2024 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators: Full Schedule

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7:45am EST

Registration Open

Saturday November 16, 2024 7:45am - 6:00pm EST

Westin Downtown

Registration is located in the Westin Pittsburgh Hotel Second Floor Rotunda.

Saturday November 16, 2024 7:45am - 6:00pm EST
Westin Downtown Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

All Attendees

8:30am EST

Plenary. This Week in Microbiology: A Live Podcast Experience for Boosting Microbiology Education

Saturday November 16, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am EST

Allegheny I

Speakers: Michael Schmidt, Mark Martin, & Vincent Racaniello

This session will offer an opportunity for the audience to experience the award-winning podcast, This Week in Microbiology (TWiM). The session will showcase the podcast's format, featuring the hosts and attendees discussing current research using a conversational approach.
Those attending will gain valuable insights into:

Engaging students with cutting-edge microbiology: TWiM's live format fosters curiosity by bringing the latest research directly to students.
Enhancing scientific method comprehension: The podcast unpacks research papers, deconstructing the scientific method and encouraging critical analysis.
Promoting critical thinking skills: Hosts and guests debate and dissect research findings, modeling strong critical thinking practices for students.
Enlivening classroom discussions: Live recordings capture the excitement of scientific discovery, providing a dynamic resource for in-class discussions.

Beyond the conference, attendees will learn how to effectively utilize TWiM in their classrooms:

Identifying relevant episodes for specific topics.
Encouraging student listening and discussion prompts.
Leveraging episode transcripts and supplemental materials.

This session anticipates that attendees will learn how TWiM can foster and become a powerful tool for faculty, fostering student engagement with microbiology research, and strengthening their scientific method and critical thinking skills.

Speakers

Michael Schmidt

Professor, Medical University of South Carolina

Michael G. Schmidt earned his Ph.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington and rose through the ranks of MUSC where he is presently a tenured professor of microbiology and immunology. In 2017 he was selected as the South Carolina Governor’s Awardee for Excellence in Science and Scientific... Read More →

Mark Martin

Saturday November 16, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

All Attendees

8:30am EST

ABRCMS Passholders: ABRCMS program runs 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Saturday November 16, 2024 8:30am - 12:00pm EST

David L. Lawrence Convention Center

If you purchased the ABRCMS pass, you can attend any portion of ABRCMS, excluding meals. The meeting runs Nov. 13-16.

If you want to attend ABRCMS on Nov. 13 or Nov. 14, pick up your ASMCUE-branded name badge at the ABRCMS registration desk. If you arrive on Nov. 15, you can pick-up your name badge at the ASMCUE registration desk and then head to the ABRCMS meeting.

Additional purchase of ABRCMS conference pass (only $100 for ASMCUE attendees) is required to attend ABRMCS. Learn more at abrcms.org

Saturday November 16, 2024 8:30am - 12:00pm EST
David L. Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

ABRCMS

9:40am EST

An Integrated Approach to Strengthening Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Department/Program Level

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST

Westmoreland East

In this session participants will learn some initial, intermediate, and advanced steps they can take to strengthen their focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the curricular and department/program levels. The first part will focus on the 5-year efforts of the biology program at Moravian University, which has become an example of inclusive excellence on their campus. Then, participants will share examples of their own DEI efforts at the department level, discuss and trouble-shoot the greatest barriers to this work, and will leave with new goals and ideas to take home to their colleagues.

Speakers

Kara Mosovsky

Associate Professor and Chair; Biological Sciences, Moravian University

Hi! I'm an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Moravian University, a small liberal arts institution in Bethlehem, PA. I teach a wide range of courses from entry-level biology courses, to upper level electives (ex. Microbiology, Immunology), to... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Session

9:40am EST

Connecting the Visible and Invisible Worlds of Art and Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST

Butler

Integrating arts and science is a growing movement, exemplified by STEAM initiatives worldwide. At my mid-sized university, the benefits of STEAM are being realized through a rich collaboration between the departments of Art History and Biology. In this session, you will dive into the three projects we carried out: i) agar art creation in the teaching laboratory and in public agar art workshops, ii) mentored undergraduate research investigating the microbiomes of artwork in our university collection, iii) formation of a learning community focused on art conservation. Participants will brainstorm how they can establish collaborations in their own settings.

Speakers

Joanna Klein

Assistant Professor of Biology, University of St. Thomas

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Session

9:40am EST

Improving quantitative and data interpretation skills using HHMI BioInteractive’s antibiotic resistance resources

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST

Westmoreland Central

Balancing the application of active learning techniques with content coverage can often pose an instructional challenge. An impactful strategy to incorporate the two is to use figures from primary sources in the classroom. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore strategies for using a primary source figure, and associated resources from HHMI BioInteractive, that allow students to practice their data interpretation skills and generate questions. These also allow students to apply content knowledge such as intrinsic antibiotic resistance in gram negative and gram positive bacteria.

Speakers

Karen Avery

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST
Westmoreland Central Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276

Session

9:40am EST

Part 1: Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Education Research - Getting Started with Ideas

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST

Somerset

This is a two-part series designed to provide attendees with (1) further insight into novel pedagogical development (both at the activity and curriculum levels), the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL), and discipline-based education research (DBER); and (2) effective strategies regarding how to progress from ideation to dissemination of educational resources and scholarship. This first session will focus on the ideation and development of novel pedagogical activities, as well as beginning strategies for SoTL and/or DBER.

Speakers

Carlos Goller

Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University

I am a Teaching Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and teach in the Biotechnology Program (BIT) at North Carolina State University. I am very interested in integrating open practices in the courses I teach. I believe strongly in non-throwaway assignments: assignments... Read More →

Jeffrey T. Olimpo

Associate Professor, The University of Texas at El Paso

I am a discipline-based education researcher whose work focuses on understanding how the contextual features of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) influence student- and instructor-level outcomes. I am also deeply interested in designing professional development... Read More →

Samantha T. Parks

Principal Lecturer, Georgia State University

Dave Westenberg

Professor, Missouri S&T

Curators Distinguished Teaching Professor of Biological Sciences at Missouri S&T. PhD from UCLA and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Goettingen and Dartmouth College. ASM Biology Scholar (Scholar in Residence) alumnus and is an HHMI Biointeractive Higher Education Teaching... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 9:40am - 10:10am EST
Somerset Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15309

Session

10:15am EST

Building Bridges: Connecting Community College Faculty

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST

Westmoreland East

This session is a semi-structured networking opportunity for community college educators, led by ASMCUE Chair Heather Townsend. Let's talk about issues, concerns, and timely topics that are on the minds of most faculty at 2-year schools, including: how do we find the time to balance all the things we want to do, strategies for professional development, and finding your community.

Speakers

Heather Townsend

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Session

10:15am EST

Curriculum Mapping 101: How to Scaffold a Program of Study Based on ASM’s New Curriculum Guidelines

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST

Butler

Curriculum mapping is an effective method to build or evaluate a curriculum, or program of study. A curriculum map is typically a diagram that illustrates how the courses that students take fulfill a program’s goals and/or intended student learning outcomes. In this session, we will demonstrate how to develop a curriculum map that aligns existing courses to the new ASM guidelines and use different methods to analyze and present the data to a variety of different audiences. Finally, we will discuss the actions to be taken based on analyses of a microbiology undergraduate major’s curriculum map.

Speakers

Nancy Boury

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

Microbiologist interested in active learning, assessment, buildling and using case studies to teach general microbiology, general biology, general genetics.

