CSBB part 2: developing answers

Q2 Block - 15 ECs:

The second half of the Minor will be developing and beginning a research plan or developing a tool/technique/algorithm that can be used to address one or more aspects or solutions to the problem. This second half of the Minor requires a student who has participated in the first half. Education will be a mix of lectures, student-organized events, interviews, workshops, groupwork and self-study.

The ECs listed is a guide to workload, not separate courses.

Communication (~2 ECs):

A series of workshops will be given by experts about how to write grant proposals, grant applications, what the institutional review process is, how to present data analysis and visualize it. Students will also practice these skills in weekly symposiums, and in developing final products.

Collaboration (~2 ECs):

There will be workshops on how to detect and correct group mistakes, data management, reproducibility. They will also further develop skills by doing active collaboration in developing and doing a project.

(Lab) Research (~9 ECs):

While the first part of the Minor involves studying the problems raised by the main overarching topic, this second part will delve into researching and finding solutions to these problems. The structure will be similar to the first part. Students will spend most of their time in labs/groups doing research about how to solve the biomedical problems raised during the first part. Students will be responsible for arranging lab opportunities (though we'll help)

Workshops include: lab budgets, sustainability in the lab, lab safety, ethics (data privacy storage, integrity), how to use available repositories.

Reflection (~2 ECs):

The self-reflection skills development will continue in this second part of the Minor but particularly focused on being reflective about the science students are doing. This is core to developing as an ethical scientist. At the end of this block, students will self-reflect on the entire process of this transdisciplinary experience and the Minor. Students will have to write a reflective journal. Topics for workshops and lectures include unconscious bias, critical thinking, troubleshooting.

There will be formal formative feedback in week 2.5 based on meeting with supervisor, and informal formative feedback throughout.

Final grade will consist of:

20% Report -- Results paper in the form of a scientific paper - week 2.10 - GROUP grade

20% Oral exam with supervisor -- focus on content, includes process as well, interview / oral exam on the results paper - week 2.10 - INDIVIDUAL grade

20% Participation -- during weekly symposiums, - throughout all weeks - INDIVIDUAL grade

20% Oral presentation to public / stakeholders - week 2.10 - GROUP grade

20% Critical thinking portfolio -- on reaching the learning goals, reflective questions related to lectures and workshops, etc - throughout all weeks - INDIVIDUAL grade

Peer feedback on contributions to group work will modify the group grades to achieve individual grades.

Because of the nature of the assessments there are no resits.

Students needing to turn work in late due to personal circumstances must contact the Academic Counsellor prior to turning it in to make arrangements. Other late work might not be graded.