Bridging the Gap in STEM Education
Dr. Richard Norris Dr. Scott Gevaert
STEMtech Conference 2013 Monday October 28, 2013
Mission Statement
St. Louis Community
College expands minds and
changes lives every day.
We create accessible,
dynamic learning
environments focused on
the needs of our diverse
communities.
Florissant Valley campus
South County Education and University Center
About the College
• Largest community college
system in Missouri
• Ranks among the nation’s top
25 associate degree-
producing institutions
• District encompasses 718
square miles, including St.
Louis City and County and
portions of Franklin and
Jefferson counties
STLCC is one of the nation’s top associate degree-producing institutions in the
country.
About the College • Four campuses at Florissant Valley,
Forest Park, Meramec and Wildwood
• Three education centers in St. Louis
County, north St. Louis City and
downtown St. Louis
• Numerous satellite locations in area
business, industrial, neighborhood
and educational sites
• Corporate College in Bridgeton
• Administrative Center, 300 South
Broadway
• 3,854 full- and part-time employees
Forest Park campus Meramec campus
Wildwood campus
Florissant Valley’s Emerson Center for
Engineering and Manufacturing
St. Louis Ranked #1 in Tech Job Growth
St. Louis was highlighted in CNN Money as having the biggest
year-over-year growth in technology jobs, increasing 25 percent
and ranking as the fastest-growing city for technology jobs in the
country. Data came from a report of the tech jobs website Dice.com
BioSTL News Update April 10, 2013
CHICAGO • In one of the biggest corporate expansions
the St. Louis region has seen in years, Monsanto said
Tuesday that it would add 675 jobs and invest more than
$400 million at its research facility in Chesterfield.
The plant science giant will add laboratories,
greenhouses and plant growth chambers over the next
three years at its Chesterfield Village Research Center,
and plans to hire hundreds of scientists to help it
develop new plant and seed technologies.
Monsanto Announces Major Expansion
Life Science Lab Assistant Program
St. Louis Community College
• Certificate of Specialization • Developed in 2011
- NSF Synergy Project dissemination - City College of San Francisco’s “Bridge to Biotech”
Part of Bio-Link Consortium
Life Science Lab Assistant Program
Life Science Lab Assistant Program • Designed to bridge a gap in STEM education • Combines developmental education with
college-level courses • Provide educational and career support • Bridge into Biotechnology • Learning Community
Bridge to STEM-Life Science @ STLCC-FV STLCC WCD Training for Tomorrow Grant
NSF SYNERGY/ City College San Francisco Project
Entryway for students without any
scientific background WorkKeys and COMPASS assessment for selection
Existing entryways to the
Biotechnology Program
CS Life Science Laboratory Assistant (19 cr hr)
AAS
Biotechnolog
y
CS Biotechnology (For students with
advanced science
training or degrees)
Entry-level lab assistant jobs
Research-level lab technician & technologist careers
Research-
level lab
technician &
technologist
careers
Key
Existing courses & degrees
New course and Certificate
Contextualized Courses
GE:101 Technical Computer
Applications Lecture 3 cr hr
BIO:104
Basic Laboratory Methods
Lecture/Lab 3 cr hr
BIO:100 Intro to
Life Science Lab Skills
Lab 3 cr hr
Required Tutoring on Monday-Thursday
Required Enrichment, Networking, Career Readiness Activities on Fridays
Introduction to College Reading Lecture 3 cr hr
Introductory Biology I
Lecture/Lab 4 cr hr
Elementary Algebra Lecture 3 cr hr
MTH: 030 BIO:111 RDG:030
v
B R I D G E
Other STEM
STEM Careers
First 8 weeks: Bridge Second 8 weeks: Earn Cert of Specialization
New Curriculum 25 Credit Hours
First Semester
• Smart Start for College Success
• Introduction to College Reading
• Elementary Algebra
• Introduction to Biology – Lecture & Lab
• Students can test out of the developmental coursework – COMPASS Placement Test
– Smart start, reading, math
• Current cohort of students only needs Introductory Biology
• One-on-one tutoring offered, four days per week
New Curriculum 25 Credit Hours
Second Semester Courses
• Basic Laboratory Methods – Lecture & Lab
• Life Science Lab Skills – Lab only
• Technical Computer Applications – Microsoft Office
• Intermediate Algebra
• Tutoring twice per week
Learning Community
• All students attend classes together
– Maximum class size of 16
– Considerable peer-to-peer learning
• Tutoring with AAS Biotechnology students
• Enrichment and Professional Development
– Resume building
– Cover letter writing
– Networking with local biotech companies
Learning Community Improves Developmental Education Success
