generation science and engineering workforce for the biological sciences. Finally, the VABCN members will develop and share curricula and best practices to transform the undergraduate biology education with an emphasis on approaches that are appropriate for students from a diverse background who are under-represented in the STEM disciplines.
This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education efforts.
(VABCN). The VABCN is an international network of multidisciplinary researchers, educators and students who are developing approaches for incorporating visual analytics into biology undergraduate education. Visual analytics is the science of how the individual makes sense of complex data facilitated by interactive visual interfaces. Intellectual Merit: Biology in the 21st Century is characterized by continuous, complex and rapidly increasing data streams, which require new strategies for biology learning and instruction. The strength of the upcoming generation of new biologists depends on their ability to identify patterns in large and often heterogeneous datasets. The outcomes of the planning phase of the VABCN include the (i) development of prototype course resources and biology learning-oriented visual analytics tools; (ii) identification of case studies in biology for visual analytics infusion, (iii) training in technologies for cyber-based learning and (iv) building innovative international collaborations. Broader imparts: The project award enabled the collaboration of individuals from a variety of academic institutions and disciplines. The steering committee members include researchers, educators and graduate students that teach biology courses at community colleges, four-year colleges and research universities, as well as experts in the undergraduate curriculum, usability evaluation specialists and individuals who design visual analytics tools. The project is aligned to national and international efforts to transform undergraduate biology education. By providing an opening into research which non-specialists are able to access, visual analytics may bring the discoveries of cutting edge biological research to the general public. Protoype course resources and links to selected scientific pubications on visual analytics are available at VABCN website: www.vabcn.org Additional Information: Additional information on visual analytics and importance in Biology is available in the May 2012 issue of International Innovation titled "The Future of American Research" [Page 73-75] www.research-europe.com/magazine/REGIONAL/NORTH_AMERICA/index.html
