Bioinformatics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Students for the Modern Research Workforce

This project aims to serve the national interest through the creation of a research module for biology curricula that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and bioinformatics, the use of computational tools to analyze biological data. The significance of this work lies in the preparation of biology students for a research workforce in which the use of computational tools and AI is increasingly important. In order to develop students’ confidence and competence for using AI and bioinformatics, this Level 1 Engaged Student Learning project plans to develop, implement and evaluate this research experience in a network of small liberal arts colleges. The project will use a novel questionnaire to evaluate how the module impacts students’ confidence in using AI tools. Broader impacts include publicly available instructional materials for the module, biology faculty development, and preparation of students for the STEM workforce. This project’s goals are to (1) develop a novel AI confidence questionnaire, (2) develop, implement, and evaluate a bioinformatics-driven, AI-infused course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), and (3) prepare faculty at small liberal arts colleges to implement the CURE at their institutions. The scope of this work includes the creation of instructional materials for the CURE and associated faculty development workshop and studying how implementation of these materials impacts four variables: (1) student learning, (2) AI literacy, (3) confidence in using AI and bioinformatics tools, and (4) interest in bioinformatics. The project will use pre- and post-questionnaires for both student and faculty participants to establish baseline for the four variables and the effect of participating in or instructing the CURE, for students and faculty, respectively. In addition, the project will use faculty interviews to advance understanding of potential barriers to implementation of the CURE. The findings of this project will inform best practices for development of AI literacy and bioinformatics skills in biology undergraduates, and will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and open educational resources. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. 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.