UW Biology (LSB) – presentation to TEDV Committee
- Issuer
- Congressional materials
- Document type
- 2025 03 28 A33163 D286463 Uw Biology Lsb Presentation To Tedv Committee
- Date
- 2025-03-28
- Case
- 2025 03 28 A33163 D286463 Uw Biology Lsb Presentation To Tedv Committee
Summary
A slide presentation by UW Biology (LSB) to the TEDV Committee, dated March 2025 and given by the department chair. Its stated goal is to describe the skills biology undergraduates learn and the jobs and businesses that rely on those skills. The slides report 500-600 graduates every year and walk through the 100-level to 400-level course series, including hours of lab and lecture and skills such as statistics, coding in R and Python, and molecular biology lab techniques. They note that many 100-level students go on to allied health jobs. Later slides describe undergraduate and graduate research in labs, mention multiple patents, and list employers of former students.
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Cite this document
“UW Biology (LSB) – presentation to TEDV Committee.”
Original at app.leg.wa.gov, dated 2025-03-28. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-03-28-2025-03-28-a33163-d286463-uw-biology-lsb-presentation-to-tedv-committee/
, SHA-256 7752daa08df2cd595bce91b1d93628f770d684636def3a293866590f4b540da6.Full text
UW Biology (LSB) – presentation to TEDV Committee
Martha Bosma, Ph.D. (Chair) March 2025
Goal- Describe skills that our undergraduates learn, and what types of jobs
and businesses rely on those skills.
UW Biology Undergraduates
500-600 Graduates every year
Divided into sub-areas areas of Biology:
Cell Biology/Development
Ecology
Evolution
General Biology
Plant Biology
Physiology
Undergraduates are crucial to the research mission lab – every lab has 3-4
undergraduates learning research and problem-solving skills.
Our programs are in the College of Arts & Sciences so our students also
study biology in a historical/social context and learn critical thinking skills
along with scientific reasoning.
Undergraduate students take hands-on data-based
course material at every level of the Biology series
100-Level 200-Level 300-Level 400-Level
Intro Intro Science Experi-
health Biology literature ment-
sciences -based based
Biology Biology
At the 100-level, students get a wide-ranging
introduction to health sciences topics
Biol 118/119 is often used by students as hands-on training
for allied health jobs. Most of these students do not become
Biology majors; many will find jobs as CNAs, health aides,
phlebotomists, medical lab, imaging/radiology techs; others
100-Level go on to graduate programs like medicine and nursing.
Intro These students are trained to occupy health care
health jobs, which are a large drive on the economic sector.
sciences
Economic Contribution of Healthcare to the City of Seattle
Students in the 200-level classes take 90 hours of lab
classes, in addition to 120 hours of lecture.
Science Communication Skills (written, oral, posters and
presentation skills)
Problem solving (all labs and research experiences)
200-Level Analytical skills (data assessment, statistical modeling,
research review and design)
Intro Statistics and quantitative reasoning (R, R Studio, Excel)
Biology Collaborative teamwork and problem solving
Skills with lab equipment
Assessment of biological and societal interactions
200-level subject matter includes basic ecology,
evolution, cell biology, development, molecular
biology, physiology.
Oral and written communication
Collaboration/team science
Open science (including preprints, sharing code & data)
200-Level Rigor and reproducibility in science
Intro Statistical analysis
Biology Coding (primarily R and Python, as well as use of software
like Pymol and AlphaFold)
Molecular biology (nucleic acids, proteins) wet lab skills
(and conceptual underpinnings)
Biochemistry wet lab skills (and conceptual underpinnings)
Students in the 200-level series also take chemistry,
possibly physics (with lab components). They can
then apply to other Life Sciences majors.
Biology Majors
200-Level 300- and 400-level
Other Science
Intro (500-600
disciplines,
Biology students/year)
including labs
(chemistry, physics) Other Life Science
majors
[Neuroscience
(labs), Biochemistry,
Microbiology (labs),
Public Health]
Biology majors in the 300-level classes take 30 hours
of discussion section and 30 hours of lecture/class.
How to effectively read & summarize the scientific
literature
300-Level How to identify an important knowledge gap in
science
Lab and
Experimental design
Literature Responsible conduct of research (ethical science)
-based Data analysis, interpretation, and hypothesis testing
Biology
Scientific literature competence, putting data
into context, planning next experimental steps.
Biology majors in the 300-level LAB classes take 40
hours of lab/class.
Lab classes include rigorous molecular biology
techniques:
300-Level Making solutions
Lab and Pipetting, working with small volumes and reagents
Literature Design primers for PCR
-based Run/Analyze PCR gels
Biology Lab Safety
Analyze DNA sequences, identify mutations,
modify DNA, design experiments
CURE (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience) Poster
Students in 400-level classes specialize in specific areas of
Biology
Cell Biology/Development
400-Level Ecology
Experi-
Evolution
ment-
based General Biology
Biology
Plant Biology
Physiology
400-level classes emphasize working with analysis of large
data sets, modeling, and predicting.
R programming skills learned in upper level
undergraduate course -- used in an internship at the
CDC to determine health risk predictors.
400-Level Lost work-days of personnel.
Experi- Methods of machine learning for classification and
ment- prediction
Integration of tools/methods from different
based
disciplines
Biology Training predictive computational and mathematical
models
The development and testing of findable, accessible,
interoperable, and reproducible code bases for
scientific discovery and research
Understanding how external factors influence
networks – use modeling to predict response to
specific modifications.
Undergrad and grad student skills – in research labs,
learning image analysis, using AI to predict cell shape
or animal movement.
Movement of particular proteins within cell determine
cell division.
Cancer diagnosis and treatment
Movement of predators and prey allow understanding of
ecosystem.
Environmental consequences of weather or human
intervention.
Undergrad and grad student skills – in research lab
using synthetic biology to understand steps of hormonal
signaling and plant growth
Multiple patents
10 former undergrad research interns work in
biotech (in coding, regulatory & wet lab
positions), including one who founded a biotech
company called Asimov.
Undergrad and grad student skills – in research lab
studying neural circuits and behaviors in response to
olfactory cues
Both nectar-feeding insects and mosquitoes use olfactory
plumes to find their food source. Use wind tunnels and
synthetic flowers while recording from neurons in
response to stimuli.
Multiple patents
Former students include Computer Scientist (Amazon),
Data Analyst(s) (Microsoft, Insight Data Analytics),
Program Manager (Allen Institute for Brain Science),
Information Designer (New York Times)
Individual Undergraduate Research Poster
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- Original
- app.leg.wa.gov