• Preliminary data indicates that student retention and performance is better
• Generally,
– Fewer students withdraw
– More students earn a C or better (required to earn certificate)
• Following graphs compare district-wide performance to students in the LSLA program
Learning Community Improves Developmental Education Success
60.30%
66.90% 62.60%
90.00% 85.71%
50%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013
Percent of Students with a C or Better
District
LSLA
Elementary Algebra (MTH:030)
Learning Community Improves Developmental Education Success
65.10% 72.10%
65.90%
83.33% 85.71%
100%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013
Percent of Students with a C or Better
District
LSLA
Intro to College Reading (RDG:030)
Learning Community Improves Intro Biology Performance
76.40% 77.90% 75.30%
100%
92.86%
100%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013
Percent of Students with a C or Better
District
LSLA
Technical Skills Assessment • End of Program Assessment
– Required by Missouri Dept. of Education
• Presentation, evaluation of lab notebook, evaluation of resumé
• Panel of 3 members of biotech industry • Alignment with industry standards
• Questions from presentations and lab notebooks
• Complete rubric of competencies
Technical Skills Assessment
• Students are well-prepared
– Frequently perform the procedure to be presented
– Construct presentation in their computer class
– Critique from classmates and instructors
• Possible topics are skills procedures learned in the program
– DNA Extraction
– Polymerase Chain Reaction
– UV/Visible Spectrophotometry
• Must earn a 70% or higher
Technical Skills Assessment
Technical Skills Assessment • Spring 2012
– 6 TSA’s, 5 Graduates
• Fall 2012
– 10 TSA’s, 10 Graduates
• Spring 2013
– 5 TSA’s, 5 Graduates
• Increase in TSA scores from the first cohort
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013
TSA Score (Mean ± 1 S.E.)
82.0 ± 3.4 92.8 ± 1.5 91.2 ± 2.4
Professional Development
• Resume and cover letter writing
– Industry expert from Kelly Scientific
• Practice job interviews
• Lab tours and presentations
– Monsanto, Danforth Plant Science Center
– Opportunity for networking
• Assistance with placement after graduation • Kelly Scientific, Aerotek
After Graduation
20 Graduates
• Spring 2012 = 5
• Fall 2012 = 10
• Spring 2013 = 5
7
1
5
3
4
Education Only
Work in Science
Work & Education
Volunteer in Science
Unknown
Fields of Education
1
1
3
1
4
1
1
General Admission
Certificate of Phelbotamy
AA General TransferStudies
AA Nursing
AAS Biotechnology
AA Life Sciences
BA Biology
Bridge to Biotechnology
• Originally designed to Bridge into Associate’s (AAS) in Biotechnology
– Two LSLA courses are required in Biotechnology:
• Basic Lab Methods
• Technical Computer Skills
– Intermediate Algebra pre-requisite for required College Algebra
– More students transitioning to AAS Biotechnology
Bridging More Gaps with the Center for Plant and Life Sciences
and
BioBench Contract Research Organization (CRO)
The Center for Plant and Life Sciences
• Second Battelle Study (2005): “… enable STLCC to expand their biotechnology offerings…[by providing] lab space for the college in the new multi-tenant building being constructed…”
• STLCC established the CPLS in May 2006
Moving to the Next Level: Accelerating St. Louis’ Plant and Life Science
Economy St. Louis plant and life science strategy update and action plan;
Battelle Technology Partnership Practice; January 2005
CPLS Purpose •Create a district Center of Excellence supportive of plant and life sciences
•Build strategic relationships with plant and life science industry partners
•Support the efforts of related programs
•Assist expansion of programs with grants
•Provide K-12 educational activities
Funding for CPLS at BRDG Park
• CPLS formed strategic alliances with the Danforth Center and Wexford Scientific
• External funding made this possible:
Federal earmark NASA grants $1,100,000 State Tax Credits 500,000
National Science Foundation 679,487
MO Lewis and Clark Fund 500,000
Dept. of Ed. Grant 213,000
Monsanto Fund 250,000
$3,242,487
STLCC’s Commitment at BRDG Park
• A 15 year lease • 10,500 square feet of first floor • start date October 2009
• Legal contracts with start-up businesses within BRDG Park to provide:
• Laboratory space • Use of laboratory equipment • STLCC Program interns as laboratory technicians
BRDG Park Location: The Key to CPLS Success
• Centrally located in the region
• Supports multiple district programs • Internships for Biotech, Horticulture & Engineering
• 18 companies at BRDG Park enrich student learning
• Other buildings will bring even more opportunities
What’s Happening at the Center? • Can be very busy around here!
