Biology 101: Bridging the divide between research and teaching in the biomedical sciences

At large competitive research universities the typical entering biology student regards the Core course sequence with little excitement and even some dread. For many students, introductory biology is a collection of abstract, esoteric facts that must be briefly committed to memory in preparation for a succession of exams designed to eliminate the weak and ill‐prepared, so that the survivors can be admitted to medical school. Research faculty teaching these introductory courses often approach the task with high anxiety, anticipating an experience that will disrupt or even significantly impede their research progress, and has little intellectual interest. In this talk, I will discuss our approach to changing this climate for both faculty and students. This involves creating an environment in the large introductory classes (>300 students) that fosters intellectual excitement and a spirit of inquiry among the students, and developing a system that supports faculty participation and innovation in this endeavor, while minimizing negative impact on their research. My work in this area has been supported by the HHMI/National Academies of Science Summer Workshop and by funds from the Dean of Biological Sciences, UCI.