SMALL WORLD INITIATIVE: CROWDSOURCING ANTIBIOTIC DISCOVERY

NEWSLETTER Replace standard laboratory courses with discovery-based

research courses - PCAST, Engage to Excel Report

WHO WE ARE

HAPPENINGS

Small World Initiative in the Spotlight

Upcoming Presentations:

October 5, 2013 in Oklahoma City

September, 2013 at Clark College

November, 2013 at CCURI

May 2014 at ASMCUE

Tiffany Tsang presented at the Oklahoma Association for Community Colleges

Ryan Kustusch presented at the Clark College Board of Trustee’s meeting

Tiffany Tsang will present at the Regional Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative Meeting

Jo Handelsman HHMI Professor MCDB Yale University

Tiffany Tsang Postdoctoral Associate MCDB Yale University

Carol Bascom-Slack Lecturer MCDB Yale University

Simon A Hernandez Postbaccalaureate MCDB Yale University

Jenny Frederick Director CST Yale University

The Small World Initiative is an innovative undergraduate research collaborative that presents a unique combination of science education, scientific research, and science diplomacy. Using authentic scientific research as a driver, this initiative focuses on addressing a worldwide health threat, the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. Students will contribute to discovering new antibiotics from soil bacteria in their local environment. The research course will provide the venue for the investigation of biological and chemical soil diversity. It will also be a platform from which to teach a number of different biological concepts in the context of four distinct introductory courses. The goal of this project is to increase retention in college, inspire students to pursue science, and train future scientists.

Todd Kelson presented to his Biology Department at BYU-Idaho.

October, 2013 at BYU-Idaho

Gillian Phillips Research Associate Chemistry Yale University

Four Pilot Partners will present at the ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators

2

PILOT TRAINING WORKSHOP

The Challenge:

• Build 4 distinct introductory courses: o Cell and molecular biology o Lab for non-science majors o Lab for science majors o Microbiology lab

Training Products

• Refined lab manual, protocols, and instructor guidebook

• Drafts of syllabi including biological content learning objectives, content topics, and assessments

• Evaluation plan for all pilot partners to implement

“Fantastic!!! Best workshop/conference/training I have

ever been too. I will push this to whomever and whenever I can”

- Small World Initiative Pilot Partner

26 PILOT PARTNERS:

Institution Name Baylor University Diane Hartman Benedictine University Monica Tischler Bethel University Paula Soneral Brigham Young University-Idaho Todd Kelson Chadron State College Ann Buchmann Clark College Ryan Kustusch Colorado State University Erica Suchman Drexel University Shivanthi Anandan Eastern Connecticut State University Barb Murdoch Florida Southern College Brittany Gasper Gaston College Cliff Grimsley National University Ana Maria Barral North Carolina State University Alice Lee North Dakota State University Angela Hodgson North Hennepin Community College Craig Longtine Seton Hill University Kristen Butela State College of Florida Eric Warrick Tulsa Community College Neil Enis University of Connecticut Mustafa Morsy University of Hawaii at Manoa Karen Pelletreau University of Pittsburgh Sachie Etherington University of Texas at San Antonio Jean Schmidt University of West Alabama Janakiram Seshu Washington State University Consetta Helmick Worcester Polytechnic Institute Michael Buckholt Yale University Tiffany Tsang

FUTURE PLANS

For more information, contact:

Tiffany Tsang – tiffany.tsang@yale.edu or 203-432-5684

WE WANT YOU! HOW TO GET INVOLVED

“I am extremely interested in this initiative

and the potential for engaging students in

REAL scientific explorations”

- Interested ASM member

• The Small World Initiative is expanding to the international partners.

o Training for International Partners will happen by next spring

• The Small World Initiative website will feature: o Teaching materials o Scientific materials o Scientific data repository o Social media and networking capabilities

Look for smallworldinitiative.org website soon!

PILOTING THE PILOT

FUNDING

YALE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF

THE PROVOST THOMAS L. KEMPNER, JR. THE BENET FUND

TEACH THE COURSE

JOIN OUR SCIENTIFIC NETWORK

• Join our full launch during Fall 2014 semester • Final teaching materials such as Laboratory Manual and

Instructor Guidebook will be ready June 2014

• Adopt the antibiotic discovery research project in your research course

• We have scientific materials such as protocols and suggested research methods available

• Contribute scientific data to crowdsource discoveries

VOLUNTEER

• Edit teaching materials • Provide research protocols • Develop outreach models

• Brittany Gasper and Eric Warrick are piloting the Pilot at Florida Southern College o They isolated unique

organisms from salt and marsh environments

o The students found over 20 antibiotic producing bacteria

• Monica Tischler at Benedictine University is also running a pilot of the Pilot o She is teaching 80 students o She has generated creative

solutions for research project