Active and cooperative learning activities for introducing undergraduate students to biomaterials

Biomaterials science is a relatively new interdisciplinary field. Because of the increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, there is a necessity to engineer biomaterials that can be used to treat these painful and debilitating disorders. The overall objective of this initiative is to teach our undergraduate students concepts in the research, development, and clinical application of biomaterials. Two open-ended laboratory activities, one developed for freshman and the other for seniors, are presented here that involve the design of biomaterials for cartilage and bone replacement. An assessment plan, to be executed during Spring 2011, will measure student mastery of learning outcomes specific to the field of biomaterials science and those set forth by ABET for undergraduate Chemical Engineering programs.