Building strategic faculty-industry engagement to advance bioscience workforce development

Grant Award Summary

MiraCosta Community College District received a $950,143 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. The award funds the establishment and operation of a statewide Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) for California bioscience workforce development, utilizing the proven Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. Primary deliverables include creating a structured collaborative platform that brings together bioscience industry experts and faculty leaders to assess and align educational curricula with current and emerging industry needs, conducting annual knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) assessments, and facilitating annual in-person BILT faculty meetings and retreats.

The project addresses the national demand for a highly skilled bioscience workforce by scaling the BILT model from local to statewide implementation, with anticipated outcomes including more relevant curricula, enhanced faculty-industry engagement, and a responsive bioscience talent pathway. Results and curriculum recommendations will be disseminated broadly to bioscience faculty across California and nationally through InnovateBio. The initiative is designed to strengthen workforce development in advanced technology fields that support the nation's economy, with potential for national application beyond California.

Abstract

This project aims to enhance bioscience workforce development in california by creating a statewide industry advisory committee (IAC) using the proven business & industry leadership team (bilt) model. Building on existing partnerships and faculty connections, the initiative fosters collaboration between bioscience industry experts and faculty leaders to align educational curricula with current industry needs and emerging technologies. IT also addresses the national demand for a highly skilled bioscience workforce. A key innovation lies in scaling the local bilt model to a statewide level, with the potential to transform workforce development both in california and nationally. Anticipated outcomes include more relevant curricula, deeper faculty-industry engagement, and a stronger, more responsive bioscience talent pathway. The project has two primary goals: (1) establish a statewide industry advisory committee using the bilt model for the california bioscience workforce development hub, and (2) facilitate an annual in-person bilt faculty meeting and retreat. The scope includes developing a structured, engaging platform for industry and faculty to collaboratively assess and update the knowledge, skills, and abilities (ksas) needed in the bioscience sector. The methodology features annual KSA assessments, faculty-led curriculum development, and broad dissemination through innovatebio. The project evaluation centers on ongoing assessments of industry needs and curriculum effectiveness. Results will be shared with bioscience faculty across california and nationally. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.