Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (Nov 2022)

The BioExperience Research and Entrepreneurship Challenge: An iGEM-inspired applied research program for BIOSTEM talent and skills development

  • Hertek Gill,
  • Hertek Gill,
  • Hertek Gill,
  • Mahdi Ahsan,
  • Mahdi Ahsan,
  • Mahdi Ahsan,
  • Yara Khalil,
  • Yara Khalil,
  • Yara Khalil,
  • Victoria Feng,
  • Victoria Feng,
  • Victoria Feng,
  • Jessie Pearce,
  • Jessie Pearce,
  • Jessie Pearce,
  • Tarasha Sharma,
  • Tarasha Sharma,
  • Tarasha Sharma,
  • Mohamad Radwan,
  • Mohamad Radwan,
  • Mohamad Radwan,
  • Mohamad Radwan,
  • Austin Boucinha,
  • Austin Boucinha,
  • Mads Kærn,
  • Mads Kærn,
  • Mads Kærn

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1046723
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

Read online

Post-secondary education is falling behind in delivering the talent and skills development needed to support the growth of biology-based economies and the demands of professional and research-based graduate degree programs. Here, we describe an applied research program, the BioExperience Research and Entrepreneurship Challenge, launched in May 2020 to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate experiential learning programs at the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The program provided undergraduates with meaningful talent and skills development opportunities by implementing a student-centred, project-based learning approach inspired by the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. We present evidence from participant exit surveys suggesting that the program delivers a high-quality learning environment and improves learning outcomes compared to traditional work-integrated learning. Notably, 84% of respondents reported an excellent or exceptional learning experience and significant or profound improvements in skills, such as leadership (72% of respondents), problem-solving (42% of respondents) and research preparedness (52%) that are difficult to develop in conventional academic programs. Remarkably, 60% of respondents report that the job-readiness training provided by the program is better or much better than traditional work-integrated learning. Our study demonstrates that a cost-effective and scalable alternative to the iGEM competition can improve talent and skills development in BIOSTEM fields.

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