Karolina Mukhtar, Ph.D., developed PEER-BUDS to level the playing field in introductory biology courses for students whose high school training was hindered by COVID disruptions or school limitations. “These students have the talent, but many times they don’t have the skills or the background," she said. "If you walk into your introductory biology lab and you don’t know how to use a pipette or a microscope, you will forever be lagging behind.”For students who grew up dreaming of becoming a doctor, dentist or scientist, the first college biology class can seem like the opening step on the road to something big. But only a few weeks in, many of these students are already looking for an off-ramp.
The lectures and labwork can feel overwhelming, especially for students who haven’t seen the inside of a science lab since before the pandemic — if their high school had a lab at all. Meanwhile, their peers seem as though they know exactly what to do. A nagging doubt can quickly grow into a conviction: This was all a mistake.
“Once you pick up a few C’s or D’s in the foundational biology coursework, the enthusiasm starts to go down; you see those doors closing on them right and left,” said Karolina Mukhtar, Ph.D., a professor and director of the undergraduate program in the Department of Biology. Biology is the largest undergraduate major at UAB by enrollment, attracting an average 200 students each fall, many of whom have a strong interest in medicine or allied health careers. They do not have equal levels of preparation, however.
Numerous studies show that poor grades in their early college courses disproportionately lead women, underrepresented minority students and first-generation students to leave science, technology, engineering and math majors or drop out of college altogether.
PEER-BUDS: Apply today
Application deadline: July 1
Dates/time: Aug. 1-19, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Open to: Recent high school graduates (class of 2021 or 2022) admitted to UAB as biology majors
How to apply: Visit the PEER-BUDS page and download an application form, which must be submitted to Dr. Mukhtar by email by July 1.
“These students have the talent,” Mukhtar said, “but many times they don’t have the skills or the background. Not all high schools in Alabama have labs, and COVID disruptions and remote schooling particularly affected science classes. If you walk into your introductory biology lab and you don’t know how to use a pipette or a microscope, you will forever be lagging behind.”
A three-week investment pays major dividends
This summer, through a $100,000 grant from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, Mukhtar is pioneering a new approach to retain these students. The three-week program, called PEER-BUDS, aims to bridge the preparation gap with hands-on practice in UAB’s biology labs and reviews of key concepts. It will run from Aug. 1-19 and will accept 24 students who have enrolled at UAB and declared biology as their major. Students will receive a $1,500 stipend (for housing or other expenses) and a UAB meal plan to cover their food for the three weeks. (Find the application form and more information on the PEER-BUDS page.)
“Sure, you have to give up three weeks of your summer,” Mukhtar tells applicants, “but this will pay off throughout your college career.” She says PEER-BUDS is kind of like the flight simulators used to train pilots — a way to practice skills in a safe environment before it counts in the real world.
“Sure, you have to give up three weeks of your summer,” Mukhtar tells applicants, “but this will pay off throughout your college career.”
In the mornings, students will have mini-lectures from Cynthia Tant, Ph.D., an assistant professor who teaches introductory biology, to ensure they understand the fundamental concepts this course builds on. At the same time, “they will be exposed to what a college lecture hall is like — the speed of delivery, the type and depth of material, taking notes,” Mukhtar said. She also plans to bring in faculty who teach core courses in other subjects, including English, math and chemistry, “to give them a sense of, ‘this will be hard, but I know what to expect,’” Mukhtar said. Biology faculty will regularly meet with students as well to share their research areas and potentially spark opportunities to work in their labs. Off-campus field trips will include visits to Jones Valley Teaching Farm, UAB Community Gardens and other locations where students can see the value of biology research in action. (Mukhtar’s research focuses on plant diseases that have a major impact on food production and food security.)
PEER-BUDS stands for Planting Excellence in Education & Research – Bridge to Undergraduate Diversity and Success.
Older students as guides on the way
Every step of the way through PEER-BUDS, two peer mentors, juniors or seniors majoring in biology, will get to know the students. And these mentors will stay with them throughout the fall semester, Mukhtar says. The mentors will be selected from the Biology Learning Assistants group, led by Samiksha Raut, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology, who trains high-performing students to coach their peers and help them overcome common academic hurdles.
“By keeping that constant connection, we aim to build up the sense of community in our cohort of students. And peer support has proved to help students and support retention and graduation.”
“They will host accountability meetings and tutoring sessions, as well as getting together for pizza and snacks and just asking, ‘How can I help you?’” Mukhtar said. “By keeping that constant connection, we aim to build up the sense of community in our cohort of students. And peer support has proved to help students and support retention and graduation.”
Mukhtar has also proved her ability to help underrepresented students reach their dreams. In 2014, as part of her prestigious CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation, Mukhtar started a summer program, OUTPACE, for upper-level biology students. Over the program’s five years of funding, 49 students (60%-75% females and 30%-40% ethnic minorities) had a 100% retention and graduation rate, with 19 accepted to medical school, 14 accepted to graduate school in life sciences, five accepted to dental school, two to pharmacy school and two to physician assistant training. Mukhtar’s success with OUTPACE was cited in her 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the National Science Foundation. This is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on early career scientists and educators.
Keeping it going
Although the ACHE funding for PEER-BUDS must be spent by November, it will allow Mukhtar and two graduate students in her lab, Sloan Almehmi and Regina Bedgood, to gather outcomes data for this summer’s program, she says. Mukhtar hopes to find institutional and philanthropic support to continue the program in the upcoming years, and eventually receive external support from the National Science Foundation or another funding agency.
“I am very passionate about this work,” Mukhtar said. “After we do it once, I think we will be able to find donors who want to continue the project to allow other students to benefit.”
