Instructor: Teng Zhang
Office Location: Link Hall 214
Email: tzhang48@syr.edu
Class Location and Time: TBD
Office Hours: TBD and by appointment
Credits: 3
This graduate-level course trains students from diverse academic backgrounds in interdisciplinary research skills, with examples drawn from biological and bioinspired systems. The course emphasizes teamwork, scientific communication, and ethical research practices, preparing students to excel in collaborative, cutting-edge research environments.
Through a combination of team-based learning, flipped classroom techniques, and hands-on activities, students engage with current literature, participate in the full research workflow, and explore the ethical dimensions of scientific inquiry. The course is structured into four modules: (1) team foundations and collaboration, (2) grant proposal development and review, (3) scientific writing and peer review, and (4) research ethics and responsible communication. Using the CATME platform, students work in diverse teams to solve problems, present findings, and develop skills in peer evaluation and collaboration.
By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to contribute effectively to interdisciplinary research, with a strong foundation in communication, teamwork, and ethics exemplified through biological and bioinspired systems. Prof. Sarah Reckess, JD, from Upstate Medical University serves as guest lecturer in the Ethics module.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Assessed through: Writing Portfolio (Module 3), peer review exercises (Modules 2 & 3)
Assessed through: Challenge/objectives draft, GCR team proposal, panel summary (Module 2)
Assessed through: Team Charter, CATME evaluations, team project contributions (Module 1, ongoing)
Assessed through: Ethics case discussions, in-class scenario analyses (Module 4)
Assessed through: Writing Portfolio AI stress test (Module 3), ethics session participation (Module 4)
Assessed through: Final team report and presentation (Module 4)
The course is organized into four modules taught sequentially. Each module page contains detailed lecture plans, readings, activities, and deliverables.
Focus: Team formation, CATME peer evaluation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and the dynamics of effective research teams — grounded in real case studies (Mars Climate Orbiter, AlphaFold, CRISPR patent dispute, COVID vaccine development, Human Genome Project).
Focus: How scientific breakthroughs happen, funding agency cultures, strategic research framing, and hands-on proposal development. Students draft challenge statements and research objectives for their own dissertation research, conduct mock review panels, and develop a team Growing Convergence Research (GCR) proposal.
Focus: Evidence-based writing principles (Whitesides, Weitz, Suo labs), the peer review process, transparent publishing, and AI tools in scientific writing. A team Writing Portfolio evolves across all seven lectures — from rough description to polished abstract with revision history.
Focus: Research integrity, misconduct, conflicts of interest, dual-use research, science communication as ethical obligation, AI ethics, authorship, and intellectual property. Co-taught with Prof. Sarah Reckess, JD (Upstate Medical University). Directly feeds the final team Technology & Responsibility Report.
A detailed week-by-week schedule with all session dates and assignment deadlines is available on the Course Schedule page.
Grading is based on a combination of individual and team assessments, designed to evaluate students’ communication, teamwork, research skills, and ethical reasoning.
| Component | Percentage | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Group Discussion & Participation | 20% | In-class activities, Mentimeter engagement, case study discussions |
| Project Reports | 30% | Writing Portfolio, challenge/objectives draft, GCR proposal, literature reviews |
| Project Presentations | 20% | Team pitches, mock panel reviews, final Technology & Responsibility Report presentation |
| Peer Review Exercises | 10% | Manuscript peer review, cross-team proposal review, CATME evaluations |
| Ethics Case Study & Final Report | 20% | Ethics session participation, Technology & Responsibility Report |
The final CATME evaluation produces a grade multiplier (0.85–1.05) applied to team project scores. Only the end-of-semester evaluation affects grades; earlier evaluations are purely formative. See Module 1 for full details on the CATME system, rating guidelines, and the multiplier calculation.
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | 93–100 |
| A- | 90–92 |
| B+ | 87–89 |
| B | 83–86 |
| B- | 80–82 |
| C+ | 77–79 |
| C | 73–76 |
| C- | 70–72 |
| D | 60–69 |
| F | Below 60 |
| Assignment | Module | Type | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Charter (iterative: draft → revision → final) | 1 | Team | Weeks 1–3 |
| Challenge Statement & Research Objectives | 2 | Individual | Weeks 4–5 |
| GCR Team Proposal | 2 | Team | Week 8 |
| Writing Portfolio (iterative: 6 milestones) | 3 | Team | Weeks 8–12 |
| Technology & Responsibility Report | 4 | Team | Dec 15 |
Active participation is essential. This course relies heavily on in-class activities, team exercises, and discussions that cannot be replicated independently. Students are expected to attend all sessions and come prepared (readings completed, materials reviewed). If you must miss a class, notify the instructor and your team in advance.
Assignments are due by the posted deadline on Blackboard. Late submissions receive a 10% deduction per day unless an extension is arranged in advance. CATME evaluations have a strict deadline — late submissions receive a 5-point deduction on the associated project grade because teammates’ grade adjustments cannot be calculated until all evaluations are submitted.
Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in accordance with Syracuse University’s Academic Integrity Policy. This course directly teaches research ethics — we practice what we teach. Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and unauthorized collaboration are not tolerated.
AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) may be used as writing aids for brainstorming, structural feedback, and grammar checking. However:
This policy is intentionally practical rather than prohibitive — Module 3 includes an exercise where you test AI feedback on your own writing and evaluate its quality. The goal is critical AI literacy, not avoidance.
Syracuse University values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing equal access to all students. If you believe you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Center for Disability Resources (CDR) at disabilityresources.syr.edu, located in Room 309 of 804 University Avenue, or call (315) 443-4498. CDR will work with you and the instructor to establish appropriate accommodations.
SU’s religious observances notification and policy requires students to notify instructors by the end of the second week of classes of any religious observances that will affect their participation. The notification deadline for Fall 2026 is Monday, September 14.
This course is part of the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) EMIRGE-Bio program at Syracuse University. The EMIRGE-Bio program trains students to:
Learn more at: bioinspired.syr.edu/emirge-bio