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Session

10:15am EST

Inclusive Assessments: Guidelines to Ensure Equitable and Accessible Assessment Items

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST

Westmoreland Central

The Assessment SKills in Biology network (ASK BIO) is an NSF funded project helping faculty write high quality assessment items. Professional development workshops offered throughout the year have helped us learn from faculty about challenges and opportunities in improving assessment. In this session we will share key learning on assessment item writing and review as well as provide resources to support faculty as they create new assessment items. Participants will utilize an inclusivity guide for assessment item writing and have opportunities for reflection and discussion. Lastly, we will focus on learner centered classroom strategies for engaging students in assessment.

Speakers

Heather Seitz

Professor of Biology, Johnson County Community College

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST
Westmoreland Central Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276

Session

10:15am EST

Part 2: Pedagogy, Curriculum and Educational Research - Getting Started with Publishing

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST

Somerset

This is a two-part series designed to provide attendees with (1) further insight into novel pedagogical development (both at the activity and curriculum levels), the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL), and discipline-based education research (DBER); and (2) effective strategies regarding how to progress from ideation to dissemination of educational resources and scholarship. This second session will provide attendees with guidance related to types of manuscripts and best practices for publishing in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education.

Speakers

Carlos Goller

Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University

Jeffrey T. Olimpo

Associate Professor, The University of Texas at El Paso

Samantha T. Parks

Principal Lecturer, Georgia State University

Dave Westenberg

Professor, Missouri S&T

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am EST
Somerset Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15309

Session

10:45am EST

Exhibit Hall Open with Posters

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:45am - 12:15pm EST

Allegheny II & III

During this time, there will be sponsored Product & Author Corners, posters, and exhibit booths.

Saturday November 16, 2024 10:45am - 12:15pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

All Attendees

11:00am EST

Poster 101. Assembling Knowledge of Metagenome Assembled Genomes (MAGs) through Annotation and KBase

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

DNA from microbial communities can be sequenced and assembled to learn about the microbes potentially present in unique environments. Powerful computational tools, along with more accessible sequencing technologies, have made metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) analysis possible in course-based settings. However, the computational methods and assumptions surrounding MAGs and their use for understanding the microbes in biomes are often complex and intimidating to new users. The BIT 477/577 Metagenomics course enrolls undergraduate and graduate students in a half-semester lab experience. We hypothesized that collaborative annotation of specific bioinformatics research articles paired with student application of tools using guided case studies with the powerful KBase bioinformatics portal would improve learning key MAG concepts. Pre- and post-quizzes and student confidence with bioinformatics tools were used to assess students, and annotations were quantified and analyzed qualitatively. Data has been collected over several semesters using consistent assessments, reading assignments, and KBase narratives. Gains were found for specific MAG analysis concepts and data interpretation. However, misconceptions continue, and confidence in bioinformatics approaches varies. Additional exploration of qualitative data may suggest concepts to reinforce and resources to support learners. Combining KBase, social annotation, guided case studies, and assessments successfully promotes student understanding of MAGs and the assumptions associated with their creation and use.

Speakers

Carlos Goller

Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 102. Class debate as an effective learning tool that promotes collaborative and active learning

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Background: Active learning strategies are key to engaging students. In this study activities were developed for implementation in microbiology and immunology classrooms to encourage active, collaborative learning. Statement of research question: Determine if activities developed promoted critical thinking, helped students develop presentation skills and enhanced collaborative learning. Study design and methods: Two interdisciplinary activities were developed: 1.Diseases caused by some common bacteria 2.Which is the most important immune cell? The implementation of activity 1 is described below. Groups of students were assigned one bacterium, they researched/presented key features of this bacterium/disease caused to the class, debating against other groups to promote their bacterium as being the most harmful. Pre, post-quizzes and survey were used to determine student learning, engagement and satisfaction. Data supporting effectiveness of strategy: Microbiology students (n = 41) during Spring 2024 participated. The difference between the pre- and post-quiz scores was statistically significant (t-test; p=0.00) No statistically significant difference in variance between pre- and post-quiz was observed (F-test; p-value 0.21). Most students (97.7%) found the activity helped them understand bacterial diseases, 95% said that this activity reinforced the concepts of aseptic techniques and use of personal protection equipment when handling microbes in the laboratory. Most (86%) stated that this activity helped improve skills in analyzing information, and 93% said they learnt something new in a fun way. Most participants (79%) said they would like to see more activities like this in classes. Statistical analyses to determine the difference between pre- and post- quiz scores for each question and differences in the scores between lower and higher level Bloom's questions will also be undertaken. Concluding Statement: This activity engaged students in the classroom. Activity 2 will be implemented later this year. We will also gauge students’ long-term retention of the concepts learnt through the activities implemented.

Speakers

Archana Lal

Professor of Biology, Labette Community College

Thiru Vanniasinkam

Associate Professor, Charles Sturt University

Bhaswati Manish

Biology Instructor, Metropolitan Community College

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 103. Designing custom microbiology courseware to encourage self-regulated learning using the Codon Learning platform.

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Microbiology courseware was designed using the Codon Learning platform, and the effectiveness in improving students' self-regulated learning was evaluated. The Codon Learning platform, developed by a team of science educators and researchers, features evidence-based strategies to encourage student self-regulated learning, including metacognition, spaced practice, and self-testing. The questions and topics are structured around transparent, lesson-level learning objectives. Codon Learning offers courseware content developed, authored, and reviewed by experts in the field. However, Codon authored courseware for microbiology is not yet available. This project took advantage of the flexibility of the Codon platform to create customized microbiology courseware to encourage students’ self-regulated learning through iterative rounds of formative assessment and immediate feedback. Using backward course design, the instructor (KY) organized the microbiology custom Codon content around 14 topics covering 55 lesson-level learning objectives (LOs). Many of the LOs for this course were based on the ASM Curriculum Guidelines. Formative assessments, such as homework assignments, were then aligned to the LOs. Codon Learning’s education support team provided guidance for courseware development, and collected and analyzed data measuring student engagement and performance in the platform. Student attitudes about using the Codon platform for their microbiology course were measured using an end-of-semester survey. Thirty-four students engaged with formative assessments in the platform outside of class, with a 99% completion rate on eleven homework assignments spaced throughout the semester. When surveyed, 58% of the students agreed that the platform helped them to study more efficiently and 71% agreed that Codon encouraged them to return to topics they were struggling with. This indicated that the Codon platform courseware encouraged students’ self-regulated learning. Moreover, the Codon platform provided the framework to create custom microbiology courseware linking course topics to lesson-level learning objectives.

Speakers

Erin Vinson

Codon Learning

I have been involved with discipline-based education research, primarily focused on improving undergraduate STEM education through the use of evidence-based teaching practices and working with professional learning opportunities with STEM educators to promote more active learning... Read More →

Karen York

Professor of Biology, Stockton University

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 104. Drosophila Variation in Experimental Design and Analysis (DrosoVEDA): An intuitive plain-English approach to variation and statistics for first-year students from diverse backgrounds

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Background: Experimental design and analyses require an understanding of variation, a critical concept for STEM students. DrosoVEDA addresses an unmet need to develop and evaluate an undergraduate laboratory curriculum that provides students with a deep understanding of biological variation and statistics. Lycoming College has a diverse student population, with 31% students from the global majority. Research Question: Can a 3-week lab curriculum redesign improve diverse students’ understanding of biological variation and statistics? Study design/methods: Three new 3-hour lab exercises were developed to address sources of variation (organismal, systemic/experimental, and measurement error); the importance of appropriate sample sizes and unbiased sampling methods; the relationships between numeric and visual representations of means, standard errors, t statistics, and significant differences; the verbal meaning of terms in the t statistic equation; and when t tests are and are not appropriate. A 16-question assessment tool was adapted from a zebrafish-based curriculum (BioVEDA; Dewey et al. 2020; Hicks et al. 2020), and administered as a pre- and post-test. Drosophila were reared at 18 ºC or 25 ºC, and students chose sampling strategies and used microscopes to measure the length of the L3 vein. Students discussed strengths and weaknesses of different ways to represent and compare the data, graphically and statistically. Data: 64 students in 4 lab sections took the pretest during Week 1, and again at semester’s end for a post-test. Within-student pre-versus-post paired t tests showed highly significant learning gains, with p values of 9.5e-7 for one instructor and 0.004 for another instructor. Average pretest scores were 6.73 (sd 2.74, SEM 0.428) and posttest scores were 8.81 (sd 3.00, SEM 0.501), confirming that DrosoVEDA works. Conclusion: The DrosoVEDA curriculum improved student comprehension of variation, graphing, and statistical summary and testing. Further question-by-question analysis will guide the next round of revisions to the lab curriculum.

