Developing a community of Interdisciplinary Scholars at

The University of Chicago

Julie FederInstitute for Biophysical

Dynamics5 March 2006

Institute for Biophysical DynamicsIn Center for Integrative Science

Computation Institute

Consortium for Nanoscience Research

*Specialization in Cellular & Molecular Biology

*Specialization in Ecology and Evolution*Specialization in ImmunologySpecialization in GeneticsSpecialization in MicrobiologySpecialization in Neuroscience

*requires research experience

Biological Sciences Collegiate Division (BSCD)

Faculty

Undergraduates in Natural SciencesBiological Sciences Collegiate Division (BSCD)

MGCB, BMB, Ecol/Evol, OBA, NPP,Clinical Departments doing basic science

Physical Sciences Collegiate Division (PSCD)Chemistry, Geophysical Sciences, Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysicsmath, CS, Stat

HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

HHMI Summer Program in Neuroscience and Neuroengineering 

*Physical and Chemical Biology Training Program (PCBio)

*Beckman Scholars Program in Molecular Sciences

Research Opportunities

Why ChicagoTeacher of TeachersLaboratory for Educational ExperimentationInterdisciplinary historyOutstanding StudentsHighly Ranked Departments

Cultural Barriers at Chicago

Learning about biological v. Physical Sciences

Understanding/Evaluating Science

Program Goals

Transform the culture at Chicago Tribal to Interdisciplinary

Bring together the CommunityPhysical Sciences FacultyInstitutesMedical SchoolBasic Sciences

Why Undergraduates?

Early InterventionCurriculum/EducableCuriousPassionateOutcomes & Impact

Approach

•Community of Scholars

•Create Links between Students and Faculty

•Empowering the Fellows for Independence

Student Centered Program

Proposals come from Students, not PICompetitively vettedStipends for Fellows Opportunity to interact with students,

not Mentors

Community of Scholars

Weekly MeetingsOral presentationsOpen discussion

Retreat with ID Graduate StudentsPromoting long-term Relationships

Faculty director’s Role

Alternative, IndependentShared Commitment from parallel historyNon-conformistsRapid ResponseConnected sideways and upwards

Empowering the Fellows for Independence

Personal relationships/directors as MentorsFellows Impact Program EvolutionGenerations passing on Culture

Student Selection

Based on student-generated proposalEvaluated by two faculty members

(from PSD and BSD)

Fellows participate in:Life in BSD labweekly Student seminarsSpring quarter-biophysical Discussions

Time line

Application deadline End of Winter QStudent Interviews Beginning of Spring QAwards announced Mid AprilSummer Program Begins mid JuneSummer Program ends mid August

Mentors: Biologists paired with quantitative scientist

Computer SciencesChemistsPhysicistsStatisticians(Mathematicians)

Why Roadmap initiative

NIH conservative, Tribal, SegmentedHigh Risk, High RewardBroadly Cross-disciplinary

Math/Stat to Therapy

Quantitative biology

How much Math do biologists need to know

Biology is increasing quantitativeimportance of models in biology

large data sets generated bygenomic/proteomic approaches

Mathematical Methods For Biological Scientists

I linear Algebra, DE, Dynamical Systemsii Partial Differentials, Vector spaces,

Fourier TransformationsIII probability, PC Analysis,

Stochastic processes

Lab component

Thanks!

Steve KronAssociate ProfessorMolecular Genetics & Cell Biology

All of you