dr. barbara hetrick, dean college of arts and sciences
TRANSCRIPT
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:
THE COLLEGE’S PROGRESS IN
THE STEM AREAS
Dr. Barbara Hetrick, Dean
College of Arts and Sciences
Presentation Outline
What is STEM? Challenges of STEM Education STEM Progress in COAS
Coastal Biology Flagship Program STEM Progress in CCEC
Coastal Engineering Program Joint Activities between CCEC and COAS Questions
WHY STEM?
• Can no longer count on agriculture, tourism and real estate to provide economic foundation for Florida• Need knowledge- and technology-based economy
• 9 out of 10 of highest paying fields are STEM• Workforce shortage for STEM fields
Challenges for STEM Education
1. Eroding interest in science and math
• National Science Board – U.S. now 17th in proportion of college students majoring in science, though in 1970 U.S. ranked 3rd.
• 1970 – U.S. graduated over half of world’s science and engineering doctorates, now closer to 15%
• 2007 Newsweek article: “Americans don’t do science anymore”
○ In 9th grade girls show same interest in science and math as boys, but…
Women are 46% of workforce, but only 23% of science and technology workforce. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are 24% of workforce, but only 7% of science and
technology workforce.
• Less than 25% of students attending SUS schools are in STEM fields
2. Student Preparation in STEM
More than half of students entering community colleges require remediation
Students in Florida perform below students in many other states in science and math
Test scores may be rising, as are the number of hours of advanced credit students enter college with, but basic skills are still lacking.
2006 50% of UNF students transferred in 13 hours of Gen. Ed. credit2010 65% of UNF students transferred in 16 hours (now 19 hrs)
Though Calculus 1 is the gateway course for STEM fields, last fall 1500 seats
were taken in preparatory classes and only 180 in Calculus 1.
What are we doing about it? Outreach to local schools
Mayport Middle School Physics Internship Pace School Chemistry Outreach Math Camp Joe Berg Society
Student Retention Moving students into the colleges as soon as possible First-year Seminars/Venture Studies
Post-enrollment skills development 21st Century Education (see handouts)
○ UNF Reads UNF Writes○ Math Boot Camp Portfolio Project
Providing the best programs possible for majors Undergraduate Research programs Strong Departments/ Strong Majors
Science and Math at UNF
% of Student Credit Hours Delivered by COAS
1999 2011
Math 13.1 11.6
Biology 7.3 8.5
Chemistry 4.3 3.9
Physics 3.2 4.1
Total 27.9 28.1
Department of Mathematics/Statistics
1999-2004 2005-2010
Average per yearStudent Credit Hours 22,283 27,835
Number of Majors 65 111
Tenure Track Faculty 19 23
Innovations: Math Boot Camp Math Emporium
Timeline for Major Changes in Sciences
Department of
Natural Sciences
Department of Biology
Department of Chemistry and Physics
Department of Chemistry
Department of Physics
Pre-2001 2003 2009
Department of Physics
1999-2004 2005-2010
Total Publications 25 54
Total External Funds $558,086 $6,265,651
Average per yearExternal Funding $93K $1.04M
Student Credit Hours 5884 8609
# Majors 12 33
Tenure Track Faculty 5 6
UNF Physics Graduates Graduate Schools Attended: Stanford University, Ohio State University, University of California Berkeley, University of South Florida, Cologne University in Germany, University of Florida, Auburn University, Florida State University, University of California Davis, Mayo Clinic Medical School, Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo
Physics Graduates Private Industry: National
Laboratories: Halliburton Los Alamos General Electric NASA Blue Cross Lockheed Martin
Military: U.S. Navy, Marines, Air Force
Chemistry Department Prior to 2009
Considerable difficulty hiringMore instructors than tenure track facultyModest research output
Since 2009External chair hiredFive new tenure track faculty hiredResearch infrastructure strengthened,
proposals submitted
Department of Biology 2001 – 2002
9 tenure track faculty8 Instructors
B.S. w/ 73 degrees
awarded
No graduate program
5 Grants & Contracts =$339K
2010-201118 tenure track faculty6 Instructors
B.S. w/134 degrees awarded
MA and MS w/ 9 degrees
18 Grants & Contracts
= $1.2M
Department of Biology
1999-2004 2005-2010
Average per yearStudent Credit Hours 13,071 19,074
# Majors 272 467
Major Changes
2006 - Flagship Awarded in Coastal Biology
2010 - GTM partnership
2012 - New Medical Lab Sciences community partnership
- New Biology Building
Biology FacilitiesBuildings 1, 3, 4, 9 & Golf Annex New Biology Building
Department of Biology
Where do UNF Graduates go to Medical School?
