Computer technology is playing an increasingly important role in the biological sciences. Computers are being used for data acquisition and analysis, and they make the simulation of complex biological systems possible. Despite their importance, the integration of computers into the undergraduate biology curriculum has not been consistently achieved. This means that students often underestimate the need for quantitative skills in modern biological research. This project attempts to overcome this problem by developing a computer laboratory for the biological sciences. The laboratory is being configured with a network of 12 MacIntosh II computers to allow for interaction among the instructor and students. One of the main uses of the lab is to allow students to develop their analytical skills by designing simulation models of biological processes. Simulations are used in the department's Ecology, Limnology, Human Physiology and Research courses. The new equipment also supports the development of an Evolution course in which the majority of the labs are to be based on model building. In addition, the lab is used by students in a number of classes to acquire data from scientific instruments and to conduct the subsequent statistical analyses of these data. Finally there are plans to use the computer lab for literature searching and accessing external databases through the college's local area network. The grantee institution is matching the NSF award with an equal sum obtained from non-Federal sources.
