Insights from a Convocation: Integrating Discovery-Based Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a convocation in 2015 to explore and elucidate opportunities, barriers, and realities of course-based undergraduate research experiences, known as CUREs, as a potentially integral component of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. This paper summarizes the convocation and resulting report

Inclusion Requires a Comprehensive Understanding of Justice

Educators wish to treat their students and colleagues justly, and equally important, educators wish their students to treat one another justly. We believe that the field of justice research provides a strong foundation for promoting diversity and inclusion. In this editorial, we argue that undergraduate engineering teams should be taught how to measure justice, how to structure team processes to increase justice, and how to ameliorate injustice. These lessons can increase the level of inclusion within these teams and prepare students to be inclusive during their professional careers

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CURRICULA

Abstract ⎯ Problem-based Learning (PBL) anchors learning and instruction in concrete problems. We believe that PBL is well suited to educating undergraduate and graduate students within the interdisciplinary field of biomedical engineering (BME). BME draws upon many traditional disciplines to address a range of problems, from biotechnology to clinical medicine. A challenge for BME educators is to balance this broad base of fundamentals with the analytical, in depth problem solving necessary to be successful bioengineers. The ability to adapt, be innovative, and acquire and integrate relevant information is not efficiently learned in a lecture format, but rather in a small group setting that encourages self-directed learning, such as PBL. We have developed a graduate BME program with PBL as one of the pivotal components and are embarking on the introduction of this methodology to undergraduate sections. We have found PBL to be an effective vehicle for instruction, retention of material, and introduction of topics necessary for professional development

Laboratory learning: Model-based reasoning in biomedical engineering research and instructional laboratories

Issued as final reportNational Science Foundation (U.S.

IGERT: Hybrid neural microsystems: integrating neural tissue and engineered systems

Issued as final reportNational Science Foundation (U.S.