Speakers

Mary Morrison

Lycoming College

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 105. Empowering Students in Molecular Genetics: A Scalable Research Model for Threatened Species Conservation

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Background. As our institution grows, we face challenges in providing independent research opportunities for all undergraduates. To address this, we implemented a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) focused on the ecologically important and threatened gopher tortoise. With limited genetic data available on this species, students were taught DNA isolation, PCR, Sanger sequencing, and microbiome analysis. Research Question: We asked how does this course impact students’ perception of research and their own science identity. Research Design and Methods: Over two years, 17 out of 25 students (68% response rate) reflected on their experiences with a writing assignment and completed a survey on goal orientation, future motivations, science identity, and provided demographics. Results: To protect student identities; we report only demographic information held by at least 20% of the students. 53% Caucasian, 29% Hispanic, 24% Asian; 65% female, 24% male; 47% first-generation college graduates. Student perceptions of science identity varied, and 88% reported a change in their perception of whether research could afford several goals. Outcomes included a first-author research article, GenBank sequence submissions, and thesis completions. Anecdotally, some students chose to apply to graduate school. Conclusions: Our data support the efficacy of this CURE in enhancing students' development and perceptions of research while contributing novel findings to the field. We also present ideas for scaling this approach.

Speakers

Kelsie Bernot

Instructor of Biology, Florida Atlantic University

I've been a biology education researcher for over a decade now, starting when I was a postdoc teaching Intro Bio at Ohio State University. I was an Associate Professor at North Carolina A&T State University for 9 years and am now an Instructor of Biology at the Wilkes Honors College... Read More →

Elena Tonkin

Sarah Singh

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 106. Enhancing Student Learning and Inclusion in Environmental Toxicology through Hands-on Biological Models

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Background: In my Environmental Toxicology and Health Lab course, an innovative hands-on biological model group project was designed aiming to improve student engagement and comprehension. This approach enhanced students' research, analytical, and presentation skills while fostering a deeper understanding of environmental toxicology concepts and promoting inclusion. Statement of Research Question: How does the implementation of hands-on biological model projects in the curriculum affect student learning outcomes, presentation skills, and inclusion? Study Design and Methods: Students were assigned to groups and tasked with designing and conducting experiments using biological models to test the toxicity of substances of their choice. They were guided on how to conduct searches, perform literature reviews, design studies, and present findings through posters, reports, and oral presentations. Emphasis was placed on encouraging students to explore topics of personal interest, enhancing engagement and ownership of the learning process. Examples included the impact of alcohol on daphnia, TC50/LC50 bioassays of Cannabidiol on mealworms, and the toxicity of household bleach and vinegar on yeast cells. Pre- and post-project assessments evaluated changes in understanding of course concepts, citation skills, and sense of inclusion. Data Supporting Effectiveness of Strategy and Conclusion: In final exams, 93.75% of students answered questions related to animal models and risk assessment correctly, compared to 43.75% before the project. Post-project assessments revealed that 100% of students cited references professionally using APA style in lab reports, up from 50% before the project. Qualitative feedback indicated students felt more included and engaged when exploring topics of personal interest. These results suggest the hands-on group project significantly enhanced understanding of key concepts, professional presentation skills, and inclusion. Concluding Statement: This approach effectively improves student learning outcomes, presentation skills, and inclusion, indicating its potential for broader application in biological education, particularly in promoting an active and inclusive learning environment.

Speakers

Liu Cao

Assistant Professor, Gannon University

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 107. Generative AI in Undergraduate Education: Challenges and Strategies for Ethical Integration

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Generative AI (GenAI) can synthesize data, learn patterns, and create new content. However, its accessibility presents educators with a significant pedagogical dilemma: should they integrate or prohibit its use? Opponents often cite the potential for academic dishonesty, bias, lack of accountability and authenticity. However, I hypothesize that if students are educated on the ethical use of GenAI, they can use these tools to enhance their learning without compromising academic integrity. In this study, undergraduate microbiology students engaged in a semester-long, team-based project to explore and investigate a microbe. The assignment aimed to develop critical thinking, writing, presentation, and interpersonal skills. Students synthesized and edited primary research articles using GenAI, with an emphasis on academic honesty and mastering citations. Throughout the semester, students also engaged in metacognitive reflections. Thirty-eight students submitted reports. In the first assignment, 36% submitted plagiarized content, and 76% did not cite information correctly. Instances of plagiarism and incorrect citations were addressed with robust feedback. Over the next three collaborative assignments, students revised their content. By the final assignment, a team presentation, all instances of plagiarism had been removed. However, there was considerable variability in citation errors. In conclusion, this activity encouraged critical reflections about the ethical implications of GenAI, thus promoting culturally responsive and inclusive educational practices. As educators, we must continue to explore new pedagogical strategies to leverage GenAI effectively.

Speakers

Helen Walter

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 108. Helping Students Explore and Build Positive STEM Identities: An Interdisciplinary Cohort Design

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Preparing STEM majors for careers remains a significant challenge, and retention of undergraduate STEM majors has proven difficult at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. The "Exploring STEM Identity through a Science Learning Interdisciplinary Community Expansion (SLICE)" project aims to enhance student skills and foster interdisciplinary connections through cohort experiences. The project focuses on how connections with peers and faculty impact STEM identity and how students develop expertise through career exploration. The SLICE program has implemented strategies to support scholars, including: 1) Cohorts, Summer Bridge, & Block Scheduling: These initiatives reduce barriers and foster authentic peer connections. 2) STEMinar: A first-year seminar that enhances time management, decision-making, and problem-solving while allowing scholars to explore their identities. 3) Short Courses & Mentoring: These tools help expand scholars' communication, technical skills, and self-efficacy. 4) Career Events, Research Projects, & Apprenticeships: Collectively, these methods aim to influence identity formation and retention by creating supportive, enriching environments while providing practical experience and exploring STEM fields. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, qualitative (e.g., focus groups) and quantitative (e.g., academic performance, surveys) data have been collected for the scholars and a matched cohort. Preliminary results show that scholars have higher GPAs (3.69) than the control group (3.09). Scholars rated summer bridge activities highly, with strong engagement (4.70/5) and a high likelihood of recommendation (4.75/5). STEMinar feedback was positive, with students valuing the transition support, relationship building, and skill development. SLICE career events have been well-received; most students felt a strong connection with the professionals, saw career potential, and were inspired to pursue careers. Mentorships received positive feedback regarding faculty relationships, access, support, and advice. Scholars highlighted the importance of building connections through mentorship opportunities during focus groups. We hope continued participation in the program will increase retention and graduation rates and positive STEM identity formation.

Speakers

Sarah Swerdlow

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 109. Impact of online practice exams on introductory biology course performance and persistence in the pandemic era

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

It is generally accepted that the COVID-19 pandemic affected curriculum and delivery of biology education in high school. How does this translate to college biology success? In this study, post-pandemic student success in an introductory biology course (BIO 121: Foundations in cell and molecular biology) that was taught in person at a small liberal arts college was examined. Students enrolled in the course from 2020-2023 were considered to be pandemic-affected as they faced disruptions and/or changes in their high school biology education. In the pandemic-affected group, we observed that preparedness of incoming students (introductory cell and molecular biology concept inventory pre-course score, Shi et al., 2009) declined by 3.3% (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.003) while the course withdrawal rate increased by 8%. To improve persistence and support less-prepared students, we implemented an intervention: online, low-stakes practice exams. The practice exams were developed in-house to make it affordable to students, were aligned with the student learning outcomes for the course, were accessible through the learning management system, were graded, and allowed for two untimed attempts. We hypothesized that the practice exams would improve course performance and persistence. We assessed the effectiveness of practice exams by comparing students enrolled in BIO 121 during years 2021 and 2022 as the pre-intervention cohort and students enrolled in BIO 121 during 2023 as the post-intervention cohort. The course performance and exam averages of the pre-intervention and post-intervention groups were compared and did not significantly differ (Mann-Whitney test, p>0.05). However, the course withdrawal rate declined dramatically in the post-intervention cohort by 13.5% and were comparable to pre-pandemic course withdrawal rates. We concluded that the interventions did not improve course performance, but improved course persistence and are therefore valuable to retain in the course in the future.

Speakers

Anupama Shanmuganathan

Professor of Biology, Washington & Jefferson College

Professor of Biology Washington & Jefferson College

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 110. Implementing a Simulated Biomedical Conference on COVID-19 Diagnosis at Various Institutions: Impact on Student Learning of Vision and Change Core Concepts and Competencies

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

As a part of the ImmunoReach network, an interdisciplinary group that aims to foster immune literacy beyond immunology courses, we developed a QUBES open-source role-playing activity called ‘When tests disagree, how do I know if I have COVID-19?’. This activity was designed to address Vision and Change (V&C) core concepts and enable students to practice core competencies in a real-world scenario. As a jigsaw activity, students engage in a case study, select a specialty (epidemiologist, infectious disease doctor, or immunologist) to interpret SARS-CoV-2 tests (PCR, antigen, and antibody), and communicate the results to a patient. The activity and V&C-aligned assessment materials are ready-to-use, adaptable and relevant to a variety of course types. The activity was implemented in varied course and institutional settings, including introductory or upper-level microbiology- or immunology-themed courses at four institutions (a 2-year college, two 4-year colleges, and an R1 institution; two of the four instructors were not the original developers of the activity). We hypothesized that the activity would improve student learning of two V&C core concepts, Information Flow and Structure and Function. We measured student learning using a 15-question multiple-choice pre/post quiz (pre, n=170; post, n=164). There was a significant pre-to-post improvement with a mean total score increase of 1.733 (SE=0.278; p

Speakers

Sean Coleman

Associate Professor of Biology, Wartburg College

I am an associate professor at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa who has been in higher education for 23 years. I primarily teach Microbiology, Cell Biology, and Immunology. I am on the organizing committee for the American Society of Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators... Read More →

Aparna Shah

Collegiate Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech

Sumali Pandey

Associate Professor, Minnesota State University Moorhead

I am a mom and a teacher-scholar at a 4-year undergraduate institution. My research centers around immune literacy and key concepts and competencies related to undergraduate immunology education. I do that as a part of Research Coordination Network called ImmunoReach. I love connecting... Read More →

Archana Lal

Professor of Biology, Labette Community College

Iglika Pavlova

Associate Professor, Michigan State University

I am a molecular geneticist and teaching for over 20 years, currently at Michigan State University. I center my teaching practice on creating inclusive learning environments and developing evidence-based materials in diverse areas, ranging from introductory biology to genetics, evolution... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 111. Teaching Evolution in the Context of Immunology

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Evolution is listed as one of the core concepts in the national call to reform undergraduate biology education (AAAS, 2010). However, teaching evolution in the context of immunology has not been widely documented. To enable this discussion, we wrote a conceptual statement and invited educators to weigh in on this statement through surveys and semi-structured interviews. This qualitative study addressed the following three research questions with regards to the fundamental statement “Immune defenses vary based on organismal complexity” 1) How important and scientifically accurate is the statement?; 2) How well aligned is this statement with the concept of evolution?; 3) What are the concerns of immunology educators with regards to this statement? In total, we gathered 34 data points. The data showed that 82% of educators considered the statement to be scientifically accurate, and 73% considered that the statement is important for an immunology student to remember. In terms of alignment with the concept evolution, 69% of educators considered it to be well aligned. Upon thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, 40% of the educators considered the statement to be fine as is. Concerns from the remaining 60% of educators could be captured with these three codes: a) Not clear, i.e.; the fundamental statement does not clearly convey the thought process or intent behind it, or the word choice is vague; b) Missing content, i.e.; words or phrases are missing from the fundamental statement.; c) Not suitable, i.e., The fundamental statement is not suitable to their course, either because of the course level or structure. These comments led to an extensive discussion amongst the co-investigators of this study, and informed the final revisions. The data and accompanying discussion will help researchers and educators adopt a backward design based pedagogical approach, to address the concept of evolution in the context of immunology education.

Speakers

Sumali Pandey

Associate Professor, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Archana Lal

Professor of Biology, Labette Community College

Thiru Vanniasinkam

Associate Professor, Charles Sturt University

Rebekah Taylor

Chair and Associate Professor, Frostburg State University

Timothy Pausitan

Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

I teach Biology of Microorganisms and Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory, introductory microbiology classes for majors. I also coordinate laboratories that teach advanced laboratory techniques and our CURE class.My research interests are concept inventories in biology, the impact... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 112. Incorporating Study Skill Assignments in Introductory Biology Course Improves Outcomes

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

For the past several years, we have been redesigning our large enrollment introductory biology lecture course, Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, to decrease our DFW rates for all students. Efforts included active learning lectures, group activities, and increased resources such as peer lead study sessions. Despite these interventions, we continued to hear feedback from our students that they felt unprepared for the academic demands and organizational skills that college-level classes require. Therefore, we intentionally integrated study skill development as part of the class curriculum. We integrated nine study skills assignments which accounted for 5% of the overall summative assignments. These included assignments that focused specifically on academic preparedness (such as note taking, concept mapping, and exam wrappers), reflections on STEM identity, organizational skills, and resource utilization. While there was a small decrease in the overall DFW rates for the class, from 18% down to 14%, we saw a significant overall DFW rate decrease in underrepresented minorities from 36% to 24%. Student evaluations also reflected positively on the inclusion of the study skill assignments with 7% of respondents stating that study skill assignments were most helpful to their learning in the course.

Speakers

Eileen Hotze

Associate Teaching Professor, University of Kansas

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 113. Native California Plants and Classical Microbiology to Foster Inquiry, Discovery, and Inclusion in the Classroom

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

With the rise in antibiotic resistance, researchers are looking into local environments to source pharmaceuticals from plant materials. One source that is little explored is the medicinal plants used in Indigenous communities. California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) is built on unceded Chumash land. As a result, our institution has the privilege of collaborating with local Chumash communities to steward the land's natural and cultural ancestry. The exercise we developed utilizes the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay (KB assay), a standard laboratory technique focused on testing the effectiveness of various antibiotics on bacterial cultures. However, instead of antibiotics, we utilize plant extracts derived from Native California species, associated with Chumash medicine in recognition of CSUCI’s relationship with the Chumash. In addition to testing local medicinal plants, this activity aimed to increase the students’ sense of belonging. During the lab activity, students discuss antibiotic resistance's impact and holistic discovery's role in creating new pharmaceuticals. Students also examine how their cultural and familial teachings may be a source of scientific/academic inquiry. Then, they perform the KB assay using prepared extracts and antibiotics. Students then interpret the Zones of Inhibition (ZOI) for each extract (Wild buckwheat and Rue) and antibiotics (Tetracycline and Amoxicillin/ Clavulanic Acid), comparing them to cut-offs provided by the Clinical Laboratory Science Institute (CLSI) to determine the bacterial strains’ susceptibility. Most plant extracts were proven ineffective against our bacterial strains- E.coli, P. fluorescens, and B. subtilis. However, the Rue extract showed intermediate and susceptible results against Bacillus subtilis. Nevertheless, through this lab exercise students engaged in a novel method for a standardized microbiology technique and expressed their feelings of belonging in survey-based feedback. In the future, we hope to analyze the survey responses and classroom engagement to foster increased belonging in STEM among diverse groups of students.

Speakers

Ashley McCarley

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 114. Promoting Inclusive and Achievement-Oriented Practices in STEM Classrooms Using a Faculty Learning Community Model

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Deficit remedial models (“fix the students”) have not been effective in addressing racial/ethnic persistence gaps in STEM fields. We hypothesize that shifting faculty and institutions toward anti-deficit, achievement-oriented thinking and practices will improve introductory science experiences for PEER (Persons Excluded by Ethnicity and/or Race) students and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in opportunity and outcomes in STEM disciplines. As part of a larger project, we designed an inclusive faculty development program based on the faculty learning community (FLC) model. We asked if FLC participants (1) gained knowledge about the magnitude and causes of inequities in STEM education, (2) gained knowledge about tools for inclusive teaching, (3) had a change in attitude away from a deficit mindset about students, and (4) increased in readiness to implement changes in their classes. We have completed two cohorts of our FLC (n = 17 participants). Seven semi-weekly sessions involved a combination of reading discussions and interactive activities centered around an introduction to deficit thinking and inequities in STEM education, instructor and student identities, and an introduction to inclusive teaching methods. We conducted pre- and post-FLC assessment using both quantitative (Likert-scale survey) and qualitative (group discussions, individual written reflections) methods. We saw a noticeable shift in quantitative responses from deficit toward achievement-oriented attitude and an increase in knowledge about inclusive education following participation in the FLC. Most participants reported an increase in interest in using inclusive practices. The qualitative responses supported the quantitative assessment and indicated very significant impacts on some individual participants. We conclude that this faculty learning community model was effective, at least in the short term, in shifting participants towards an anti-deficit, inclusive mindset. We will continue to gather data to see if these short-term changes in attitude result in longer-term changes in practice that reduce equity gaps for PEER students.

Speakers

Kevin Schultz

Associate Professor of Physics, Hartwick College

I am interested in alternative assessments, equity and diversity in STEM, physics in the context of other STEM disciplines, and the intersection of science and community issues

Mark Kuhlmann

Professor of Biology, Hartwick College

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 115. Simulated medical laboratory experiences increased students’ perceived comfort communicating technical information by telephone

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

As the number of traditional hospital medical lab internships decrease, university-based simulation labs are becoming an important tool in medical laboratory education. While simulation has been well studied in allied health professions such as Nursing, literature regarding the efficacy of simulation in a medical laboratory context is limited. We developed a university-based simulation lab course to replace/supplement a mandatory hospital-based internship rotation in microbiology and blood bank. We anecdotally observed that many students and new Medical Lab Scientists are intimidated by talking on the phone in a laboratory setting. One goal of our course was to increase student comfort communicating technical microbiology or blood bank information with members of the healthcare team. Students practiced calling critical results, troubleshooting problem specimens, and fielding incoming calls through structured role-play activities. Both within a peer practice session, and with a simulated healthcare provider. Our research question assessed how these role-play activities affected students' perceived comfort in communicating technical information on the phone. We assessed the student’s perception through a set of four pre and post survey questions, measured using a Likert scale. Each question was designed to assess students’ perceived comfort in common communication scenarios in a medical laboratory setting. We hypothesized that the simulation lab would increase students’ perceived comfort communicating technical information on the phone. The simulation lab increased students’ perceived comfort communicating on the telephone in all four scenarios. Increases ranged between 0.81 and 1.07 points on a 5 point Likert scale, with an average increase of 0.91 points (±0.12 SD). A MANOVA showed these differences represent a statistically significant change in student comfort F(4,43)=5.13, (p=0.002). In conclusion, we found structured role-play activities are a valuable tool to increase students’ comfort communicating technical information by telephone.

Speakers

Emily Matthys

Assistant Professor, Northern Michigan University

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 116. Virtual Reality Produces Learning Gains and Other Benefits in a STEM Higher Education Classroom

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality are gaining in popularity and expanding in educational use. However, there are still many gaps in the research of virtual reality’s effectiveness in the higher education classroom. The research described here examines the effectiveness of virtual reality as an initial laboratory activity in an undergraduate cell biology course. This is an extension of our previous publication that shows perceived student learning gains. In our current research which examines cell biology sections in spring 2020 and 2023, students were asked to complete an attitude survey similar to what we used before, comparing virtual reality to another well-studied active learning strategy (concept mapping). This time the survey was extended to also include questions about feelings of belonging and showed strong support for the use of virtual reality as a tool to increase this vital aspect of higher education in addition to benefits such as a perceived increase in understanding, engagement, and interest for the subject matter. Using pre- and post-assessments with the use of virtual reality resulted in quantifiable learning gains that were statistically significant for a cell labeling and matching assessment and similar to learning gains achieved with cell concept mapping. Both virtual reality and cell concept mapping resulted in learning gains, while use of these different types of active learning strategies yielded different benefits in student surveys. This research adds to the growing body of literature studying the effectiveness of virtual reality in STEM higher education.

Speakers

Jennifer Bennett

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:00am EST

Poster 117. Who is the peer in peer review? Engaging undergraduate students in preprint peer review

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Undergraduate science education often focuses on how experiments are carried out and the scientific knowledge as communicated in the research literature, but neglects engaging students in the critical peer review process that validates such scientific findings. We propose integrating peer review teaching into undergraduate STEM curricula to unveil this critical, yet hidden, aspect of scientific practice. We developed and evaluated a constructivist, service-learning curriculum where undergraduate biology students learn about peer review, then write and publish reviews of preprints. Initially piloted with advanced students at Mt. Holyoke, this project adapted the course for first-semester students at Oxford College of Emory University. We investigated how authentic peer review engagement impacts students' scientific literacy, identity, and understanding of the course topic: the Covid-19 pandemic. The 15-week course, delivered to 17 first-year students, covered peer review history, sociology, and mechanics, followed by practical evaluation and construction of review reports. Students completed individual and group peer reviews of SARS-CoV-2 preprints. Surveys assessing science literacy, identity, belonging, and SARS-CoV-2 biology understanding were conducted throughout the course and analyzed using one-way ANOVA and paired t-tests. Results showed increases in students' self-efficacy, science identity, and networking factors after the first peer review assignment, with more significant increases following group reviews. These trends mirrored those observed in the previous iteration with advanced students at Mt. Holyoke. Significant gains across all metrics were reported upon course completion. Our study concludes that: 1. Exposing students to hidden aspects of science, like peer review, can enhance their affinity with the scientific community and understanding of scientific processes. 2. Students with limited experience can learn to provide effective peer reviews, suggesting implications for broadening the pool of potential peer reviewers and their training in scientific publishing.

