title: Non-STEM undergraduates become enthusiastic phage-hunters.
abstract: To increase science literacy and appreciation among nonscience majors, we offered a course in which 20 non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) undergraduates participated in a unique, two-semester research experience. Each student isolated and characterized his or her own bacteriophage from soil samples. One bacteriophage was selected for sequencing and together, the class annotated the genome of the newly sequenced bacteriophage. The class produced a group poster and gave PowerPoint presentations, and one student presented the joint work at a science symposium.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. scaruso@umbc.edu
authors: Steven M
authors: SM
authors: Caruso
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Sandoz
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Kelsey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000193:education*; D019295:Computational Biology; D057225:Data Mining; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009160:Mycobacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012106:Research / Q000193:education*