HURI SURI: Helping Future Biotechnologists in Rural Appalachia HURI-up with Undergraduate Research

This project is developing a regional biotechnology workforce pipeline by expanding and supporting biotechnology research experiences for Jamestown Community College (JCC) undergraduates and disseminating these research experiences and materials to area high school teachers and students.

To further develop the regional workforce pipeline, the program prepares a cohort of high school biotechnology instructors with authentic research experiences. These instructors teach a new interdisciplinary first semester sub-cellular biology course at their schools which is infused with these research experiences. High school students taking this course also have the opportunity to do summer research at JCC. The project also provides JCC biotech undergraduates with a greater array of biotechnology research experiences on site, thus expanding the scope and depth of their authentic learning. In addition to on site research, JCC biotechnology students also participate in summer research internships at regional universities.

This proposal impacts several hundred high school students by providing training opportunities for area high school teachers and the materials/instruments to develop a more contemporary and biotechnologically-based curriculum at their schools. The effort is also responsive to the recommendations for biology education reform called for in Vision and Change: A Call To Action (NSF/AAAS). The project includes economic impact metrics as a tool for evaluating the effect of the project and uses Tennessee Tech's CAT instrument to capture gains in critical thinking skills.