Establishing NOVA as a Regional Leader in Biotechnology Education and Training

The goal of this project is to strengthen and enhance the current NOVA Biotech Program, which includes an Associates of Applied Science (AAS) Degree program in Biotechnology and a Career Studies Certificate program for Biotechnology Lab Technicians. Four specific goals have been identified including: internal recruitment of current NOVA students into the Biotech Program, improved retention and graduation efforts, successful placement of students in workforce and/or at transfer institutions, and more extensive assessment and evaluation of student learning outcomes and success. To promote awareness of biotechnology and the Biotech Program within NOVA, biotechnology laboratory exercises are being introduced into General Biology courses at several campuses (Manassas, Alexandria, Annandale) to make students more aware of the field and their potential within it; this is being accompanied by faculty training for General Biology faculty new to the techniques and culture of biotechnology. An internal advisory board is also being established to help promote the biotechnology program and enhance retention of students who are recruited into the program. Retention is also being strengthened by increased student advising, tutoring resources, and interactions with the local industry. An external industry advisory board is helping ensure the curriculum is responsive to industry needs. To enhance job placement, a formal internship program is being created, and new courses quality control, bioinformatics, and microbiology/biomanufacturing are being introduced. Furthermore, a survey of potential employers is being conducted to assess employment needs in terms of educational and skill set requirements for entry-level positions. In addition, work is in progress with transfer institutions (i.e. George Mason University, George Washington University, etc) to establish articulation agreements. To facilitate assessing students in each course and tracking their progress on a semester basis, faculty are establishing desired student learning outcomes for each course and the entire curriculum. Data gathered for formative and summative assessment of the project will include quantitative data such as enrollment, course completion, graduation, and job placement data as well as more qualitative data concerning student and employer satisfaction. The intellectual merit of the program lies in the rigor of the new courses being introduced and the new material being introduced into existing courses. In terms of broader impacts, the presence of an expanded career pathway, a better assessment process, enhanced retention and graduation rates, the establishment of more rigorous curricula, and strengthened relationships with the local industry is expected to increase the number of skilled lab technicians and expand educational access to biotech curricula.