2022 cycle

https://calstatela.curriculog.com/proposal:10331/form

Fit with the Institutional Mission / Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO)

The  program  aligns well with Cal State LA’s mission. The program cultivates and amplifies program students’ unique talents, diverse educational and life experiences, and intellect through teaching and learning involving extensive guest lectures from and interactions with biotechnology professionals. Additionally, all program students are required to enroll in a biotechnology applications laboratory course which exposes students to modern biotechnology concepts and practices. Moreover, the program helps place students in industrial internships for experiential learning to facilitate their career development, supporting “their overall success, well-being, and the greater good.”

The program intimately aligns with the key initiatives, “Increase and strengthen community outreach partnerships,” and “Foster a thriving and progressive region through meaningful collaborative partnerships among and within the University, alumni, and communities of the greater Los Angeles area” within the Strategic Priority Area: Engagement, Service, and the Public Good. An integral component of the proposed program requires students to perform internships at biotechnology firms within the communities in Los Angeles. Because of this requirement, the program has established and is continuing to establish internship partnerships with biotechnology firms. Our students not only gain valuable experiential learning but also serve as ambassadors of Cal State LA, contributing to the advances of internship partner organizations and economic development of the region.

The program aligns well with the key initiative, “Realize the promise of diversity and inclusive excellence across the University,” within the Strategic Priority Area: Welcoming and Inclusive Campus. The proposed program emphasizes diversity and inclusion in outreach, review, and selection processes to ensure our students represent the demographics of the State of California and to nurture “a welcoming and inclusive campus where students, faculty, and staff thrive and community is honored and cultivated.”

The program aligns well with the key initiatives, “Ensure a rigorous, challenging, and high-quality education for all students,” and “Strengthen transition-to-career support services, including increasing internship and mentoring opportunities” within the Strategic Priority Area: Student Success. The proposed program was recently revamped leveraging grant funding from the Department of Education. The modifications were made to address changing biotechnology industry needs as well as to ensure “a rigorous, challenging, and high-quality education for all students” of the program. The inclusion of a required internship component aligns explicitly with the initiative to strengthen transition-to-career support services and programming.

The program aligns well with the key initiatives, “Build academic programs that transcend disciplinary boundaries,” and “Promote engaged teaching and learning” within the Strategic Priority Area: Academic Distinction. The proposed program is interdisciplinary because biotechnology integrates biology, microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, bioengineering, bioinformatics, finance, and business entrepreneurship. The proposed program promotes engaged teaching and learning by providing ample opportunities for interactions between students and biotechnology practitioners, and subject matter experts, both in the classroom setting and in real life during industry internships.

Because Cal State LA is home to a biotechnology business incubator, LA BioSpace, which began its operation serving startup companies from the Los Angeles region, the proposed program is a campus priority as well as a priority for the Department of Biological Sciences and the College of Natural and Social Sciences. Several students from the program are working for a biotechnology startup located within LA BioSpace. Additionally, several biotechnology startups have established collaborative relationships with faculty within the Department of Biological Sciences. We anticipate the expansion of such research collaborations between scientists and faculty/students at Cal State LA.

 Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)