2008 SCHOLARS

Christine Bezotte Discipline: Cell and Molecular Biology Christine Bezotte is an associate professor of Biology at Elmira College, where she teaches Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Cancer. Her research area is in microbes in water quality, cytoskeletal arrangements in apoptosis, and developments for learner centered classrooms. She received a grant from the AAUW Foundation to support, Women Investigating Stream Ecology (WISE), to promote STEM majors among girls in the Elmira City Schools. She also promotes parent-teacher-student connections through “Family Science Nights.”  Links: Christine Bezotte Elmira College

Betty Lynne Black Discipline: Developmental Biology Betty Lynne Black received a B.A. degree in Biology from Lindenwood College, an M.S. degree from Vanderbilt University, and a Ph.D. from Washington University (St. Louis). She pursued postdoctoral studies at Washington University Medical School, joined the faculty at NC State University in 1979, and is currently a Professor of Zoology. She conducts research on development of embryonic intestine in birds and mammals, and teaches a 5-credit hour course in Developmental Anatomy plus Internet distance education courses in Functional Histology, Introductory Biology, and Animal Diversity. Additionally, she leads the bioMovies project in which a group of faculty produce video clips of animals and plants, for educational use. She has developed a variety of digital learning objects for use in distance education and has received two University awards for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Links: Betty Lynne Black North Carolina State University

Romi Burks Discipline: Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Romi Burks teaches ecology-related courses at Southwestern University. Dr. Burks completed a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in English at Loyola University Chicago before moving onto for her Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology at the University of Notre Dame.  Her scholarly research interests include shallow lakes and exotic species.  Dr. Burks currently collaborates with student researchers to investigate the life history traits of applesnails (Pomacea) both in Texas as well as in Uruguay.  Dr. Burks lives happily in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband, Clint, and their two Bichons, Twinkie and Cupcake. Links: Romi Burks Southwestern University

Chris Chabot Discipline: Biological Sciences Chris Chabot is currently a Professor of behavior, physiology, and neurobiology at Plymouth State University. He teaches a variety of courses including Animal Behavior and Neurobiology. He received the Distinguished Teaching Award from PSU in 2007. He has received research funding from NSF and SeaGrant to investigate biological rhythms and behavior in the American horseshoe crab. Links: Chris Chabot's Teaching and Research Site Chris Chabot Faculty Page Plymouth State University

Lyn Le Countryman Discipline: Science Education Lyn Le Countryman is a full professor of teaching, biology and science education at the University of Northern Iowa.  In addition to teaching History, Philosophy and the Nature of Science in the science education graduate program, she also teaches an inquiry-based introductory biology course and an advanced biology course to high school students.  Her focus is on increasing student engagement and conceptual understanding. Links: Lyn Le Countryman Northern Iowa University

Nora Egan Demers Discipline: Zoology Nora Egan Demers is an Associate Professor of Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. Trained as a comparative immunologist, she enjoys teaching majors, non-majors and enthusiastic students of all types about Biology, the process of life, and the role humans play in a sustainable future. Her scholarly endeavors include pedagogical research, gopher tortoises, and human impacts on the environment. She has presented work about the Interdisciplinary courses she developed at national and international conferences and publications. She incorporates computer- based technology into most courses she teaches. She is a member of AAAS, the NSTA, ISDCI and other civic organizations. Links: Nora Egan Demers Florida Gulf Coast University

Nidhi Gadura Discipline: Biology Nidhi Gadura is an assistant professor at Queensborough Community College, CUNY.  She received a Ph.D. in Biology from the Graduate School of CUNY.  Her teaching responsibilities include Introductory Biology Lecture and Lab. She is also a research mentor for NSF STEM and NIH Bridges.  Her research focuses on interactions between Hsp90 and PKC Alpha protein using yeast as a genetic model system.  She is also working on expanding this research to breast cancer cell lines. Links: Nidhi Gadura Queensborough Community College

Caron Inouye Discipline: Biology Caron Y. Inouye is an associate professor of biology at California State University, East Bay. As an environmental physiologist and avian biologist, she regularly teaches a variety of non-major, major, and graduate-level courses, including animal physiology, environmental physiology, human anatomy & physiology, human nutrition, and ornithology. Her research focuses on the physiological consequences of exposure to organic contaminants, such as brominated flame retardants. Links: Caron Inouye California State University

Mary G. Jaeger-Scott Discipline: Medicine Mary G. Jaeger-Scott is a professor of biology at Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. She is a trained physician starting her fourth year of college, teaching Anatomy and Physiology, as well as General Zoology. She developed Environmental Life Science and Anatomy and Physiology as a completely online class, including the lab experience. She has also developed a hybrid Anatomy and Physiology class. Her current research interest is how college students learn science and is working to provide outreach to public schools and home schooled students. Links: Labette Community College

Sarah Prescott Kenick
Discipline: Genetics

Sarah Prescott Kenick is an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of New Hampshire, where she teaches classes in chemistry, organic chemistry, and general biochemistry. Her research is in the areas of green chemistry, bioinformatics education, and comparative genomics of the model organism C.elegans.

