Faceting GEMs (Genomics Education Modules) for the Entry-level Workforce

Project Summary/Abstract Rapid advancements in genomics have revolutionized healthcare, technology, research, and beyond. The demand for professionals with genomics skills, knowledge, and critical thinking is also increasing. Currently, genomics skills are primarily acquired at major research institutions, leaving instructors at under-resourced

institutions unsupported. Community and technical colleges, which educate a diverse student population and entry-level workers, face barriers in developing genomics curricula due to high teaching loads and limited resources. We propose Faceting GEMs (Genomic Education Modules) for the Entry-level Workforce to

address this gap at under-resourced community colleges. Our program will (1) provide accessible, research- focused genomics training modules, (2) train and motivate Partner Site faculty, (3) foster faculty community, support, and collaborations, and (4) use scalable online platforms to promote genomics education. We will

create active learning modules built around authentic research experiences to deeply engage the capable and driven participants at our Partner Sites. To address the scarcity of professional development opportunities for community college faculty, our program offers an annual in-person "Learn-a-thon" at the Lead Site (Fred

Hutch). The Learn-a-thon will engage Partner Site faculty in research, train them to lead the modules, and foster collaboration for module improvements. We will prioritize creating an authentic support network by offering both synchronous and asynchronous forms of communication, while also providing funds for the

Partner Site faculty to visit each other and build deeper support systems. Outside of the classroom, Instructor Guides and materials will be provided to encourage adoption of the modules by other genomics educators. We will leverage our experience bringing online courses to millions of learners by scaling and publishing our

module materials as free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), benefiting other educators and learners worldwide. All materials will also be freely available on our website to promote broad availability. Finally, we will assess our impact through evaluation rooted in pedagogical practices. The GEMs program leverages the

established Genomic Data Science Community Network (GDSCN), a collaborative that has worked to diversify the genomic data science research community by engaging faculty from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and

Community Colleges (CCs) across the United States. Our work proposed here builds upon this trusted collaboration, ensuring continuity and sustained momentum in innovating genomics curriculum.