2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This Work-in-Progress paper describes the implementation and outcomes of integrating STEM and entrepreneurship learning within an undergraduate biology elective at the engineering institution, Olin College of Engineering in Needham, MA, USA. The course, co-taught by faculty in biology and entrepreneurship, paired authentic research in environmental microbiology with entrepreneurship process learning through case studies, guest speakers, and project-based deliverables focused on biological discovery and entrepreneurial thinking. Students applied their own discoveries in the laboratory gained from an authentic research project on the topic of environmental problem solving through microbiology to connect technical skill development and discovery with entrepreneurial mindset. Pre- and post-course surveys and longitudinal student reflections were analyzed to gain insight into student development of disciplinary knowledge and connections in biological sciences and entrepreneurship areas. Longitudinal reflections showed that students were highly motivated by the disciplinary integration, made connections between technical and entrepreneurial thought processes at different points in the course, and demonstrated awareness of the societal context of scientific work. This pilot course extends the institution’s entrepreneurship ecosystem by linking entrepreneurship with scientific research discovery at the undergraduate level, and contributions of the course experiment to that ecosystem are discussed.