Commercial projects for final year bioscience students

Commercial projects for final year bioscience students Anne Tierney Mary Tatner

Commercial Projects for bioscience students Background zSmall

programme for biochemistry students

zOne

academic/ one company

zTwo

day informal introduction to business

2005 zGU

LTDF teaching development grant

zExpansion

of commercial projects

zInnovatively zOffered z2006

taught two-week introduction

to all disciplines

– AUL@W Partner

Business & the Biosciences Two week introduction to business zReplaces – Full

one 5-week option

time, five days a week

zRange

of teaching methods

– Lectures – Seminars – Enquiry-based

zDelivered

learning

by a range of staff

– Bioscience – Conference

Organiser

– Management – Research

& Enterprise – –

Binks, (2005)

Collet & Wyatt, (2005)

Business & the Biosciences Assessment zBusiness

plan (short term)

– Pitch

(oral presentation, group)

– Pitch

documentation (group)

– Reflective

zEvent – Plan

diary (individual)

Management (long term)

and execute an event (group)

– Event

documentation (group)

– Reflective

diary (individual)

zMarking – Marked

by staff

– Confidential,

online peer marking (cf. Level One Biology) –

Cogdell et al, (2004) –

Tierney, (2005)

Business & the Biociences

Class of 2007

Class of 2006

Class of 2008

The course is in its third year zEstablished –7

as part of FBLS final year curriculum

(6) in 2006 – 21 in 2008

– Former

students as mentors

– Sustainable

numbers vs personal experience

Business Pitches 2008

Events 2008

Commercial Projects FBLS Commercial Projects zAlternative –2

to lab or library-based projects

½ days per week

– Semester

1

zCommercial – Biotech – SMEs

contact

company

and larger organisations

– Regular

email contact (weekly)

zAcademic – Bioscience – Regular

contact staff (University Teachers)

contact (weekly)

– Maintain

relationship with commercial contact –

Gibb, (2005)

Commercial Projects Assessment zForward – GANTT

zOral – 15

Planning

chart by end of Week 2, Semester 1

Presentation

minutes (Week 1, Semester 2)

– Mixed

audience

• Academic supervisors • Commercial contacts • Commercial Project students

zReport – Detailed

report to commercial contact

– Academic

summary report to academic supervisor

– Completed

by Week 3, Semester 2

Commercial Projects This year’s projects zSETpoint

(Glasgow Science

Centre) – Science

– Competitor

communication

zBiosurveillence – Biosensors

zBiofilm

zPreclinical

(anti-terrorist devices)

thin film technology

– Pharmaceutical

applications

zBiocomposites – Non-sports

zMemory

Drug Discovery analysis

Clinic

– Epidemiological/GP

zMedical – Market

zDrug

survey

Devices

analysis

Research & Development

– Market

analysis

goods applications

Students (B&B and Commercial Projects) Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Microbiology, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, Parasitology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Physiology & Sports Science, Virology, Zoology

Students’ thoughts (1) I was a bit concerned at the beginning when Anne and Mary kept reinforcing the idea of PRESSURE, WORK, OUT OF COMFORT ZONES (aah!), but as time went on I felt a lot more comfortable and positive with regards to what's to come. I wasn't really sure what to expect in this course, but I really like how you are pushing and encouraging the idea of a career in entrepreneurial and applied biology. I found that most people were doing the course to branch away from just lab work and give another dimension to their degree so that they would have a wider variation of job opportunities. I've really started to enjoy the course, it's a bit different to anything else I've done with IBLS, but definitely worthwhile. I've also started thinking a lot about the things we discuss in lectures in relation to my experience of how [....] operated last year on my placement.

Students’ thoughts (2) I ended up speaking again today. I didn't feel as nervous as the previous days, maybe due to the fact we end up speaking almost every day or because the preparation time was a little longer. It's good that everyone has the opportunity to speak and for those who are a little less confident to stand. I think this is good, because although speaking in public is daunting, in the long run it can be seen as beneficial. I absolutely loved working in teams, pulling on people's different strengths effectively. I have also thoroughly enjoyed been shown how useful a science degree is in the world of creativity, and that of business. Looking back one week later, I couldn't be more pleased that I picked this course as one of my options. It introduced a new interactive way of learning: learning by doing; as opposed to learning by reading and also I've come away with some new skills which I'm sure I can apply to a multitude of jobs.

References Binks, M. (2005) “Entrepreneurship Education and Integrative Learning”, National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship Policy Paper #001 Cogdell, B., Brown, A. & Campbell, A. (2004) “Peer Assessment of Group Work in a Large Class – Development of a Staff and Student Friendly System”, Self- and PeerAssessment; Guidance on Practice in the Biosciences, Paul Orsmond, Teaching Bioscience Enhancing Learning Series, Stephen Maw, Jackie Wilson & Heather Sears, Eds., 35-37 Collet, C. & Wyatt, D. (2005) ‘ “Bioneering” teaching biotechnology entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level’, Education & Training 47(6), 408-421 Gibb, A. (2005) “Towards the Entrepreneurial University – Entrepreneurship Education as a lever for change” , National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship Policy Paper #003 Tierney, A. (2005) “Assessment of the Lifestyle Project”, Centre for Bioscience Professional Development Programme, Effective Group Work, available online at: www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/events/abertay/tierney2.pdf (accessed 18/10/08)