Speakers

Sarah Fankhauser

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

11:15am EST

Epidemiology for Everyone!

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:15am - 11:45am EST

Allegheny I

Speaker: Marjorie Kelly Cowan, McGraw Hill author of Microbiology Fundamentals and Microbiology: A Systems Approach. Pronouns: she/her

Our experience with COVID-19 is exposing a pressing need for public understanding of a few basic epidemiological concepts. Not the hard stuff (math), but the fundamental principles. Kelly will make the case for epidemiology as a topic worth studying by allied health students, in their microbiology courses. She has previously made the case for teaching epidemiology in a liberal arts curriculum!

Suggested audience: Instructors of allied health students, Community college professors, everybody.

Speakers

Marjorie Kelly Cowan

Professor Emerita, Miami University Ohio

I fell in love with teaching microbiology to non-majors and allied health students because we start with a clean slate! It really makes you consider what it would be like to hear these things for the first time. That led to me to writing a textbook that embraced the same attitude... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 11:15am - 11:45am EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

All Attendees

12:15pm EST

Networking lunch on the 2nd floor

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST

Pennsylvannia Room Foyer

Go to 2nd floor.
Self-serve buffet lunch with ASMCUE attendees will be provided on-site.
The buffet will be located in the Pennsylvania Room Foyer, and you can eat in the rooms adjacent to food service area (Pennsylvania East & West room or Pennsylvania City Grill).

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST
Pennsylvannia Room Foyer

All Attendees

12:15pm EST

Focus group on the future of clinical applications with W.W. Norton

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST

Butler

W.W. Norton is looking for participants!

Advanced sign-up link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHZJTBK

Description: W.W. Norton, independent and employee-owned publishers, invites instructors who teach microbiology for healthcare students to help shape the future of clinical applications in the course. We’ll use a jobs-to-be-done framework to better understand how textbooks and other instructional materials can address your and your students’ needs. We’ll also discuss potential solutions. This is not a product showcase; your feedback will directly inform our future plans.
Light snacks and beverages will be served.

Focus group participants will receive a $150 honorarium, contingent on a short pre-workshop assignment and participation in the discussion. We look forward to speaking with you!

Speakers: Heather Seitz (Author), Abigail Kehoe (Biology Editor), Gina Forsythe (Biology Media Editor)

Speakers

Abby Kehoe

Biology Editor, W.W. Norton

Heather Seitz

Professor of Biology, Johnson County Community College

Gina Forsythe

Biology Media Editor, W. W. Norton

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Invitation-only event

12:15pm EST

Macmillan Focus group: Engagement and Equity in Intro to Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST

Westmoreland East

Invitation-only event --self-nominate for this opportunity with this link.

A complimentary lunch will be served during the focus group as we explore these educational advancements. Participants will receive an honorarium of $150. To qualify for the honorarium, participation in the focus group and completion of the follow-up survey are required.

Address the challenges of making your introductory microbiology course more equitable while boosting student engagement. Learn about our upcoming products designed to enhance equity and engagement, and share your valuable feedback.

Speakers

Sandra Lindelof

Program Director, Macmillan Learning

Hi! I’m the Program Director for Allied Health at Macmillan Learning. I’m interested in learning from educators about your courses, students, teaching goals, most pressing teaching challenges, and your solutions to those challenges.

Saturday November 16, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Invitation-only event

1:15pm EST

Plenary. This Joy That I Have…Fostering Justice and Joy Through STEM Transformation

Saturday November 16, 2024 1:15pm - 1:50pm EST

Allegheny I

Speaker: Terrell Morton, Ph.D.

Scholars and practitioners vested in STEM education transformation must address and attempt to mitigate oppression that manifest through STEM culture, content, classrooms, and research experiences. Rooting transformational strategies in critical, strengths-based frameworks present opportunities to foster justice and joy for all involved in the STEM education ecosystem. In this presentation, I will provide insight into how to use critical, strengths-based frameworks to root transformational strategies towards justice and joy!

Speakers

Terrell Morton

Asst. Professor, Identity and Justice in STEM Education, University of Illinois Chicago

Saturday November 16, 2024 1:15pm - 1:50pm EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

All Attendees

2:00pm EST

Embracing the Right FIT: How First-Day Instructor Talk in Biology Laboratory Courses Supports the Creation of Positive Learning Environments

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST

Somerset

Instructor Talk (IT)—the noncontent messaging that educators employ while creating the learning environment of a course—has been shown to directly influence student engagement and success. First-day Instructor Talk (FIT) is hypothesized to be especially important for establishing classroom culture and addressing early student concerns. As previous research on FIT has largely centered on faculty lecturers, the FIT used by educators in biology laboratory courses remains understudied. In this session, I will introduce attendees to IT frameworks, explore findings from a laboratory-based FIT study that our team conducted, and prompt attendees to consider the “right FIT” at their institutions.

Speakers

Jeffrey T. Olimpo

Associate Professor, The University of Texas at El Paso

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST
Somerset Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15309

Session

2:00pm EST

Professional development through publishing educational materials

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST

Allegheny I

All instructors engage in the private generation of educational materials for their students, from creating lessons and courses to curriculum development. A natural career progression is to explore sharing one’s teaching materials in a more public forum. Publishing and presenting are important and fulfilling ways for educators to enhance their professional development. This session will offer a panel-based discussion on challenges and supporting resources related to educational publishing. Speakers will include those with informal (e.g., essays and teaching tips) and formal (e.g., peer-reviewed articles, lab manuals, and textbooks) publications. Participants will self-reflect on and discuss personal publishing aspirations and barriers.

Panelists:
Jayna Ditty, Rodney Anderson, Heather Townsend

Speakers

Ann Stevens

Professor, Virginia Tech

Sue Merkel

Manuela Tripepi

Associate Professor of Biology - Biology Program Director, Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Tripepi’s research investigates how different organisms (from archaea to plants) respond to various stressors and the impact these stressors can have on their survival strategies. Currently she is investigating the effects of sub-optimal temperatures and UV light on the motility... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Session

2:40pm EST

A discussion activity for learning and assessment of the Core Concepts of Biology

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST

Butler

In this Microbrew I will present a discussion activity for student learning and assessment of the Core Concepts of Biology (Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology, 2009). The activity facilitates both learning and assessment through a dynamic discussion based on articles of individual student choice that engages students with the core principles of biology: evolution, structure and function, information flow, energy and matter transformations, and systems, with addition of ethical considerations and provides opportunities for further discussion and extensions based on student understanding. The discussion activity can be adapted for instructor-led summative assessments and formative classroom interactions. The activity has consistently received positive feedback from students and has been an effective way to connect with students around their interests in biology and stimulate motivation for learning.

Speakers

Jean Huang

Associate Professor of Biology, Olin College

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Microbrew Talk

2:40pm EST

Creating a Supportive Student Network: How Peer Mentoring Enhances Microbiology Education

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST

Westmoreland East

Peer mentoring has shown to increase transfer student success and foster an immediate sense of belonging in their academic setting. We have created a Peer Mentoring program to build connections between our majors and new transfer students joining our program. The goal of this program is for students to (1) interact and socialize, (2) provide a sense of belonging for new students within the department and university, (3) offer accessibility and knowledge to navigate RU-campus resources, and (4) increase retention & graduation rates. The peer mentor outcomes is to (1) build and apply mentoring skills, (2) improve leadership skills, and (3) increase a sense of belonging in their major. For our presentations, we would like to share our experience in recruiting students to the program, the process of matching mentors with mentees, meeting expectations and goals, guidance throughout the semester and overall design of the peer mentoring course that students take.

