1. Yolanda S. George, AAAS Deputy Director, Education ygeorge@aaas.org Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology: A Call to Action

2. WHY CHANGE? WHY NOW?  Biology breakthrough discoveries have changed the basic nature of the questions asked  New & emerging technologies are changing the ways key questions are addressed  New educational approaches are emerging based on evolving theories of learning and new technologies  Increasing need for both broadly educated, integrative biology professionals, as well as biologically literate citizens

3. 2006 2007 2008 2009 NSF BIO-EHR Working Group charge: 1.Examine and address key issues in biology undergraduate education 2.Recommend strategy and actions

4. Deborah Allen, EHR Peter Arzberger, BIO Dondra Bailey, BIO J. Ellis Bell, BIO Celeste Carter, EHR Mary Chamberlin, BIO James Collins, BIO LaJoyce Debro, BIO Penelope Firth, BIO Linnea Fletcher, EHR Catherine Fry, EHR Elizabeth Gaige, BIO Brian Gates, EHR Richard Inouye, BIO Gera Jochum, BIO Liz Lawrence, BIO Emily Leichtman, BIO Dan Litynski, EHR Wesley Lumpkin, EHR Rick McCourt, BIO Al Savitzky, BIO Judy Skog, BIO Linda Slakey, EHR Jessica Slater, EHR Dan Udovic, EHR Terry Woodin, EHR Kasey Yturralde, BIO NSF BIO/EHR Working Group

5. Strategy developed by BIO-EHR Working Group: 1.Conversations – listen for shared vision and the changes needed to achieve it 2.Big Conference – crystallize initiative and partnerships 3.Report – articulate the vision, synthesize previous efforts; recommend changes needed & roles; address sustainability 4.Implementation – make investments; implement commitments; improve communication; leverage feedback loops Approved by a joint meeting of the BIO Advisory Committee and the EHR Advisory Committee in November 2006

6. 2006 2007 2009 NSF supported regional conversations during 2007-2008 – AAAS facilitation: 211 participants from… community colleges, PUIs, MSIs, major R1 universities, museums, science centers, education organizations, other federal agencies, National Academies, field stations, professional societies… 2008 San Francisco Denver Chicago Boston Atlanta Washington Image created with Google Maps

7. Botanical Society of America (BSA) Ecological Society of America (ESA) Genetics Society of America (GSA) Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) National Academies National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) American Institute for Biological Sciences (AIBS) American Physiological Society (APS) American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) American Society for Microbiology (ASM) American Society for Plant Biologists (ASPB) Biophysical Society 2006 2007 2009 Professional societies & organizations represented at conversations 2008 Photo: Kathy Yturralde