Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 23, Issue 01 | October 23, 2023

Op-Ed: Building a Robust Bioeconomy Workforce: A Policy Approach to Bridging the Gap in Undergraduate Experiential Learning

Julie Ming Liang(1),(2), Leah N. Davis(3), Kathryn R. Brink(4), Emily R. Aurand(5)
  1. Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 
  2. Opera Bioscience, Evanston, IL 
  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 
  4. Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
  5. Engineering Biology Research Consortium, Emeryville, CA 

​
Corresponding author: [email protected] ​​
Keywords: experiential learning; bioeconomy; biomanufacturing; STEM education; STEM workforce development; community colleges; Executive Order ​
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG230106 ​

Executive Summary

 The U.S. bioeconomy is rapidly expanding and is expected to open the door to over a million jobs by 2030. Experiential learning, also known as “learning by doing”, is a critical component of education and training for workers entering the bioeconomy. To prepare students with the skills they need to succeed in the bioeconomy workforce, we recommend that the NSF create a center to develop experiential learning opportunities in biotechnology and biomanufacturing in four-year undergraduate degree programs. These recommendations include prioritizing project-based learning labs and providing coordination and financial support for industry internships that enable students to tackle industry-relevant problems with hands-on projects. ​

-Read the full article through download.-

Background header image courtesy of Bio4Products
Julie Ming Liang is a biological sciences Ph.D. graduate from the Tullman-Ercek lab in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department at Northwestern University. Her research sits at the interface of biology and cellular engineering; she studies the genetic regulation of a bacterial protein transport complex to engineer a cost-effective protein manufacturing platform that reduces developmental timelines for biologically-derived products such as therapeutics and biomaterials. She founded a company based on her research, Opera Bioscience, and pursued science policy to improve and expand STEM education, having experienced limited opportunities to have joy with science in school. 

​Leah N. Davis is a Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. candidate at Rowan University, conducting research in synthetic biology, systems biology, and immunoengineering. Her work centers on engineering mammalian whole cell-based biosensors and developing synthetic biology tools for applications in immunoengineering. Additionally, she translates the foundational principles of designing these biosensors and tools into computational methodologies, with the goal of propelling the fields of computational oncology and computational synthetic biology.

Kathryn R. Brink was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biotechnology Innovation & International Security at the Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and earned her Ph.D. in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology from Rice University. Kathryn has since started a position as Associate Director for the Executive Office at BioMADE. 

Emily R. Aurand is the Director of Roadmapping and Education at the Engineering Biology Research Consortium and the principal editor of the EBRC technical research roadmaps. She also leads EBRC's education, workforce, and outreach activities, including the Industry Internship Program. Emily has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Colorado and was an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow (2016-2018) 

Acknowledgements 
We would like to extend our gratitude to Becky Mackelprang, Beth Vitalis, Mark Styczynski, Natalie Kuldell, Melissa Takahashi, Sandra Porter, Terry Johnson, Tom Tubon and the EBRC Education Working Group for their invaluable feedback, which played a crucial role in shaping this report. We would also like to thank our editors, Dilara Kiran, Joseph Long, and Ethan FitzGerald, for helping us transform our manuscript to its final form.

