A response to BIO 2010: Transforming undergraduate education for future research biologists, from the perspective of the biochemistry and molecular biology major program at Kenyon College.

The National Research Council completed a major study of undergraduate biology education, BIO 2010-Transforming Undergraduate Education For Future Research Biologists (BIO 2010), funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health. The BIO 2010 report recommends that biology pedagogy should use an interdisciplinary approach incorporating a strong basis in mathematics and physical sciences. Many of the aims of BIO 2010 can be met by an interdisciplinary major program such as that of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Kenyon College. The Kenyon program effectively encourages students to connect biology with chemistry and mathematics and to develop a sound basis for research in the biological sciences. A continuing challenge is to balance the needs for depth of physical and mathematical understanding and breadth of diversity in biology.