This planning grant aims to build an educational infrastructure within the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBEN) at the University of Colorado that will serve as a center of excellence for educating students and integrating education and visionary research in areas that incorporate biology and engineering principles. It is anticipated that multi-faceted plan blending a number of different approaches, including new and enhanced curricula, outreach activities and pedagogical advances will lead to establishing a B.S. degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering. The plan will integrate biology, biochemistry, and biological engineering core courses and laboratories into this curriculum; use biological engineering as a vehicle to reform the curriculum by creating new courses and enhancing the core curriculum; integrate biological research into undergraduate education so that every undergraduate has the opportunity to explore the laboratory experience and students graduate fully prepared to pursue further academic endeavors or employment; and increase the enrollment and retention of minorities and women in the department.