References

  1. Bakshi, Arundhati, Lorelei E. Patrick, and E. William Wischusen. 2016. “A Framework for Implementing Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) in Freshman Biology Labs.” The American Biology Teacher 78, no. 6: 448–55. ​https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2016.78.6.448. 
  2. Berchiolli, Barbara, Farahnaz Movahedzadeh, and Abour Cherif. 2018. “Assessing Student Success in a Project-Based Learning Biology Course at a Community College.” The American Biology Teacher 80 (1): 6–10. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2018.80.1.6. 
  3. Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research, California Community College’s, October 17 2022. “Biotechnology Skilled Technical Workforce Needs Assessment.” https://coeccc.net/california/2022/10/biotechnol ogy-5/. 
  4. Chui, Michael, Matthias Evers, James Manyika, Alice Zheng, and Travers Nisbel. 2020. “The Bio Revolution: Innovations transforming economies, societies, and our lives.” McKinsey Global Institute, May 2020. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/i ndustries/pharmaceuticals%20and%20medical% 20products/our%20insights/the%20bio%20revol ution%20innovations%20transforming%20econo mies%20societies%20and%20our%20lives/may_ 2020_mgi_bio_revolution_report.pdf. 
  5. Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC), n.d. “Industry Internship Program.” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://ebrc.org/programs/internship/. 
  6. Brownell, Sara E., Matthew J. Kloser, Tadishi Fukami, Rich Shavelson. 2012. “Undergraduate Biology Lab Courses: Comparing the Impact of Traditionally Based "Cookbook" and Authentic Research-Based Courses on Student Lab Experiences.” National Science Teaching Association, March 1, 2012. https://my.nsta.org/resource/5674. 
  7. Gormally, Cara, Peggy Brickman, Brittan Hallar, and Norris Armstrong. “Lessons Learned about Implementing an Inquiry-Based Curriculum in a College Biology Laboratory Classroom.” Journal of College Science Teaching, December 31, 2010. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ921522. 
  8. Hinman, Albert W. and Douglas C. Friedman. 2022. “Actions to Enable an Equitable and Innovative U.S. Bioeconomy.” Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC). https://doi.org/10.25498/E4X59D. 
  9. Hora, Matthew T., Matthew Wolfgram, and Zi Chen. 2019. “Closing the doors of opportunity: How financial, sociocultural and institutional barriers intersect to inhibit participation in college internships.” WCER Working Paper No. 2019-8. http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/publications/working papers. 
  10. InnovATEBIO National Center for Biotechnology Education, n.d. “InnovATEBIO and the Bio-Link Community.” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://innovatebio.org/about. 
  11. Kolb, David A. 1984. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. 
  12. Li, Bing, Xiaotao Jia, Yuxia Chi, Xinli Liu and Baolei Jia. 2019. “Project-based learning in a collaborative group can enhance student skill and ability in the biochemical laboratory: a case study.” Journal of Biological Education 54:4, 404-418. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2019.1600570.
  13. Lo, Stanley M., and John C. Mordacq. “Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (Cures) in Biological Sciences.” Active Learning in College Science, February 24, 2020, 467–79. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33600-4_29.
  14. MassBioEd, December, 2019. "2019 Massachusetts Life Sciences Employment Outlook." https://massbioed.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ massbioed/product.jsp?product=3&. 
  15. Mordacq, John C, Denise L Drane, S. Swarat, Stanley M Lo. 2017. “Development of course-based undergraduate research experiences using a design-based approach.” Journal of College Science Teaching, 46(4), 64-75. https://my.nsta.org/resource/?id=10.2505/4/jcst1 7_046_04_64. 
  16. Movahedzadeh, Farahnaz, Ryan Patwell, Jenna E. Rieker, and Trinidad Gonzalez. 2012. “Project-Based Learning to Promote Effective Learning in Biotechnology Courses.” Education Research International vol. 2012, Article ID 536024. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/536024. 
  17. National Research Council. 2003. “BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists.” Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10497. 
  18. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), n.d. “Baccalaureate and beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B).” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b&b/index.asp. 
  19. Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering. 2019. “Northwestern Engineering Career Development Undergraduate Co-Ops.” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/career development/documents/undergradcoop_1718.pdf 
  20. National Science Foundation (NSF). n.d. “Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (Exlent).” Accessed July 17, 2023. https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/experie ntial-learning-emerging-novel-technologies. 
  21. Regassa, Laura B. and Alison I. Morrison-Shetlar. 2007. “Designing and Implementing a Hands-On, Inquiry-Based Molecular Biology Course.” Journal of College Science Teaching v36 n6 p36-41 May 2007. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ766670. 
  22. Rowan University, Henry M. Rowan College Of Engineering, n.d. “Engineering Clinics.” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://engineering.rowan.edu/academics/clinics_ new.html. 
  23. Santa Fe Community College. n.d. “Algae Cultivation.” Accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/algae-2/. 
  24. Shaw, Thomasena, and Lisa Bergson. 2022. “Access Delayed Is Access Denied: Barriers to Student Participation in Internships .” Bridgewater Review, vol. 40, no. 2, December. https://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol40/iss2/1/.
  25. Shuster, Michele I., Jennifer Curtiss, Timothy F. Wright, Camilla Champion, Maryam Sharifi, Judith Bosland. 2019. “Implementing and evaluating a course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) at a Hispanic-serving Institution.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1806. 
  26. Solano Community College. n.d. “Biomanufacturing.” Accessed May 28, 2023. https://welcome.solano.edu/biomanufacturing/.
  27. Spell, Rachelle M, Judith A Guinan, Kristen R Miller, Christopher W Beck. 2014. “Redefining authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratories and barriers to their implementation.” CBE: Life Sciences Education Spring;13(1):102-10. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.13-08-0169. 
  28. Stolzenberg, Ellen Bara, Melissa C. Aragon, Victoria Couch, Destiny Mclennan, M. Kevin Eagan, and Nathaniel Kang. 2020. “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2019.” Edited by Edgar Romo. Cooperative Institutional Research Program and the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, 2020. https://www.heri.ucla.edu/monographs/TheAmeri canFreshman2019.pdf. 
  29. Thompson, Christopher, Joseph Sanchez, Michael Smith, Judy Costello, Amrita Madabushi, Natasha Schuh-Nuhfer, Rommel Miranda, et al. 2018. “Improving Undergraduate Life Science Education for the Biosciences Workforce: Overcoming the Disconnect between Educators and Industry.” CBE: Life Sciences Education Sep;17(3):es12. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.18-03- 0047. 
  30. Thompson, Mindi N, Jessica Perez-Chavez, and Anna Fetter. 2021. “Internship Experiences among College Students Attending an HBC: A Longitudinal Grounded Theory Exploration.” Journal of Career Assessment 29, no. 4 (2021): 589–607. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072721992758.
  31. Treacy, Daniel J., Saumya M. Sankaran, Susannah Gordon-Messer, Danielle Saly, Rebecca Miller, Stefan R. Isaac, and Melissa S. Kosinski-Collins. “Implementation of a Project-Based Molecular Biology Laboratory Emphasizing Protein Structure–Function Relationships in a Large Introductory Biology Laboratory Course.” CBE—Life Sciences Education 10, no. 1 (2011): 18–24. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.10-07-0085. 
  32. White House, The. 2022. “Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation 
  33. for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy.” Published September 12, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presi dential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-ad vancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-inno vation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american bioeconomy/. 
  34. White House, The. 2023. “Building the Bioworkforce of the Future: Expanding Equitable Pathways into Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Jobs.” Published June 2023. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads /2023/06/Building-the-Bioworkforce-of-the-Future .pdf. 
  35. Wolfgram, Matthew, Brian Vivona, and Tamanna Akram. 2021. “On the Intersectional Amplification of Barriers to College Internships: A Comparative Case Study Analysis.” Allen Press November 29, 2021. https://doi.org/10.17763/1943-5045-91.4.457.
DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.

ISSN 2372-2193
© 2022 Journal of Science Policy & Governance, Inc. All rights reserved. The opinions, findings and conclusions from JSPG publications, additional article commentaries and related events do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal.