|
2012 SCHOLARS
 Stephanie Aamodt
Discipline: Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology
Stephanie Aamodt is a professor of biological sciences at Louisiana State
University Shreveport. She teaches Freshman Seminar, Principles of Biology
I and II for science majors; Introduction to Biological Inquiry; Embryology;
Endocrinology; Immunology; and Parasitology. She has developed Principle
of Biology II and Freshman Seminar as online courses.
 Kirk Anders
Discipline: Genetics
Kirk Anders is an associate
professor of Biology at Gonzaga University, where he teaches a range of courses
including genetics and evolution, molecular biology, cell biology and
developmental biology. He is particularly interested in teaching undergraduates
in research and research-like settings. He teaches a bacteriophage genomics
research course as part of the Science Education Alliance of HHMI, and he is
also interested in yeast genetics.
 Tim
Ballard
Discipline:
Biology and Marine Biology
Tim
Ballard is
an associate professor and assistant chair for undergraduate studies in the
Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina
Wilmington. After receiving his BS in Biology from Appalachian State
University, he earned his PhD from the Department of Anatomy of Wake Forest
University and the Bowman Gray School of Medicine while studying limb bud
development. He teaches human anatomy and physiology and vertebrate embryology
courses as well as a Practicum in College Biology Teaching in his department's
PhD program, and is the university's health professions advisor. He has
received two Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Awards, the UNCW Board of
Trustees Teaching Excellence Award, and has been a Distinguished Teaching
Fellow.
 K.
Beth Beason-Abmayr
Discipline:
Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Dr.
K. Beth Beason-Abmayr earned her B.S. in Microbiology from Auburn University in 1990 and her Ph.D. in
Physiology & Biophysics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in
1996. After completing postdoctoral research in the Division of Cardiology at
Vanderbilt University (1996-1998), she came to Rice University as a
Postdoctoral Teaching Associate in the Department of Biochemistry & Cell
Biology to develop and teach undergraduate laboratory courses. Dr. Beason was
appointed Lecturer in 2001 and presently teaches laboratory modules in
fundamentals of experimental biology, protein purification and
characterization, synthetic biology, and plant molecular biology. She also
works with the Rice REU Site: Interdisciplinary Program in Multi-scale Biomolecular
Networks, the Rice Institutes of Biosciences & Bioengineering Summer
Academy, and the Center for College Readiness at the Susanne M. Glasscock
School of Continuing Studies at Rice University.
Links:
K. Beth Beason-Abmayr
Main course site
 Sunshine
Brosi
Discipline:
Biology
Sunshine
Brosi is
currently an Assistant Professor, Biology, Frostburg State University,
Frostburg, MD. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Warren
Wilson College in Asheville, NC (1999), Masters of Science in Forestry from the
University of Kentucky (2001), Ph.D. in Natural Resources from the University
of Tennessee, Knoxville (2010). Sunshine coordinates the Wildlife and
Fisheries, Interpretive Biology and Natural History, and the Ethnobotany Majors
at Frostburg State University (FSU). FSU is a primarily undergraduate
institution with around 5,000 students and is part of the University of
Maryland System. She has taught for five years, courses including Introduction
to Ethnobotany, Economic Botany, Ethnographic Field Techniques, Dendrology,
Forestry Field Practices, Plant Taxonomy, and Research Methods. Sunshine is
actively involved in the Open Science Network in Ethnobiology through
developing ethnobiology learning modules. Sunshine's research projects include
forest tree species at risk due to exotic pests and pathogens and non-timber
forest products.
Links:
Sunshine Brosi
 Joseph Burdo
Discipline: Biology
Joseph Burdo is an
Assistant Professor of Biology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill,
Massachusetts. Working in the lab of James Connor, he received his Ph.D. in
Neuroscience from Penn State College of Medicine in 2003, and trained as a
postdoctoral associate with David Schubert at the Salk Institute from
2003-2007. He runs a small research lab focused on cell and tissue culture
models of human stroke. In the classroom, Joe teaches introductory physiology
and neuroscience courses, as well as an upper level disease focused
neurobiology course and an advanced neuroscience lab course.
Links:
Joseph Burdo
 Helen
Chamberlin
Discipline:
Molecular Genetics
Helen
Chamberlin is a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Genetics at Ohio State
University. She has taught courses in molecular genetics, cell biology
and developmental biology. She is involved in cross-disciplinary
activities that include teaching cell and molecular biology to mathematicians,
and using digital storytelling as a platform to introduce science students to
research. Her research group studies cell signaling and gene regulation
during development, and the evolution of gene regulatory networks.
 Xinnian Chen
Discipline:
Physiology and Neurobiology
Dr. Xinnian Chen is an Assistant
Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology at
University of Connecticut. She teaches Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy
and serves as laboratory coordinator for all A & P labs. Dr. Chen
has received an intramural Innovative Science Education Award to develop a
workshop designed to promote and implement scientific teaching. She is
focus on building a student-centered learning environment, creating
teaching resources, and developing a future faculty preparation program. Her
recent research interests include mathematical modeling in glial-neuron
interactions. She has been named a national Academies Education Mentor in
the Life Sciences.
Links:
Xinnian Chen
University
of Connecticut
 Lynn Diener
Discipline:
Biology
Lynn Diener is an assistant professor of biology at
Mount Mary College, an all-women's institution in Milwaukee, WI. She teaches
undergraduate biology classes in Human Physiology and Anatomy, Ecology,
Zoology, Contemporary Environmental Issues and Leadership for Social Justice.
For her graduate work she studied the fate and transport of heavy metals in the
environment. Specifically she studied the binding of metals to soil organic
material and interactions with microbes in the soil. More recently she has
become interested in exploring the interface between art and science and does
this work in collaboration with art faculty at Mount Mary.
Links:
Lynn Diener
 Lisa
K. Elfring
Discipline: Molecular
and Cellular Biology
Lisa
Elfring did undergraduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral research in the areas of
developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. During her
postdoctoral research, she became keenly interested in biology teaching and
branched out through volunteer experiences to learn something about how people
learn biology. Dr. Elfring is involved with several programs that get middle-
and high-school biology teachers into research labs over their summer breaks so
that they can learn about how biological research is done in the real world.
She is involved in undergraduate science teacher preparation and has taught
several courses on effective teaching strategies as well as topics in biology
for K-12 educators, also coordinates the Introduction to Cell/Molecular Biology
course and teaches in upper-division courses within her department, most
recently Cell Biology. She has benefited from participating in the National
Academies Summer Institutes on Biology Teaching (2005), the AAAS Vision and
Change workshops on undergraduate biology teaching (2009), the American Society
for Microbiology's Biology Scholars Research Residency (2010).
 Jan
Foster
Discipline:
Anatomy and Physiology
Jan
Foster is an assistant professor of Biology at North Greenville University in
Tigerville, SC. She received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Medical
College of Georgia. She teaches human anatomy and physiology, human biology,
advanced nutrition and human metabolism, as well as an introduction to human
genetics for non-majors. Her research focuses on using the soil nematode, C.elegans,
as a whole organism model of assessing oxidative stress responses to
environmental toxins. She is also currently working to implement digital
resource and student-centered learning approaches in her teaching.
 Beatriz Gonzalez
Discipline: Human
Physiology, General Biology, ecology
Beatriz Gonzalez is an associate professor of
Biology in the Natural Sciences Department at Santa Fe College in Gainesville;
FL. Beatriz was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She holds a B.S. in Biology
from the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology
from the University of Florida. She teaches both majors and non-majors biology
lecture and laboratory. Dr. Gonzalez uses active learning and guided
inquiry in her face-to-face classes. She is interested in developing
student-centered resources that could be used in class or in an online learning
environment. Dr. Gonzalez also is involved in the training and mentoring of new
faculty.
