Saint Augustine’s University is set to revolutionize its introductory biology education through participation in the Science Education Alliance program. The initiative aims to enrich students’ academic experience in the scientific disciplines. This transformative program will replace the traditional year-long biology laboratory curriculum with a hands-on research project, allowing students to engage in meaningful scientific exploration that culminates in potential presentations at academic meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
The initiative is spearheaded by Dr. Sarah Straud, the biology program coordinator, alongside Dr. Tyrell Carr, associate dean of the School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Allied Health.
“This opportunity expands the ability of Saint Augustine’s University to offer scholars cutting-edge and relevant experiences for competitive entry and matriculation in the scientific workforce, graduate school, and/or professional school centered on the life sciences,” said Dr. Carr. “In addition, this opportunity will strengthen and expand our program offerings in the biological and biomedical sciences as it relates to integrative and interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) education and research.”
The SEA program is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a prominent philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing biological research and fostering inclusive environments within the scientific community.
Central to this initiative is the SEA-PHAGES program, which involves student-led research aimed at isolating and characterizing new viruses that infect bacteria. Dr. Carr and Dr. Straud represented SAU at an informational meeting regarding the SEA program on Nov. 21, held at North Carolina Central University in Durham.
Changing Biology Education among the NC10
While SEA-PHAGES has been operational since 2008, the current phase focuses on ten historically Black colleges and universities in North Carolina, collectively referred to as NC10.
The NC10 consortium includes N.C. Central University, Shaw University, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina A&T University, Johnson C. Smith University, Fayetteville State University, Bennett College, Livingstone College, and Elizabeth City State University.
The program features several key experiences for participating students:
1. In the first phase, selected undergraduates from each NC10 institution will receive a stipend of $7,000 and housing for an eight-week summer research experience at North Carolina Central University in 2025.
2. The second phase, pending approval, would allow students trained in SEA-PHAGES to engage in a year-long research project at their home institution, supported by stipends and funding from HHMI.
3. The final experience, also tentative, offers students an additional eight-week summer research opportunity in 2026 within the laboratory of an HHMI Investigator, complete with financial support for both stipend and housing.
At SAU, Dr. Straud will incorporate the SEA-PHAGES project into the BIOL 133L – Principles of Biology Part 1 Lab and BIOL 134L – Principles of Biology Part 2 ab courses, with implementation expected to start in Fall 2025. Dr. Straud will take on the role of faculty lead for this initiative and serve as a research mentor for the second phase alongside Dr. Carr.