CPLS: K-12 Outreach 2008-2013 • Summer Teacher Workshops: 5 (77)* • Middle School Life Science camps: 4 (74)* • High School Life Science camps: 4 (62)* • Day-long K-12 Fieldtrip activities: 57 (792)* Total On-Site Outreach Activities: 70 Total Headcount: 1005
*number of events (participants)
CPLS: Mobile Tech Center Community Outreach 2012-2013
• Community Events 3 (Career and county fairs; Girl Scouts; Navy Family Day)
• Regional School Districts 33 Total Outreach Activities: 36 Total Headcount: >3500
CPLS AY 2013: Teeming Academics
Biotechnology: 13 classes Bridge to STEM-Life Science: 10 classes STLCC Biology: 2 classes Total Headcount: 291 Total Student Credit Hours: 85
The Bio Bench
CPLS: The Bio Bench Contract Research Organization (CRO)
• Grant-funded (National Science Foundation, NASA)
• Interns: 32
• Collaborative companies: 16
• STLCC graduates/students hired: 19 (9/32 are finishing up program requirements)
Student Testimonials
Current Lab Use Agreements Agreements in place with
Vantage Links
Emergent Sensor Technologies
New Leaf Symbiotics
BioGlow
Other prospects
Protosystems
Helix Center
Phycal – Algae Company
• Provide Internships after convincing!
• 1 intern to start
• Currently 4 interns
• Some funding delays
– Continue with projects
– Minimized impact
New Leaf Symbiotics • 3 interns assigned initially
– Biotechnology
– Horticulture
• Great experience
– Deadlines and their importance
– Data
• Proper collection
• documentation
Steve Kahn Testimonial
CPLS at BRDG Park Economic Impact STLCC Cost Commitment to date versus Market Value of Research Companies
Notes:
STLCC Investment is the sum of lease payments and utilities expense since October 2009.
Market Value of Research was derived from discussions with companies doing work at the BRDG Park Facility
CPLS at BRDG Park: Sustainability
STLCC must leverage its success in strategic alliances
• Capital campaign needed to sustain this jewel of innovation
• Endowments
• Grants
• Forge new strategic alliances with emerging companies
There are a number of pieces to the regional biotech picture
Educational
Outreach
Research
Workforce
Development
Economic
Development
Educational
Outreach
Internships
Strategic
Partners
STLCC Center for Plant and Life Sciences- Uniquely positioned to Bridge the Gaps!
STLCC CPLS Research
Workforce
Development
Internships Economic
Development
Educational
Outreach
Strategic
Partners
And bring everything together!
Laura Moore
Sequencing/General
Rachel DiDonato Tinsley
Former Intern-New Leaf
employee Nick Sweeney
Former Intern-New
Leaf employee
Alanna Etheridge
Assigned to Phycal
Justin Lee
Former Intern-New Leaf
employee
Alvin Johnson
Assigned to Phycal
Former Intern Beth Elam
STLCC employee
Thank You!