Links:
Beatriz Gonzalez
 Kelley
Grorud
Disciplines: Biological
Sciences
Kelley
Grorud is an Associate Professor of Biology and Faculty Development
Coordinator at Edgewood College in Madison, WI. She received her Ph.D. in
Biomedical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 2004. She
teaches courses in human biology, including Human Cell Biology & Genetics,
Human Anatomy & Physiology, Human Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, and
Biomedical Research. In addition, Dr. Grorud is highly involved in K-12 science
outreach through initiatives on her campus and summer science camps. She team
teaches a course to undergraduates on the public understanding of science with
a community outreach component, called Science in Action. Dr. Grorud was also
the 2011 recipient of the Underkoffler Award for Excellence in Undergraduate
Teaching at Edgewood College.
 Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello
Discipline: Plant Physiology
Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello, Ph.D., is a
Professor of Biological Sciences at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. As
a plant biologist, she teaches a variety of courses, including introduction to
biology, cell biology, and plant physiology. She also teaches unique courses
such as Topics in Mathematical Biology and Living in Space (for non majors).
She currently oversees the Undergraduate Mathematical Biology Research Program,
which supports undergraduate research projects, including her project on the
quantitative analysis of curvature kinetics of stem's response to gravity. Her
interest in educational outreach spans many years. She is currently a member
of the West Virginia State Leadership Team for the Development of Next
Generation of Science.
Links:
Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello
Marshall University
 Maureen Knabb
Discipline: Biology
Dr. Maureen Knabb is a professor of
biology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and has been teaching
various courses in biology and physiology for 25 years. She has a Ph.D.
in Physiology from the University of Virginia and her research interests
include clinically relevant topics such as the biochemical mediators of
arrhythmogenesis in ischemic heart disease and viral myocarditis. She is also
interested in signal transduction pathways, membrane permeability, and
mechanisms of aging and disease. In 2010 she received a Fulbright grant to
study biochemical mechanisms of ischemia and reperfusion in endothelial cells
with Rafael Rubio at Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi in SLP, Mexico.
Dr. Knabb has received several grants from NSF for curriculum innovation and
prioritizes collaborative research with students and inquiry-based learning.
 David Krauss
Discipline: Biology and environmental Science
David Krauss was born and raised in New York City.
With access to the American Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo and
Central Park he developed an interest in nature and wildlife that has lasted
his entire life. After Hunter College High School he attended Tufts
University where he earned a degree in Biology and environmental studies and
went on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts in environmental
biology. He then taught at Boston College for several years before
accepting a position at the City University of New York. His research
interests include dinosaur paleoecology, urban ecology and science
education. He is currently principal investigator on a grant from the NSF
ATE program working to improve science education for community college and
middle school students through a classroom assistant program. He is also
actively engaged in research on dinosaur feeding ecology and social interactions
and is building a student oriented research program on city parks in New York.
 Cadance
Lowell
Discipline:
Natural Sciences
Dr.
Cadance Lowell is a professor of biology at Central State University in the Department of
Natural Sciences. Her duties include teaching botany, plant physiology,
environmental science, fundamentals of biology, concepts in biology and
maintaining the campus greenhouse. She received a B.S. in botany from Duke
University, an M.S. in botany from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. in
horticulture from the University of Florida. She did post-doctoral work with
the USDA in Peoria, IL before joining Central State University in 1989. In
addition to teaching, Dr. Lowell serves as a STEM Fellow, a regional program to
develop online instructional learning modules for K-12. She currently serves
as the AAUP president for the CSU-AAUP chapter and as the Director for the
Miami Valley Science and Engineering Fair, a regional science fair that brings
over 400 students in grades 5-12 to the Central State campus each year. Dr.
Lowell maintains a research program in medicinal plants, and mechanical weed
control.
