Our Strategic Goals

The Center’s objectives directly impact four of the eight themes in the University’s strategic plan.  Overall, the Center carries out the University’s commitment to excellence, access, and integration with the greater Sacramento community. 

• Teaching and learning.  A central goal of the Center is to improve teaching and learning in the molecular sciences.  This goal will be realized through the on-going implementation of modern molecular biology methods in a variety of upper division courses in the Departments of Chemistry and Biology, as well as by supporting faculty efforts to improve and expand their teaching in the molecular sciences.  By engaging students in activities involving modern instrumentation in the Center’s collaborative, interdisciplinary research facility, we will enhance students’ education and career options in the molecular sciences.
   
• Scholarly and creative achievement.  A major focus of the Center is to improve faculty research efforts in the molecular sciences.  By sharing resources and knowledge among participating faculty and by aggressively pursuing external funding, The Center will increase individual faculty efforts to establish and maintain competitive and productive research programs.  Because all the Center faculty research involves extensive collaboration and involvement of CSUS students, this focus also impacts the strategic goal of teaching and learning.
   
• Community engagement and impact.  It is well recognized that large numbers of CSUS graduates will establish their careers within the Sacramento community.  The Center’s goal of educating students in the molecular sciences is critical in light of the burgeoning biotechnology industry in the greater Sacramento area.  The Center will also impact the community by establishing recognition as a community resource for molecular biology education.  The Center will achieve this goal through outreach efforts to community colleges and area middle and high schools.
   
• Pluralism.  The Center’s role in enhancing pluralism at CSUS is manifested both by the diversity of the students involved in our programs, as well as by the collaborative, multi-disciplinary nature of our teaching and research activities.  In particular, the Center is committed to increasing the entry of under-represented students into careers in the molecular and biomedical sciences. The Center already has a long history of collaboration with the Science Education Equity Program in  promoting access and success for these students in biology and Chemistry.