The project, Computers and Laboratories Integrated with Mathematics to enhance Biosciences (CLIMB), will develop a curriculum and courses that integrate mathematics, computer science, and biology. The project will attract students who are interested in applying powerful mathematical and computational tools to advance understanding of biological phenomena and the solution of problems in the life sciences. The project will: (i) develop and implement new courses needed for a mathematically strengthened Bachelor of Science in Biology; (ii) develop and implement laboratory activities in existing biology courses that will give the students experience in acquiring and analyzing quantitative data from real experiments; (iii) develop and implement minors in mathematical/computational biology available to students majoring in Mathematics, Biology, Biotechnology, or Computer Science; and (iv) lay the groundwork for a future Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical and Computational Bioscience.
Intellectual Merit. The CLIMB project will develop new minor degree tracks, courses, and instructional laboratory activities that integrate mathematics, biology, and computational science providing students with important interdisciplinary knowledge and skills necessary to advance the frontiers of knowledge today. Moreover, the interdisciplinary interactions needed to create and develop the curricula and courses are likely to stimulate novel research projects and collaborations at the interface between mathematics, life sciences, and computing that would involve DSU faculty and students.
Broader Impacts. The CLIMB project will modernize, integrate, and upgrade curricular offerings in mathematical/computational biology at an Historically Black College/University, helping to attract and provide strong academic opportunities to underrepresented minority students and women. It will foster and stimulate collaborations and interactions involving faculty and students in mathematics, biology, biotechnology, and computer science, creating a dynamic and lively learning community in STEM. The project is expected to result in an increase in the number of African American and female graduates in these fields, along with their competitiveness for graduate study and careers.