 Karen
Myhr
Discipline: Biological
Sciences
Dr.
Karen Myhr teaches Introductory Biology, Physiology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology at
Wayne State University in Detroit. Dr. Myhr completed her B.S. in Biology and
Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan then pursued postdoctoral
studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Her work with introductory
students focuses on converting introductory courses to a format including
active learning with embedded peer mentors and a focus on student
self-assessment. Her work in upper-level undergraduate physiology and
neuroscience courses focuses on integrating the primary literature. Recently
she has incorporated the primary literature and authentic writing experiences
by having groups of students create web pages for each other on specific
organisms as each topic is covered.
Links:
Karen Myhr
Wayne State University
 Dina
Newman
Discipline: Genetics
Dina
Newman is an Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Rochester Institute
of Technology. She did her graduate work in microbial genetics at the
University of Chicago, followed by a post-doc in human genetics. After
several years in a research track, where most of her time was spent training
undergraduates to do molecular genetics research, she realized that her real
passion lies in teaching and trying to understand how students learn biology. This
new avenue of research is supported by a group of faculty at RIT who share an
interest in discipline-based education research (SMERC). Dina currently
teaches Cell Biology and Molecular Biology (two sophomore-level gateway
courses, and Human Genetics (an upper level elective). She has also been
involved in developing freshman biology labs and a freshman seminar
course. She tries to incorporate evidence-based teaching methods in her
courses as much as possible.
 Marianne
Niedzlek-Feaver
Discipline: Biology
Marianne
Niedzlek-Feaver is an associate professor of zoology at North Carolina State University. She obtained her B.S and M.S in biology from the
University of Illinois (CC) and an M.S and PH. D in zoology from the University
of Michigan. Her focus in research continues to be the evolution of mating
strategies. She was hired through the Biological Sciences Teaching Program and
had taught or helped develop every flavor of introductory biology taught at
State. She teaches the first semester of Introductory Biology, Ecology,
Evolution and Diversity, during the summer as well as an on-line course for
teachers, A Review of Evolutionary Biology. During the academic year, she
teaches Invertebrate Biology, Evolutionary Biology and is developing a course
in Parasitology that will be offered next spring semester. She also teaches
advised electives and capstone topic courses for the Ecology, Evolution and
Conservation Biology Concentration in Biology, for example, an Introduction to
Evo-Devo and The Evolution of Mating Systems. She has designed several digital
interactive learning tools and in her teaching promotes the use of case studies,
concept mapping and other in class group activities.
 George Plopper
Discipline: Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology
George Plopper
is a Professor of Biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He teaches Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, and Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions. He is author of Principles of Cell Biology, editor of CELLS, and was named a National Academies Fellow in Undergraduate Education in 2004. He has developed a student-centered teaching technique that effectively eliminates traditional lectures in his senior/graduate level courses.
Links:
Dr. Plopper's web page
 William Quinn
Discipline:
Biology
William Quinn is
Professor of Biology at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, where he
teaches Botany courses, freshman level courses in the major and courses in
general education. His background is in forest ecology and his
research (almost always in collaboration with undergraduate students) has
focused on photosynthetic efficiency, population and community dynamics, and
ecosystem modeling. He has been recognized as the University's outstanding
teacher and he has served in a variety of administrative positions.
Interactions with students, in and out of the classroom, continue to be his
greatest professional joy.
Links:
William Quinn
 Sederick Charles Rice
Discipline:
Biology
Sederick Charles Rice is an Assistant
Professor of Biology position at UAPB and now mentors and instructs
undergraduate and graduate students in Biological Sciences, Cell Biology,
Advanced Cell Biology, Bioinformatics, Genetics, and the Graduate/Medical
School Admissions Process. He has a special emphasis in pediatric oncology and
environmental toxicology. Dr. Rice was selected as an American Association for
Cancer Research (AACR) Minority Scholar in 1998/2002. In 2003, Dr. Rice was
selected as one of Ebony magazine's "Young Leaders of the Future," and featured
in the magazine's February 2003 issue. In 2006, Dr. Rice became a public school
teacher, at Bowie High School in Prince George's County Maryland, and taught
Integrating the Sciences, Biology, Microbiology, and Anatomy and Physiology.
