Building Strategic Faculty-Industry Engagement to Advance BioScience Workforce Development

This project aims to enhance bioscience workforce development in California by creating a statewide Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) using the proven Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. Building on existing partnerships and faculty connections, the initiative fosters collaboration between bioscience industry experts and faculty leaders to align educational curricula with current industry needs and emerging technologies. It also addresses the national demand for a highly skilled bioscience workforce. A key innovation lies in scaling the local BILT model to a statewide level, with the potential to transform workforce development both in California and nationally. Anticipated outcomes include more relevant curricula, deeper faculty-industry engagement, and a stronger, more responsive bioscience talent pathway. The project has two primary goals: (1) Establish a Statewide Industry Advisory Committee using the BILT model for the California Bioscience Workforce Development Hub, and (2) Facilitate an annual in-person BILT Faculty Meeting and Retreat. The scope includes developing a structured, engaging platform for industry and faculty to collaboratively assess and update the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed in the bioscience sector. The methodology features annual KSA assessments, faculty-led curriculum development, and broad dissemination through InnovATEBIO. The project evaluation centers on ongoing assessments of industry needs and curriculum effectiveness. Results will be shared with bioscience faculty across California and nationally. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. 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.