Back to 2019 MSM Agenda

Session Description:  Modeling (http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/HSM/) is playing an increasing role in K12 curricula, yet K12 teachers have limited modeling experience and current guides for how to teach modeling remain vague. In this session, we will highlight several examples of efforts to introduce modeling of biological systems to K12 students using a “build to learn” approach. It is envisioned that such efforts will inspire diverse students to actively explore the beauty of multi-scale biological systems through modeling.

2018 MSM Breakout on Dissemination

Speaker Bios and Abstracts:

Stacey Finley, University of Southern California (@USCSysBio_Lab)

Systems biology approaches, including mathematical models, provide a framework to optimize effective therapeutic strategies for cancer. My research group develops mechanistic models of biochemical networks in cancer, with applications in cancer immunotherapy, tumor angiogenesis, and cancer metabolism. Our models provide insight into the dynamics of the biochemical pathways in cancer and enable the development of novel therapeutics. In addition, I use our systems biology models as the basis for outreach activities, with a

particular focus on K-12 students. In this talk, I will discuss DrEAMM (Driving Excitement About Mathematical Modeling), an outreach program I have established with funding from the National Science Foundation. Through DrEAMM, I regularly visit 4th grade classes at the 32nd Street School in Los Angeles and lead students in activities that bring math concepts to life. I will present an overview of the program, describe the activities used to engage students in mathematical thinking, and discuss student feedback.

Stacey D. Finley is the Gordon S. Marshall Early Career Chair and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California. Dr. Finley joined the faculty at USC in 2013, and she leads the Computational Systems Biology Laboratory. Dr. Finley has appointments in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and in Biological Sciences, and she is a member of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Finley received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Florida A & M University and obtained her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University. She completed postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Selected honors. 2016 NSF Faculty Early CAREER Award; 2016 Young Innovator by the Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering journal; 2017 Leah Edelstein-Keshet Prize from the Society of Mathematical Biology; 2017 Junior Research Award from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering; 2017 Hanna Reisler Mentorship Award; 2018 AACR NextGen Star

[Joining by WebEx]

Herbert Sauro, University of Washington
In this talk, I will describe two educational activities I have been involved in, one at K12 and a second at the undergraduate junior level.  I have been on the board for a number of years of a biomaker space in Seattle, called soundbio.org. This is a group of enthusiasts who have put together a fairly extensive molecular biology wet lab that can be used by laypeople and other interested groups such as the Seattle iGEM High School team. Sounbio also goes out to elementary and middle schools as well as other locations to organize after-school science activities. In addition SoundBio has saturday science events for anyone who wants to attend. The initial development of SoundBio was supported by outreach components from NSF. Last year we organized a 'Be a Scientist for a Day' game event for middle-school girls and under-represented minorities. This involved hand-on DNA fruit extraction, a novel cancer discovery game and practicing micropipetting. We will also be introducing a new event this year based around the theme of oscillators which will involve hands-on activities and modeling exercises. In the second part of the talk, I will briefly discuss a model game I have devised and use in my undergraduate systems biology modeling class

Dr Herbert Sauro is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle. His research has largely focused on developing modeling standards in systems biology and reproducibility of published models, novel modeling software, control theory applied to biochemical networks, and new modeling approaches to deal with the complexity and uncertainty we find in protein signaling networks. Originally from the UK, he received his PhD under David Fell and his postdoctoral experience with Henrik Kacser. He came to the US in 2000 as a visiting associate at Caltech to help initiate the development of SBML. He is currently director of the NIH reproducibility center. Last year he was elected a fellow of AIMBE and recently was awarded the UW College of Engineering Community of Innovator Awards. 

Link to ppt: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4lwu8ron7v2buux/IMAG_2019_K12.pptx?dl=0

Jeff Saucerman, University of Virginia (@sauce_lab)

Programming Cells: An integrated introduction to computer science and cell biology

I will introduce Programming Cells, a teaching module in which middle- to high-school level students learn computer science and cellular biology concepts by developing their own video games. Using the visual programming environment Scratch, students rapidly acquire experience with basic programming control structures and familiarity with neutrophils, bacteria, directed and random cell migration, and cell eating (phagocytosis). They are then encouraged to customize and share their projects with the Scratch community. It is envisioned that such modules will introduce computational modeling as an accessible tool that enables open-ended exploration of complex biological systems, much how it is used in research practice. [https://sites.google.com/view/programming-cells]

Dr. Jeff Saucerman is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia. He leads a research group in cardiac systems biology, focused on identifying and controlling the molecular networks involved in heart failure. He received a B.S. in Engineering Science from Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California San Diego with Dr. Andrew McCulloch, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Don Bers at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Saucerman has received a number of awards including an NSF CAREER Award, Fellow of the American Heart Association, Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award, and Pinn Scholar from the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Leyf Starling, Durham Academy
After earning a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Virginia, I have spent the past 16 years in K-12 engineering education as a teacher, administrator, academic director, and curriculum developer, during which time I also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education. Through each of my experiences, I have been able to share my passion for engineering with teachers and students of all ages, while making the math and science content accessible to K-12 students through engineering practices. I have taught middle and high school math and science in North Carolina public and private schools, and I have served as the Academic Director for the Middle School Summer Math Campand Middle School and High School Biosciences and Engineering Campsat Duke University. I also have extensive experience in engineering curriculum development as an original editor for the NSF-funded teachengineering.org, a peer-reviewed website for dissemination of engineering lessons and activities for K-12 teachers and students and a lead developer at the North Carolina School of Science and Math for four US Department of Education-funded Race to the Top courses on aerospace, automation, and security. I have served as a curriculum developer consultant for Michigan State's NSF-funded Research Experiences for Teachers program for the past five years. I also spent 2 years as the Program Coordinator at The Engineering Placeat North Carolina State University where I also taught an introduction to engineering course for freshman. Currently, I teach Upper School physics, robotics, and engineering at Durham Academy and I coach field hockey and our FIRST Robotics Competition team, the DARC SIDE. I am also entering my fifth summer as co-creator and Director of the NC STEM Camp for Students with Visual Impairments or Blindness. In each of my experiences, I strive to incorporate computation and modeling as ways to introduce students to engineering design and provide them with multisensory tools needed to fully engage with the learning process.

Interactive Discussion (please put your name before your comments):

Denise Kirschner, University of Michigan Medical School

What is the best age for kids starting to use SCRATCH?

*** (DK, SP-C, SB, JS) AFTER LUNCH DISCUSSION --WE SHOULD CREATE A WIKI CLEARING HOUSE for OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Andrew McCulloch, UC San Diego

For Leyf, In your experience are hands-on activities like FIRST effective at interesting girls in Engineering careers. Only 15% of Mechanical Engineering BS graduates are female, compared with 45% for Bioengineering.

Andrew McCulloch, UC San Diego

For Herb Sauro and others interested in teaching Python to middle and high schoolers, there are several good books targeted to children. I found this book written by a father and son was a great way to get my kids into Python programming in middle school: Hello World: Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners Second Edition by Warren Sande and Carter Sande

Herbert: Thanks, that sounds useful to look at.

Raj Vadigepalli, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

Strongly support the use of Scratch (also consider Code.org). I have been doing this with first and second graders, and it is quite amazing how a "event-driven" approach of thinking about processes (and 'models') can be understood that early in development.

I find that using "Students as computers" where they are decoding and "running" the programs to enact the model gives them a physical feel that helps them come up with complex "algorithms". Gamification when used in combination of physical and cyber is rather powerful.