Grant Summary
$75,000 over 20 months. The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) will examine the undergraduate major in biochemistry/molecular biology and how it is related to the broad goals of a liberal education. Since 1992, ASBMB has supported a recommended curriculum for the undergraduate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology which emphasizes skills rather than coursework. With expertise from stakeholders such as faculty and administrators at liberal arts colleges, research universities, and medical schools, industry employers, textbook and science writers, funding agencies, and members of the science education community, ASBMB will assess how the recommended curriculum is being received and implemented in different types of institutions, as well as evaluate the success of their graduates. The working group will consider the essential elements of an undergraduate major in biochemistry and molecular biology, and how new research on how people learn—as well as other elements such as communication, collaboration across diverse communities, ethical considerations, and more—can best be incorporated into the curriculum. The results will be showcased at a session at the annual meeting of the ASBMB—held in conjunction with experimental biology—which will reach both those in biochemistry and molecular biology departments, as well as those who can apply the group's findings to other science programs.