Bioinspired Communication & Ethics

Bioinspired Communication and Ethics

Course Schedule (Fall 2026)

📅 Semester Overview

📐 Module Sequence

Module Sessions Weeks Focus
Module 1: Foundations of Teamwork 5 Aug 24 – Sep 9 Team formation, CATME, collaboration skills
Module 2: Proposal Writing & Review 8 Sep 14 – Oct 7 Research landscape, framing, proposal development
Module 3: Scientific Writing & Peer Review 7 Oct 14 – Nov 4 Writing principles, revision, peer review, AI tools
Module 4: Research Ethics 7 Nov 9 – Dec 7 Misconduct, dual-use, sci-comm, AI ethics, IP

🗓️ Weekly Schedule

Module 1: Foundations of Teamwork (5 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
1 Mon, Aug 24 Team Formation & Shared Standards Mars Climate Orbiter case; team ice-breaker; “unit conversion” exercise Team Charter Draft
2 Wed, Aug 26 CATME & Peer Evaluation CATME walkthrough; rater practice; feedback writing workshop CATME Rater Practice
3 Mon, Aug 31 Cross-Disciplinary Communication AlphaFold case; skills inventory; “translation” exercise Skills Inventory
4 Wed, Sep 2 Credit, Conflict & Accountability CRISPR patent case; CATME midterm reflection; contribution plan Contribution Plan
  Mon, Sep 7 NO CLASS Labor Day  
5 Wed, Sep 9 Trust Under Pressure & Open Science COVID vaccine + Human Genome Project cases; final charter revision Final Team Charter

Module 2: Proposal Writing & Review (8 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
6 Mon, Sep 14 The Research Landscape Nobel Prize analysis; “Classify Your Own Field” team exercise  
7 Wed, Sep 16 Research Framing & Word Choice NSF directorate analysis; paragraph-level reframing exercise  
8 Mon, Sep 21 Funding Agencies & Your First Research Narrative NSF vs. NIH comparison; draft challenge statement + 3 objectives; peer review in pairs Challenge/Objectives Draft
9 Wed, Sep 23 Writing the Research Narrative Field-specific best practices; NIH specific aims; revision workshop; “Elevator Test” Revised Challenge/Objectives
10 Mon, Sep 28 Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts & Case Studies NSF CAREER case study; review panel simulation  
11 Wed, Sep 30 AI in the Research Enterprise AI history quiz; AI Winter jigsaw; hypothesis generation debate; AI detection analysis  
12 Mon, Oct 5 Peer Review, Ethics & Responding to Critique AI over-values structure case; mock panel review; ethics discussion Panel Summary
13 Wed, Oct 7 GCR Team Proposal Workshop GCR proposal drafting; cross-team peer review GCR Proposal (final due Oct 14)
  Mon, Oct 12 NO CLASS Fall Break  

Module 3: Scientific Writing & Peer Review (7 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
14 Wed, Oct 14 Your Writing Journey Mentimeter survey; CARS exercise; speed-reading challenge Portfolio: Topic Selection
15 Mon, Oct 19 Writing Principles in Action Writing principles presentation; mini-debate; “Reviewer Simulator” Portfolio: Draft 1
16 Wed, Oct 21 The Art of Revision: Abstract Case Study Hydrogel abstract evolution (4 versions); 2-2-1 test; apply to own work Portfolio: Draft 2
17 Mon, Oct 26 Peer Review & Transparent Publishing eLife model; seed carrier paper analysis; open access discussion  
18 Wed, Oct 28 Responding to Reviewers Rebuttal anatomy; response drafting; tone test Portfolio: Peer Review
19 Mon, Nov 2 AI Tools in Scientific Writing ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek case; AI stress test; ethics discussion Portfolio: AI Stress Test
20 Wed, Nov 4 From Hypothesis to Publication Nobel Prize patterns; hypothesis frameworks; bridge to ethics module Portfolio: Final Version

Module 4: Research Ethics (7 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
21 Mon, Nov 9 Introduction to Ethics in Research Ethics vs. law vs. morals; Resnik principles; Alberts systemic pressures; perverse incentives exercise  
22 Wed, Nov 11 Research Misconduct, COI & Industry FFP + gray zone; paper mills case; COI scenario analysis  
23 Mon, Nov 16 Dual-Use Research DURC framework; scenario concern ratings; gene drive debate; oversight ranking  
24 Wed, Nov 18 Science Communication as Ethical Obligation Scientist/family info gap; genuine vs. false successes; press release rewrite; preliminary findings scenario  
  Mon, Nov 23 NO CLASS Thanksgiving Break  
  Wed, Nov 25 NO CLASS Thanksgiving Break  
25 Mon, Nov 30 Artificial Intelligence in Research Ghostwriting problem; AI bias; detection paradox; regulatory frameworks debate  
26 Wed, Dec 2 Authorship & Credit ICMJE criteria; CRediT taxonomy; authorship scenarios; AI authorship exercise  
27 Mon, Dec 7 Intellectual Property & Data Ownership Four types of IP; CRISPR patent revisited; data sharing dilemma; course wrap-up  

Final Team Project (Technology & Responsibility Report) due: Tuesday, December 15

📝 Key Dates & Deadlines

Date Assignment Module
Sep 9 Final Team Charter Module 1
Sep 21 Challenge/Objectives Draft Module 2
Sep 23 Revised Challenge/Objectives Module 2
Oct 5 Panel Summary Module 2
Oct 14 GCR Proposal (final) Module 2
Oct 19 Writing Portfolio Draft 1 Module 3
Oct 21 Writing Portfolio Draft 2 Module 3
Oct 28 Writing Portfolio Peer Review Module 3
Nov 2 Writing Portfolio AI Stress Test Module 3
Nov 4 Writing Portfolio Final Version Module 3
Dec 15 Technology & Responsibility Report Module 4

CATME Peer Evaluation Schedule

Evaluation Opens After Grade Impact
Rater Practice Session 2 (Aug 26) None
Evaluation 1 Module 1 ends (Sep 9) None
Evaluation 2 Module 2 ends (Oct 7) None
Evaluation 3 Module 3 ends (Nov 4) None
Evaluation 4 End of semester (Dec 7) Multiplier applied