Emory University School of Medicine
Florida State University
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Meharry Medical College
Rush Medical College
Stanford University School of Medicine
University of Miami School of Medicine
University of Florida
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
University of South Florida College of Medicine
University of Utah School of Medicine
UNF Students accepted into MD and DO Schools
Where do UNF Graduates go to Medical School?
Emory University School of Medicine
Florida State University
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Meharry Medical College
Rush Medical College
Stanford University School of Medicine
University of Miami School of Medicine
University of Florida
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
University of South Florida College of Medicine
University of Utah School of Medicine
Biology Facilities
Buildings 1, 3, 4, 9 & Golf Annex
New Biology BuildingSeawater SystemTwo Aquatic laboratoriesGreenhouse
Coastal Biology Resources
Vessels & Equipment Vehicles
Coastal Biology Flagship Program2006-2010 Five tenure-track faculty added plus three
research scientists who specialize in Coastal subjects including: Marine Mammal BiologyCoastal WetlandsSeagrassesShark BiologyMarine FisheriesMarine mammal BehaviorToxicology in the Marine EnvironmentFish Ecology
Program Development Two tracks within the Biology B.S. program. Summer course on Teaching Coastal
Biology Summer course for middle school students
at Mayport Middle School Member of the Florida Institute of
Oceanography Development of monitoring program at
nearby Guana-Tolomata-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM-NERR).
UNF/GTM-NERR ProgramEducation & Research
Dr. Matt Kimball –GTM Research Coordinator
Dr. Matt Kimball – Assistant Professor and GTM-NERR
Research Coordinator
Student Accomplishments 55 graduate and undergraduate students have received funding
to attend scientific meetings and present their research. Many have progressed to jobs or graduate school including. Ralph Perkerson, M.S. 2009 is in the Dept. of Integrative Biology, Ph.D.
program in at Univ. South Florida. Kelly Flynn, M.S. 2009, teacher in the Port Angeles school system, WA. Katya Shuster-Barber , M.S. 2009 is in the Ph.D. program at the
University of Florida. Diana Silva, M.S. 2010, works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mark Henke, M.S. 2010 is in the Ph.D. program in Marine Biology at
UNC-Wilmington. Christy Foust, M.S. 2010 is in the Dept. of Integrative Biology, Ph.D.
program in at Univ. South Florida. Curtis Burkholder, M.S. 2010, is in the Ph.D. program, Rutgers Univ. Christina Walker, M.S. 2011 is employed at the Whitney Lab for Marine
Bioscience.
Community Outreach
Sponsored a Sea Level Rise Workshop for state and local agency personnel.
Host an evening lecture series for the public featuring prominent coastal scientists.
Offer speakers for interested public groups.
Host school groups on campus. Hosted meetings for state and national
scientific societies.
Noteworthy Coastal Research Analysis of diet needs of commercial
shrimp Survey of shark pupping and nursery in
NE Florida waters. Reproductive Biology of Blacknose
Sharks Sawfish research Gene flow among shark populations Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Research
FUTURE? New facilities on campus greatly expand both
teaching and research capability. GTM-NERR/UNF Partnership could potentially
provide on-the-water lab and research facilities. Florida Institute of Oceanography has proposed
a oceanographic vessel for the East Coast which would allow expansion of our capability and faculty.
Potential synergy between the Taylor Coastal Engineering Institute and the Coastal Biology Program.