Speakers

Ines Rauschenbach

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Microbrew Talk

2:40pm EST

Fostering discussion on health disparities and global awareness in an undergraduate microbiology course through the use of primary scientific papers.

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST

Westmoreland Central

Microbiology lives at the intersection of science and society. Diarrheal diseases and access to clean water, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual health access/education; microbial evolution, outbreaks and vaccination attitudes, the possibilities seem endless. We have developed three course activities associated with primary scientific papers that are accessible to undergraduate students to promote scientific literacy and critical thinking skills, while cultivating discussions on health inequities, and improve students’ cultural and global awareness. Best practices for primary papers and for the creation of inclusive classrooms require some of the same techniques; providing scaffolding of background and terminology, highlighting multiple sources/perspectives and development an environment where individuals are comfortable accepting their own inexperience and listening to the other’s knowledge/experience. We will present the implementation of these through primary papers and associated assignments, student responses to these, and discuss the expansion to other undergraduate classes, including parasitology and genetics.

Speakers

Lauren Logsdon

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST
Westmoreland Central Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276

Microbrew Talk

2:40pm EST

Strategies to Re-Engage Students with In-Person Instruction

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST

Somerset

Have you ever looked out at a sea of empty seats in your classroom and wondered where your students are? You are not alone! Student engagement and attendance are historically low, with instructors at many institutions reporting as few as one-quarter of their students attending class after our post-COVID return to in-person instruction (Basken, 2023; Holstead, 2022; McMurtrie, 2022). Instructors are understandably concerned about negative impacts on student outcomes and interactive learning activities. We will first describe the benefits that in-person attendance has for student learning, then share the pros and cons of teaching practices commonly used to boost attendance in STEM lecture courses. As a group, we will identify which practices are most impactful, and invite attendees to contribute practices and ideas to a collaborative document. Our goal is to provide a variety of options for instructors to serve their pedagogical goals and the specific needs of their classroom.

Speakers

Jonathan Bragg

Miriam Markum

Associate Professor of Teaching, University of California, Davis

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST
Somerset Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15309

Microbrew Talk

2:40pm EST

Using STEM-spiration Profiles to Highlight Diverse Scientists

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST

Allegheny I

To “recognize the historical and ongoing contributions of diverse scientists” is a part of the ASM Recommended Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology Education. The use of STEM-spiration Profiles in my courses has allowed my students to learn about a wide array of scientists in the field now, historic scientists, and even some alumni of our college making their way in STEM careers. Introduction of a profile may be linked to course content. While studying bacterial genetics students are introduced to Tsuneko Okazaki, and when learning about the microbiome a profile about Ariangela Kozik is shared with students. Each week students explore a new profile, so over the semester most students discover a person with whom they are able to relate and gain inspiration to persist in their STEM dreams and goals. Students consistently report at the end of the term how much the STEM-spiration Profiles impacted them.

Speakers

Julie Oliver

Professor, Cosumnes River College

Saturday November 16, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

Microbrew Talk

3:00pm EST

AI Scientist Spotlights: Highlighting the Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Biology Professions

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EST

Use of “Career Competencies” in teaching lab notebooks in an undergraduate Biotechnology Laboratory

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EST

Butler

A series of “Career Competencies” was developed on campus to help students relate what they are learning to transferable skills needed for employment. Instructors across the curriculum have developed assignments to address these career competencies. While many laboratory courses use technical skills and documentation, students may not sense how they would use them in a career. In the Biotechnology Laboratory, the assignment involves a weekly post addressing these career competencies in relation to documentation or other skills. Some weeks there was a required prompt related to a particularly challenging task such as calculating Specific Activities or keeping their lab notebook. Other weeks were free weeks to sense what they are appreciating. Assessment involved “ungrading” based on how many posts the student wrote over the semester and feedback provided. A quorum of students has better appreciation for documentation and other transferable skills relating to career competencies.

Speakers

Nancy Magill

Senior lecturer, Indiana University Bloomington

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Microbrew Talk

3:00pm EST

Whatever the case may be: Developing unfolding case studies to prepare students for NexGen-NCLEX

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EST

Westmoreland East

In 2023, NexGen-NCLEX was released, a nursing licensure exam designed to evaluate clinical judgment skills. To prepare students for this assessment, new educational resources are required. We have designed novel case studies that are aligned with the NextGen-NCLEX and ASM-MINAH Guidelines to familiarize students with the format of the exam. These self-paced, unfolding case studies have been developed using true patient scenarios. Students must recognize and analyze cues through symptoms, history, vitals, and labs. Using this information, students then generate logical hypotheses and solutions for best patient care. Across these 20+ cases, students are exposed to diverse patient populations, allowing them to navigate caring for patients with different backgrounds, cultures and gender identities. This holistic approach integrates core microbiology and laboratory concepts that students will apply in their careers. These case studies would benefit students and educators alike, by sharing this interactive and accessible content with the allied health field.

Speakers

Anna Gregory

PhD Candidate, University of Wisconsin - Madison

I am a Microbiology PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison where I study Clostridioides difficile pathogenicity and metabolism. I also teach "Microbiology for Nurses" as an adjunct at Edgewood College.

Suzy Karcher

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Edgewood College

I am a pediatric nurse practitioner and nursing professor, but I have a lot of interest and experience in microbiology and how it applies to nursing practice! I enjoy helping students see the connections between what we do in the lab and how it drives clinical decision making.

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Microbrew Talk

3:20pm EST

Beyond the Bench: Integrating Bioethical Topics in Microbiology and Immunology courses

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST

Allegheny I

Integrating bioethics into foundation sciences courses bridges the humanities and sciences and fosters dialogue on the societal implications of scientific advancements both past and present. As per the 2024 ASM Curriculum Guidelines, understanding science-society intersections and ethical dimensions is crucial. In this session, the audience members will brainstorm and share bioethics topics related to courses. The presenter will describe her strategy for integrating bioethics readings and student reflections, highlight successful topics, and include student feedback. The session concludes with an invitation to work collaboratively to identify impactful reading materials, design assignments, and develop effective ways to share these resources.
Link to Presentation slides.

Speakers

Aisling Dugan

Senior lecturer, Brown University

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

Microbrew Talk

3:20pm EST

Big data analytical techniques (BDAT): Influenza viral dynamics and vaccine design course module

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST

Somerset

The rapid advancement of high throughput technologies has generated an enormous amount of heterogeneous data relevant to the life sciences and data science as a whole. This underscores the need to leverage this data to prepare undergraduate students for career opportunities in STEM that may be more data-focused by teaching big data analytical techniques (BDAT). Faculty at teaching-focused institutions such as community colleges, face numerous obstacles when incorporating BDAT in their life sciences curricula including heavy teaching loads, lack of time, resources, and support to develop new curricula. Additionally, bioinformatics software and modules are often written with specific user expertise in mind, making general usage by faculty difficult and time-consuming. Come learn about the NSF funded Consortium for Biological Data Science Education RCN and our planned infrastructure to support faculty in introducing BDAT and curricular supports. Faculty will be able to engage and provide feedback on an Influenza Viral Dynamics Module and view 6 more modules under consideration in this effort created by MC Melendrez-Vallard.

Speakers

Mel Melendrez-Vallard

Instructor of Biology, Microbiology, Anoka Ramsey Community College

I am an environmental and computational microbiologist by training and really enjoy curriculum design to introduce bioinformatics and data analytics into the undergraduate classroom (genomics subtopics and phylogenetics focus etc..)

