Title: Dear Colleague Letter  Research Coordination Networks
        Undergraduate Biology Education
Date: 04/03/08




Dear Colleague:

We call your attention to an opportunity to request support for
networks that will catalyze positive changes in biology
undergraduate education. Application of new technologies to enhance
pedagogy, increased use of inquiry based learning, enhancement of
curricula with ideas from the frontiers of science, and building
research into curricula to motivate the next generation of
scientists all may benefit from increased collaboration among those
who develop and offer undergraduate biology curricula. Research
Coordination Networks - Undergraduate Biology Education
(RCN-UBE) will provide opportunities to join biology and education
researchers and practitioners in networks that enhance the exchange
of ideas and innovative practices.

The Research Coordination Networks (RCN) Program considers proposals
that encourage and foster interactions among scientists to create
new research directions or advance a field. Innovative ideas for
implementing novel networking strategies are especially encouraged.
Groups are supported to communicate and coordinate their research,
training and educational activities across organizational,
institutional, and geographical boundaries. The proposed networking
activities should have a theme as a focus of its collaboration. The
focus could be on a broad research question, a specific group of
organisms, or particular technologies or approaches.

For details of the RCN program see:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691&org=BIO .

The RCN-UBE Track is part of the RCN Program in Biological Sciences
(NSF 06-567). The Directorate for Biological Sciences and the
Directorate for Education and Human Resources (Division of
Undergraduate Education) are working together to augment funding to
the RCN Program to support the RCN-UBE Track.

The RCN-UBE track further defines the scope of and expands the
audience for the RCN program. It focuses on proposals that address
the following special review criterion from the RCN solicitation
(Section VI.A.):

     Integration of Education and Research:
     One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's
     goals is to foster integration of research and education
     through the programs, projects, and activities it supports
     at academic and research institutions. These institutions
     provide abundant opportunities where individuals may
     concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers,
     educators, and students and where all can engage in joint
     efforts that infuse education with the excitement of
     discovery and enrich research through the diversity of
     learning perspectives.

We are seeking proposals that foster the development of networks
exploring topics in biology undergraduate education and related
disciplines. These could include, but are not limited to such topics
as:

   * Improving learning in "gateway" courses (e.g., exploring the
     use of methods that foster active learning or inquiry-based
     learning).
   * Improving learning through the use of emerging technologies in
     the biology curriculum.
   * Strategies and approaches for engaging biology faculty in
     professional development activities related to undergraduate
     education
   * Incorporating emerging sub-disciplines into the biology
     curriculum (e.g., informatics research, proteomics, ecological
     stoichiometry).
   * Improving assessment of student learning.
   * Improving the transition of students from two-year to four-year
     institutions.
   * Incorporating authentic research experiences in undergraduate
     laboratory courses, with an emphasis on introductory and lower
     division courses.

Investigators, who wish to have a project considered in response to
this Dear Colleague Letter, should submit their proposal to the RCN
program in compliance with normal target dates and/or deadlines. The
title of the project must include the prefix "RCN-UBE".
Proposals will be reviewed by standard review practices.

Proposers should review the RCN Program Solicitation to ensure that
eligibility requirements are met. Investigators with an interest in
the RCN-UBE track are strongly encouraged to send a brief e-mail
note of inquiry to RCN-UBE@nsf.gov to initiate discussion of
potential proposal topics with an appropriate NSF program officer.

We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Sincerely,
James P. Collins
Assistant Director, National Science Foundation
Biological Sciences

Cora Marrett
Assistant Director, National Science Foundation
Education and Human Resources