NSF Awards B-CU $400,000 Grant

The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant of $400,000 to Bethune-Cookman University for support of “Targeted Infusion Project:  Developing Quantitative Expertise in the Undergraduate Biology Curriculum (QEUBiC).” The project is directed by Dr. Raphael D. Isokpehi, Dr. Elizabeth R. Congdon and Dr. Katharina C. Wollenberg Valero. The award starts August 15, 2014 and ends July 31, 2017.

“This grant aligns with our vision to make Bethune-Cookman University a great institution that offers an outstanding education,” said B-CU President Dr. Edison O. Jackson. “We strive to offer our students a relevant, dynamic education that prepares them for a globalized marketplace.”

The project at B-CU seeks to enhance undergraduate education in the biology department by developing a curriculum that focuses on quantitative expertise, Isokpehi explained. Students will be taught how to work with large data sets to understand biological systems and to solve problems in biology.

“Assessment metrics that integrate quantitative literacy, scientific literacy and strategic learning will be developed as part of the overall evaluation of the project,” Isokpehi said.

Three new biology courses will be created through the project in the areas of bioinstrumentation, cloud computing and computational genetics. Also, the project will infuse concepts of data flow, data analytics and data curation in a series of five research-oriented biology core courses.

“Biology is now a data driven science and we especially want to make sure that our students are prepared with the latest skills sets to be able to compete for lucrative jobs,” Isokpehi said.   

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Bethune-Cookman University was founded in 1904 and serves the community via three campuses in Daytona Beach, Deltona and Hastings. For more information, visit www.cookman.edu.