2019 NEXUS Institute for Quantitative Biology (NIQB)

Welcome to the website for participants in the 2019 NEXUS Institute for Quantitative Biology (NIQB), which will take place at Howard Community College on May 31, June 7, and June 14, 2019. This page will provide important details related to the three-day event. Be sure to refer to the SCHEDULE tab for a detailed schedule for the three day workshop. The RESOURCES tab has an executive summary of the NIQB-IUSE proposal, previously developed modules, links to published articles, and other sources that module development teams may find useful as they work together to develop quantitative reasoning biology modules.

If you have any questions or concerns about the NIQB, please contact Laura Ott (leott@umbc.edu).

Directions, Location, and Parking

The 2019 NIQB will be at Howard Community College (HCC) in the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Building. Our first meeting will be in an open space in the bottom floor of the building (SET-101 and 102).

The address for HCC is 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044; it is down the road from Merriweather Post Pavilion and the Columbia Mall.

A link to suggested directions to campus are here: https://www.howardcc.edu/about-us/hcc-at-a-glance/locations-and-directions/campus_locations/location.html

Parking is free. The closest parking lot for guests in Lot C which is directly in front of the SET building. To get there from the main entrance of the school (from Little Patuxent Parkway), take the first exit from the circle (to the right), then take the next right to enter the parking area, then park anywhere on your left. Note that the area on the right (Parking Lot B) is for staff only. Refer to this map for the location of the closest parking garages.

It is likely that there will be plenty of parking since it is during the summer, but if Lot C is full, follow signs to the West Garage, and park anywhere there.

Team Assignments and NIQB Participation

Please find a list of 2019 NIQB Participants, with emails and institutional affiliations, at this LINK. Please direct any updates or corrections to this list to Laura Ott (leott@umbc.edu).

Introductory Biology I

Intro Biology I Math Liaisons: Allison Bell (HCC) and Claudinna Rowley (MC)

Cell Structure and Size: Mark Farinha (AACC), Susan Warner (CCBC), Sean Cooney (MC), and Jennifer Laing (CCBC)

• Quantitative Competency 1: Demonstrate quantitative numeracy and facility with the language of mathematics

Introduction to Scientific Process: Frances Turner (HCC), Victor Madike (CCBC), Padma Tangirala (MC), Beth Feeser (UMBC)

• Quantitative Competency 2: Interpret data sets and communicate those interpretations using visual and other appropriate tools
• Quantitative Competency 3: Demonstrate proficiency with statistical analyses and make inferences
  • Goal a: Compute and interpret descriptive quantitative statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, standard error, confidence intervals, and variance

Solute Concentration and Osmosis: Evdokia Kastanos (MC), Julie Takacs (AACC), Robin Minor (CCBC), Vedham Karpakakunjaram (MC)

• Quantitative Competency 1: Demonstrate quantitative numeracy and facility with the language of mathematics
• Quantitative Competency 4: Demonstrate facility with mathematical models of biological systems and be able to make inferences about natural phenomena
  • Goal a: Identify and compare linear and non-linear relationships between biological quantities
  • Goal b: Identify the relationship between the dependent and independent variables in a model

Introductory Biology II

Intro Biology II Math Liaisons: Robert Koca (CCBC) and Sybille Clayton (AACC)

Natural Selection: Will Gretes (HCC), Kiersten Newtoff (MC), Sean McNamara (CCBC)

• Quantitative Competency 2: Interpret data sets and communicate those interpretations using visual and other appropriate tools
• Quantitative Competency 3: Demonstrate proficiency with statistical analyses and make inferences
  • Goal c: Calculate frequencies and probabilities of biological phenomena

Hardy Weinberg: Christine DeStefano (CCBC), Gina Wesley (MC), Shannon Dahl (MC)

• Quantitative Competency 3: Demonstrate proficiency with statistical analyses and make inferences

Genetics

Genetics Math Liaisons: Lisa Feinman (CCBC) and Jignasa Rami (CCBC)

Gene Linkage and Recombination: Luda Bard (HCC), Natalie Minkovsky (CCBC), Tracy Smith (UMBC), Michael Chase (MC)

• Quantitative Competency 3: Demonstrate proficiency with statistical analyses and make inferences
  • Goal c: Calculate frequencies and probabilities of biological phenomena

Mendelian vs. Non-Mendelian Genetics: Tammy Domanski (AACC), Kathryn Jones (HCC), Lakshmi Rajkumar (CCBC), Stephen Page (CCBC)

• Quantitative Competency 3: Demonstrate proficiency with statistical analyses and make inferences
  • Goal b: Apply statistical analyses to biological data sets (e.g., Chi-square and t-Test) and interpret the findings

Cell Biology

Cell Biology Math Liaison: Milton Nash (MC)

Enzyme Kinetics: Ishrat Rahman (MC), Gwen Gillinger (CCBC), Michelle Starz-Gaiano (UMBC), Hannah Pie (HCC), Antonio del Castillo-Olivares (MC)

• Quantitative Competency 2: Interpret data sets and communicate those interpretations using visual and other appropriate tools

Course Summaries

The courses that are the focus of this project include:

• Introductory Biology I (Cell and Molecular)
• Introductory Biology II (Evolution and Ecology)
• Genetics
• Cell Biology

Please find a summary of the courses at each of the participating institutions at this LINK.

Quantitative Competencies

The Math Curricular Alignment Team developed a set of quantitative competencies and associated learning goals for the NIQB-IUSE community to help guide the development of quantitative skills. These competencies and goals are adapted from the AAMC and HHMI's Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians and Ruscetti, et al. (2018). PLoS ONE.

NIQB-IUSE Quantitative Competencies and Goals

Module Rubrics and Reporting

Module Rubric/Checklist and Template

Please use this Module Checklist/Rubric to help guide module development and provide feedback on your colleagues' modules.

A timeline for the module development process can be found HERE.

A template for modules can be found HERE

Module Report

For the Module Report (afternoon of June 14th), each team should address the following about their module:

• Topic and its relevance
• Learning objectives
• Quantitative reasoning competencies addressed
• Assessment plans
• Proposed timeline for finishing, piloting, and revising module
• Suggested implementation of module and potential pitfalls

Teams are welcome to use this Google Slide template for their presentations -- please do not edit this template; make a copy and edit the copy for your team's presentation.