RCN-UBE: Community of Neighboring and National Entrepreneurial Centers and Trainees (CONNECT) Network

This project aims to create a vibrant and diverse network of bioscience educators and students called the "Community of Neighboring and National Entrepreneurial Centers and Trainees (CONNECT)" network. Guided by innovators, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders, this network will integrate an entrepreneurial mindset into undergraduate biology courses. A key focus is on including women and entrepreneurs of color, who remain underrepresented in entrepreneurship within the biosciences, despite achieving parity in science and engineering bachelor's degrees. In particular, the network addresses four common barriers disproportionately experienced by these groups: access to capital, racial and gender biases, mentorship opportunities, and opportunities for networking. The goal is to create a strong, inclusive network that supports training future bioscientists to understand how to turn their scientific discoveries into large-scale solutions for society. The CONNECT network is strongly committed to empowering students, particularly those from groups commonly marginalized in science or business, in leadership roles and will prioritize the involvement of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), ensuring that this focus on inclusion is embedded within the network's institutional framework. The project will achieve the following objectives: (1) expand the existing network of biology faculty to include student collaborators who will share expectations, experiences, and best practices in bioscience entrepreneurship; (2) establish local CONNECT hubs at each member campus to enhance professional development opportunities for both faculty and students and increase their interactions with biotechnology industry partners, with a particular emphasis on inclusive activities; and (3) organize and host quarterly virtual network meetings and an annual in-person CONNECT-ED conference. This initiative aims to create leaders in the field of biosciences entrepreneurship by actively promoting the participation of underrepresented groups in biology. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange/finalreport/). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.