Dr.
Rice has published part one of his autobiography entitled "Four Tubas, A
Guitar, and a Gallery of Cheerleaders: Transition in the Life of a Black Ph.D."
and was selected as an AACR Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Faculty Scholar
in Cancer Research in April and August of 2011.
 Alison Roark
Disciplines:
Biology
Alison Roark is an Assistant Professor in the Department
of Biology at Hood College. She received her PhD in zoology at the University of Florida (UF) in 2007. She then completed a
postdoc while serving as the Assistant Director of the Group-Advantaged
Training of Research (GATOR) Program, also at UF. Alison is a former fellow and
current team leader in the Faculty Institutes for Reforming Science Teaching
(FIRST IV). At Hood College, Alison teaches courses including introductory
biology, introductory and advanced human anatomy and physiology, comparative
animal physiology, and senior seminar. In the laboratory, she studies the
effects of environmental contaminants, namely endocrine-disrupting chemicals,
on invertebrates including crayfish and anemones.
 Laurel
Roberts
Discipline: Biology
Laurel
Roberts received a B.A. in biology (animal behavior) from the University of
Pennsylvania, MS and PhD degrees in behavioral ecology from the University of
Pittsburgh. She was an assistant professor at the Community College of
Allegheny County and is currently a lecturer in the Department of Biological
Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. She also administers pre-med
programming through the Office of Student Affairs and Diversity Programs in the
University of Pittsburgh-School of Medicine. She currently teaches introductory
biology (2 semester course), ecology and human physiology. A 2012 BEN Scholar,
she has been designated as an American Society of Microbiology
Scholar-in-Residence, National Academies of Sciences Education Fellow in the
Life Sciences and is past-President of her local chapter of Sigma Xi, the
scientific research society.
 Anne
Rosenwald
Discipline:
Biology
Anne
Rosenwald is a member of the Biology faculty at Georgetown University. Her research
explores monomeric G proteins' control of membrane traffic, using Baker's
yeast, as well as relationships between membrane traffic and cell wall
synthesis in a related pathogenic yeast species. Dr. Rosenwald is a 2011 winner
of the Georgetown College Dean's Teaching Award. Her Current teaching includes
courses in Cell Biology and Biochemistry. She is also co-director of
Georgetown's innovative major in Biology of Global Health. She is a member of
several national undergraduate faculty groups, including the Genome Consortium
for Active Teaching (GCAT) and the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP).
Current efforts include development of the Genome Solver program, which seeks
to train faculty in genomics and create an online community to share resources,
using data from the Human Microbiome Project.
Links:
Genome Solver
 Michael Rubin
Disciplines:
Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioinformatics
Michael Rubin is a professor in
the Biology Department at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. He has served
as departmental chairperson and teaches classes and laboratories in Genetics,
Bioinformatics, General Biology, Biological Literature, and Undergraduate
Independent Research. He received a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Columbia
University in New York, where he studied the role of homeo box genes in murine
development with Dr. Chi Nguyen-Huu. Later, as a Postdoctoral Fellow and
Research Associate, he studied the regulation of neurotransmitter release in
the laboratory of Dr. Paul Greengard at The Rockefeller University in New York.
His research interests at UPR-Cayey include metalloprotease activity,
mycobacteriophage genomics and proteomics, Drosophila genomics,
synthetic biology, and artificial life.
In the classroom,
he makes a continuous effort relating biological content to the students'
experiences and integrates the latest scientific discoveries. He is an advocate
of student engagement in original research to prepare effective scientists. At UPR-Cayey, he has mentored over 200 students in research experiences in molecular biology, biotechnology,
and bioinformatics.
