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Demand leads to creation of new LAS major
- Demand has exploded in recent years for individuals trained in bioinformatics and computational biology as huge amounts of data have been created through the advances of genome sequencing. The number of trained individuals entering the job market in both the public and private sectors, however, hasn't come close to meeting the demand.
A new B.S. program in bioinformatics and computational biology (BCB) offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will attempt to meet some of that demand.
The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approved the new major this summer. The program, which will begin this fall, will be administered jointly by the Departments of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology; Computer Science; and Mathematics.
Iowa State currently offers a graduate degree in bioinformatics and computational biology, an interdisciplinary science at the interfaces of the biological, informational and computational sciences. The science focuses on a variety of topics including gene identification, expression and evolution; RNA, protein, and genome structure; and molecular and cellular systems and networks.
Stephen Willson, professor of mathematics and chair of the BCB Curriculum Committee, said that in the past, students usually didn't study all the subjects, which were needed for the graduate degree. Instead, they would study biology and then tried to learn the mathematics, computer science and statistics separately.
"We think it is easier for students to learn about computational sciences and biology at the same time instead of training a biologist to become a computational scientist," said Martin Spalding, professor and chair of the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology. The way people in these areas talk, and think, is very different.
"It's going to be a lot easier to learn two disciplines together instead of being retrained."
The three LAS academic departments involved in the new major have discussed creating the program in the past. The success of Iowa State's graduate program in BCB led naturally to the idea of establishing an undergraduate program as well.
"Very few of our (biology, genetics, mathematics, computer science or statistics) undergraduates who were graduating were qualified for our graduate program," Spalding said. "That will change once we have students graduating with the new major."
Like its graduate counterpart, the new B.S. in bioinformatics and computational biology is one of the few in the country. The three academic departments anticipate the major will attract students nationwide.
"Iowa State has a tremendous reputation in bioinformatics and computational biology," Spalding said. "This major will continue to attract students because of that reputation."
Student demand has also been on the increase and organizers anticipate between 100-150 majors will be enrolled in the program within five years.
Students enrolling in the program will take required coursework that will provide them with the foundation in basic life sciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, chemistry and physics that is essential for professions involving modern biological and
biomedical sciences.
Willson says students will develop skills in problem solving, critical thinking, writing, and research-related activities in the biological sciences.
Graduates of the program will be trained to solve biological problems using techniques that include applied math, informatics, statistics, computer science, chemistry, artificial intelligence and biochemistry.
New major updates
Criminal Justice
In just its second year, the LAS interdisciplinary studies major in criminal justice now has over 300 majors.
Software Engineering
The Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are jointly offering a new major in software engineering beginning this fall. Over 100 students have declared software engineering as their major.
Business Economics
Beginning this fall, the Department of Economics, in conjunction with the College of Business, will offer a new undergraduate major in business economics. The major was created due to the strong demand for graduates with a balanced set of skills in both business and economics. This is the first major at Iowa State that links these two disciplines.
Around LAS
August 20 to September 2, 2007
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