A team of five faculty members in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology have been awarded a 2019 Presidential Chair Fellows Curriculum Enrichment Grant by the UC Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning. As Presidential Chair Fellows (PCF), professors Steven Brenner, Arash Komeili, Kathleen Ryan, Michi Taga, and Matt Traxler will create a comprehensive revision of the undergraduate curriculum for microbial biology majors. Their project will redesign three core microbiology courses around discovery experiences and active learning methods.
The PCF grant provides funding for a team of two or more UC Berkeley faculty members to develop, improve, transform, and examine core areas of the undergraduate curriculum. The grant seeks to provide opportunities for faculty members to engage in a systematic, forward-looking curriculum project to enhance and transform UC Berkeley's undergraduate experience.
According to Ryan, the team is eager to develop an updated, interconnected curriculum for the core microbial biology courses. “The new curriculum will give students more opportunities to develop the research, critical thinking, and communication skills needed for scientific literacy and success in a wide variety of careers,” she said.
Learn more about the award on the Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning website.