Cerritos Community College District will use a $349,641 project grant from the National Science Foundation's STEM Education program to establish the Cerritos College Biotechnology Initiative. The initiative aims to provide an accessible academic pathway to high-wage, high-growth jobs in biotechnology through new certificate and degree programs, enrichment activities to increase career awareness, and strengthened partnerships with regional employers in Southern California's leading biotechnology industry cluster. Key activities include developing three new courses for a Biotechnology Certificate applicable to an Associate's degree; implementing a biotechnology lab module in introductory biology courses; and providing 27 hours of professional development for faculty on relevant experiments and student outreach methods. The initiative also features seminars, field trips, mock interviews and community service to professionalize students. An evaluation will assess certificate and degree completers' ability to meet employers' needs. Results will be disseminated regionally and nationally to two-year colleges. The award period is from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025.
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