Links:
Sarah Kenick Faculty Page and
Sarh Kenick's Teaching/Projects Site
University of New Hampshire

Christopher Korey
Discipline: Physiology

Christopher Korey is an assistant professor in the Biology Department and the Program in Neuroscience at the College of Charleston (Charleston, SC). He runs an NIH funded research lab that models human neurodegenerative diseases using the Drosophila model system. In the classroom, Chris teaches Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience I.

Links:
Christopher Korey
The Korey Lab
College of Charleston

Fred D. Ledley
Discipline: Medicine

Fred Ledley is Chair of the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences at Bentley College. Trained as a physician and geneticist, he has served on the faculty of the Baylor College of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He has written more than 150 articles on human molecular genetics, gene therapy, personalized medicine, education, and bioethics, and has been involved in the start up of several genomics-based, biotechnology companies. He was an organizer for an NIH-funded “Genetics, Religion, and Ethics” program, and Core Scholar of the New Visions of Nature, Science, and Religion program at UC Santa Barbara. His research interests include personalized medicine as well as the process by which genomic discoveries are translated into products for public benefit. Other interests include developing science curriculum targeted to the needs of business students and the innovation-based companies of the future.   

Links:
Fred D. Ledley
Bentley College

Melanie Lenahan
Discipline: Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Melanie Lenahan is an assistant professor of biotechnology at Raritan Valley Community College, where she teaches a range of courses including biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and general biology. In addition to teaching, Melanie is the principal investigator for an NSF Advanced Technological Education grant to enhance the Biotechnology Program at RVCC. She is interested in developing online learning modules in biotechnology.

Links:
Biotechnology Program at RVCC
Raritan Valley Community College

Sarah M. Miller
Discipline: Plant Pathology

Sarah Miller is the Co-Director of the Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching to train graduate students and postdocs in the life sciences to teach. For her work in developing and teaching at the National Academies Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology, Miller has been named a National Academies Education Mentor in the Life Sciences. She is a co-author of Scientific Teaching and Entering Mentoring: A Seminar to Train a New Generation of Scientists.

Links:
Sarah M. Miller
The Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Chris Picone
Discipline: Ecology

Chris Picone is and assistant professor of Biology at Fitchburg State College, MA. He teaches Ecology, Environmental Science, Conservation Biology and introductory courses in organismal biology. He is joining a collaborative effort to develop “diagnostic question clusters” to reveal and assess student misconceptions about biology concepts. Despite considering most technology “guilty until proven innocent” for learning, he uses plenty in and outside the classroom.

Links:
Christopher Picone
Fitchburg State College

Rongsun Pu
Discipline: Cell and Developmental Biology

Rongsun Pu is an assistant professor of biology at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.  She has taught more than 10 different courses to undergraduate and graduate students, including Principles of Biology; Freshman Seminar; Genes, Organisms and Populations; Principles of Genetics; Principles of Biochemistry; Senior Seminar in Biology; Histology; and Independent Research in Biology.  This summer she is a visiting scientist at Princeton University working on gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells.

Links:
Kean University

Joyce Shaw
Discipline: Physical Therapy

Joyce Shaw is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. She teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology, Human Biology, Microbiology, and World Disease.  She routinely uses and develops online resources, including pod casts of her lectures, and she helped students in her microbiology course create a “virtual science fair” so that they could easily share their lab projects.

Links:
Joyce Shaw
Endicott College

Janie Sigmon
Discipline: Microbiology

Janie Sigmon a biology instructor at York Technical College in Rock Hill, SC, teaches introductory biology, microbiology, and forensic science to college transfer and nursing students. Her main interests are DNA fingerprinting, the carrier rate of Staphylococcus aureus in pre-nursing and nursing students, and in the field of public health where she worked for 11 years.

Links:
Janie Sigmon
York Technical College

Tara M. Sirvent
Discipline: Environmental and Ecological Plant Pathology

Tara M. Sirvent is an associate professor of biochemistry at Vanguard University of Southern California. She teaches organic and biochemistry, molecular & cell biology, and non-majors biology. Undergraduate research & technology play a central role in her courses as a pedagological tool and as a part of her mentoring process for students. Her research focuses on active compounds from phytomedicials.

Links:
Tara M. Sirvent
Vanguard University

Gene Wong
Discipline: Anatomy and Cell Biology

Gene Wong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Chair of the Pre-Health Professions Committee at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT.  He teaches courses in Human Embryology, Developmental Biology, Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, and online courses in non-majors biology and Vertebrate Natural History.  His research examines actin cytoskeletal organization in cell division, and how bryostatin may affect learning.  Dr. Wong is a Co-Executive Director of Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honors Society.

Links:
Gene Wong
Quinnipiac University