Biology has long been used in agriculture, medicine, and materials. The 21st century has brought increased investment in biology as a potential tool for humanity's collective advancement, giving rise to what experts are calling the bioeconomy. The bioeconomy uses renewable biological resources to produce energy, food, health products, and materials. A new undergraduate MIT course, STS.059 (The Bioeconomy and Society), is modeling a holistic approach to instruction in the nuances of bioeconomy. The course was offered for the first time in fall 2025, taught jointly by Mark Bathe a professor of biological engineering, and Robin Wolfe Scheffler, an associate professor of science, technology, and society. 'As an historian, I sought an opportunity to bring the abstract, past facets of the bioeconomy into a modern, measurable, and concrete light,' Scheffler says, while Bathe notes that co-teaching 'is a great way to connect educators across disciplines and work out some of the biggest...
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