Bioinspired Communication & Ethics

Bioinspired Communication and Ethics

Course Schedule (Fall 2026)

📅 Semester Overview

📐 Module Sequence

Module Sessions Weeks Focus
Module 1: Foundations of Teamwork 6 Aug 24 – Sep 14 Team formation, CATME, collaboration skills
Module 2: Proposal Writing & Review 7 Sep 16 – Oct 7 Evidence-consistent framing, current NSF/NIH criteria, review, responsible AI, and a GCR-inspired concept
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 (6 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
1 Mon, Aug 24 CATME & Peer Evaluation CATME walkthrough and rater practice; free-rider and AI-labor microcases; SBIF feedback role-play Rater Practice + exit ticket
2 Wed, Aug 26 Team Formation & Shared Standards Apollo 13 case; team interviews; “unit conversion” and deadline-error microcases; core Charter drafting Team Charter core draft
3 Mon, Aug 31 When the Tools Change the Work Frontiers workflow reconstruction; tool/labor audit; inaccessible-workspace microcase; verification protocol Charter Appendix A: Tooling & Verification
4 Wed, Sep 2 Cross-Disciplinary Communication AlphaFold evidence/inference audit; skills and limits; shared glossary; integration mapping Charter Appendix B: Skills & Integration
5 Wed, Sep 9 Credit, Conflict & Accountability Transistor + BCS evidence jigsaw; two-first-authors microcase; conflict protocol; contribution planning Charter Appendix C: Contribution & Credit
  Mon, Sep 7 NO CLASS Labor Day  
6 Mon, Sep 14 Trust Under Pressure Challenger + BioNTech/Pfizer decision maps; outcome-bias check; network map; Charter stress test Final Team Charter package

Module 2: Proposal Writing & Review (7 sessions)

# Date Topic Key Activities Deliverable
7 Wed, Sep 16 Research Pathways & Evidence-Consistent Framing Three official Nobel source cases; evidence/classification audit; paragraph reframe  
8 Mon, Sep 21 Funding Agencies & Your First Research Narrative Current NSF/NIH frameworks; draft challenge and objectives; cross-disciplinary review Challenge/Objectives Draft
9 Wed, Sep 23 Writing the Research Narrative Public NIH aims-page analysis; argument map; revision; elevator test Revised Challenge/Objectives
10 Mon, Sep 28 Criteria Calibration: IM, BI & Evidence Constructed proposal comparison; calibration; prestige/preliminary-data microcase; BI redesign; GCR concept launch Team Integration Map; calibration note retained
11 Wed, Sep 30 AI in Proposal Development: Use, Evidence & Confidentiality Role-specific policy jigsaw; confidential-review microcase; claim verification; safe workflow Individual AI Note + Team Concept Protocol
12 Mon, Oct 5 Formal Peer Review & Responding to Critique Independent review; formal panel; panel summary; response-to-critique memo Panel Summary
13 Wed, Oct 7 GCR-Inspired Team Concept Workshop Convergence test; pre-draft cross-review; reviewer–author conference; revision sprint Concept Note (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 dispute; data sharing dilemma; course wrap-up  

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

📝 Key Dates & Deadlines

Date Assignment Module
Sep 14 Final Team Charter package 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-Inspired Concept Note (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 Lecture 1 (Aug 24) None
Evaluation 1 Module 1 ends (Sep 14) None
Evaluation 2 Final Module 2 team concept note submitted (Oct 14) None
Evaluation 3 Module 3 ends (Nov 4) None
Evaluation 4 End of semester (Dec 7) Multiplier applied