 Brian Shmaefsky
Discipline: Biology
Dr. Brian Shmaefsky is currently a
professor of biology at Lone Star College - Kingwood, near Houston, TX and
coordinates the college's service learning program. His research emphasis is in
environmental physiology. He attended Brooklyn College of CUNY, Southern
Illinois University, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, and University of
Illinois. Dr. Shmaefsky previously worked as an industrial biochemist at Sigma
Chemical Company where he developed biotechnology products and protocols. In
addition he was a professor at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Dr. Shmaefsky served in
leadership capacities for the Biotechnology Institute, National Association of
Biology Teachers, National Science Teachers Association, Society for College
Science Teaching, and Academies of Science in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Links:
Brian Shmaefsky
 Nancy
D. Turner
Discipline: Nutrition
and Food Science
Dr.
Nancy D. Turner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition & Food Science at
Texas A&M University, and is a Past Chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty of
Nutrition. She earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Texas A&M University in
1995 at which time she started a research program focusing on the area of diet
and colon cancer prevention. Current research is designed to understand how the
bioactive compounds present in foods influence the intestinal environment, with
particular attention to the interaction between the bacteria and the colon
epithelia. Her research has led to the publication of over 55 peer-reviewed
papers and book chapters, and she was one of the editors of a book entitled
"Potential Health Benefits of Citrus". She currently serves on the editorial
boards of Advances in Nutrition, and Experimental Biology and Medicine, and is
an Associate Editor of ASN Nutrition Notes. Dr. Turner has been a member of
USDA/NRI review panels and an ad hoc member of the NCI Chemo/Dietary Prevention
study section. She has also served as a member of the National Space Biomedical
Research Institute Teaching Advisory Board and the NASA Antioxidant Working
Group.
Links:
Nancy D. Turner
 Joanna
Vondrasek
Discipline: Biology
- Health & Life Sciences
Dr.
Joanna Vondrasek is Associate Professor of Biology at Piedmont Virginia Community College in
Charlottesville, Virginia. She teaches a variety of biology courses, including
introductory biology, cell biology, and genetics. She also advises second year
science students on independent biology research projects. Joanna received her
B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College and her Ph.D. in Biology from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied behavioral
ecology and animal communication. She came to Charlottesville for a
post-doctoral position at the University of Virginia, where she worked on an
NSF- CCLI grant developing laboratory exercises for evolutionary biology
courses. She continues to pursue behavioral ecology research but has switched
her animal of choice from birds to beetles. She has continued to develop
laboratory exercises that are student-centered and inquiry-based and include an
emphasis on evolution as the unifying theme in biology.
 Carol
Wake
Discipline:
Biology/Microbiology
Carol
Wake is a professor of biology at South Dakota State University. She teaches several
online courses including, human biology, biology of dinosaurs, biology of aging
(undergrad/grad), a food & land stewardship course (food, people &
environment), and a hybrid general botany course. She has developed a variety
of digital resources for use in distance and in-class settings. Carol has
received the university's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the NABT Excellence
in Encouraging Equity Award, and recognition as a Distinguished Educator 2012
by the Instructional Technology Council. Her current research interest is how
students' best learn science. In addition, as part of the university's Master
Certification in Online Instruction, Carol is mentoring new online faculty.
Links:
Carol Wake
 Paul
Weihe
Discipline:
Biology
Paul
Weihe is an Associate Professor at Central College in Iowa. He teaches Ecology,
Environmental Science, Limnology, Botany, and related subjects. A wetland
ecologist, he has involved students in projects examining plant competition and
ecosystem function in freshwater marshes. A recent interest is Ethnobotany and
the potential to use interdisciplinary, applied science to engage students. He
has also published several works on using case studies and other active
learning to teach Ecology & Environmental Science.
|