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST
Somerset Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15309

Microbrew Talk

3:20pm EST

Incorporating Primary Literature into Your Class Using This Week in Microbiology (TWiM) Podcasts and an OER Pressbook, Podcast Annotation Resources: Microbiology (PAR:M)

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST

Westmoreland Central

The ability to understand science and think in a critical way is important to modern citizens. However, students struggle learning to read and write about science. Students leave science because they feel unconnected and uninspired by traditional teaching methods. Additionally, teachers struggle finding teaching resources that are effective, innovative, and reliable. This science literacy project provides two opportunities for curricular change. First, student/faculty teams collaboratively annotated episodes from TWiM, mapped concepts to the ASM curricular guidelines, and developed figure reading exercises based on the primary literature in the podcast. Second, these materials were organized into the Pressbook with accessible, inclusive, and complete activities for teacher use. We invite faculty to utilize the Pressbook activities, join our group to learn to build their own annotation teams and generate OER for primary literature-based science podcasts, and investigate the impact of these trainings and materials on student science literacy, identity, and motivation.

Speakers

Nancy Boury

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

Microbiologist interested in active learning, assessment, buildling and using case studies to teach general microbiology, general biology, general genetics.

Rebecca Seipelt-Thiemann

Middle Tennessee State University

Gwendowlyn Knapp

Assistant Professor of Biology, Illinois College

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST
Westmoreland Central Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276

Microbrew Talk

3:20pm EST

MARVEL: Microbiology Achievement through Research and Valuable Experiential Learning

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST

Butler

Student retention challenges, particularly for underrepresented groups, often include barriers impacting student self-efficacy, persistence, motivation, and STEM identity. To address these issues and promote student persistence, the MARVEL (Microbiology Achievement through Research and Valuable and Experiential Learning) program was developed as an intervention to address these barriers by fostering community, building confidence, and providing early experiential learning opportunities. Targeted interventions include embedding student participation in research symposia, experiential learning, and professional development-oriented workshops into the curriculum of an introductory microbiology course, while guiding the application and reflection of learning outcomes to students’ career preparation plans. Through participation in MARVEL, student confidence and sense of belonging increased as students saw themselves as part of a vibrant scientific community and able to network with other students, faculty, and staff. With continued participation throughout their academic program, students build a comprehensive portfolio of skills while building connections for future success.

Speakers

Brandi Sigmon

Associate Professor of Practice, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dr. Sigmon is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As part of her appointment, she also serves as the Academic Success Coordinator for the Microbiology Program. In this program, Dr. Sigmon focuses on enhancing... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST
Butler Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273

Microbrew Talk

3:20pm EST

WikiScience: Harnessing Wikipedia for Science Communication and Collaboration

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST

Westmoreland East

Science communication is a key skill that should be considered in STEM curriculum. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of STEM students and professionals being able to communicate effectively with the public was further highlighted. Wikipedia is a collaborative open access encyclopedia and source of information on many science topics for the wider community. In this session we’ll introduce an activity developed in collaboration with Wikimedia Australia. Students worked in groups to assess Wikipedia articles for their currency, accuracy and readability for a lay audience without a science background. An article they generated through AI on the same topic was compared with the Wikipedia article. This activity enhances collaborative learning, critical thinking and science communication in the class, and some key benefits noted by students will be discussed. In this Microbrew attendees will have the opportunity to discuss ways they can implement a Wikipedia based assessment into their own courses.

Speakers

Katelyn Mroczek

Lecturer, La Trobe University, Australia

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EST
Westmoreland East Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15274

Microbrew Talk

3:30pm EST

Exhibit & Poster Hall Open

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:30pm - 6:00pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Associate Professor, Iowa State University

Microbiologist interested in active learning, assessment, buildling and using case studies to teach general microbiology, general biology, general genetics.

Rebecca Seipelt-Thiemann

Middle Tennessee State University

Amaya Garcia Costas

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 106. Catholic Social Teachings in Microbiology: How Catholic Social Teaching Principles Can be Used to Connect Microbiology to Social Justice in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

The Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles are a set of guidelines to inform Catholics on creating a fair and just society, upholding the dignity of every person and caring for the poor and vulnerable. These principles are more broadly linked to social justice by promoting actions that support equal rights for all people. To allow students to understand how Catholic Social Teachings and social justice issues can be linked to the field of microbiology, an assignment was created in an undergraduate microbiology course that asked students to choose a population protected by CST principles and identify an infectious disease that disproportionality affects this group. The students were then tasked with creating a public service announcement specifically designed to educate, and therefore empower, this target population. This assignment allowed students to understand the link between social justice and microbiology and empowered students to use their knowledge to bring about change.

Speakers

Ja'Nean Reay

Associate Professor, Seton Hill

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 107. Connections with models: Engaging students to evaluate, share, and make connections between models in biology and across courses

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Modeling is a key scientific practice shared among scientific fields and recognized as a Core Competency for biology undergraduate education in the “Vision and Change” report. Opportunities to engage with models abound in every course and “modeling instruction” materials are available. Yet modeling use in undergraduate biology remains rare. I will first interactively present the “Connections to My Courses” project as a way for diverse students to 1) make connections to their own experiences, interests, and goals, 2) critically evaluate models from different courses, 3) metacognitively reflect on their learning, 4) tap into the multidisciplinary nature of science and 5) communicate scientific concepts (targeting 2-3 additional Core Competencies relevant to all Core Concepts). Next, participants will consider how to build in opportunities for their students to evaluate, share, and make connections between models that are already used in their course (or how to incorporate modeling instruction in instructor professional development).

Speakers

Iglika Pavlova

Associate Professor, Michigan State University

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 108. Creating a Flexible Framework to Allow Student Designed Research as Part of an Environmental Microbiology Class

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Students conducting microbiology research learn to cultivate, observe, and differentiate microorganisms using the scientific process, whereas typical lab-based courses train these skills through manufactured activities. Through a new Environment Microbiology course, a lab was developed to teach both foundational techniques and the scientific method through student-designed research. In this pilot semester, a created structured framework centered on food microbiology to ensure necessary skill-development and student agency in choosing specific research questions. But there is flexibility in the lab framework to allow each semester to focus on additional areas of environmental microbiology. Students worked communally through class discussions on a common goal to create an environment of collaboration, while designing and conducting research in smaller groups allowing ownership of their learning. Areas to ‘brew’ for future semester include evaluating both student assessments and summative assessment tools to determine how this lab design affects student attitudes and confidence in science.

Speakers

Elizabeth Schoenfeld

Assistant Professor, Belmont University

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 109. Encouraging Student-Ownership and STEM Identity through Student-Created Lab Manual

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Lab manuals can be a costly item for students to purchase and yet typically do not capture all the activities for a class–-thus, requiring supplemental activities and deviations from the protocol. This can cause confusion and frustration and ultimately keep students from fully utilizing this valuable resource. In response, we are organizing a student-created lab manual that is customizable to the course and created by the students, themselves. Through this project, students will enhance their microbiology laboratory skills as they develop the components they feel essential to a lab manual. This project was developed in line with culturally responsive pedagogy by providing opportunities for student-centered instruction. It is hoped that students will feel a sense of empowerment and improved STEM identity as they play a significant role in creating the course material to be used by future students.

Speakers

Emily Rabinsky

Professor of Biology, Holyoke Community College

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 110. Evaluating the Impact of Structured Homework Assignments on Student Performance in an Upper Division Genetics Course.

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Upper division Genetics courses, particularly the molecular genetics section, can be challenging for students. Students often come to class unprepared and neglect pre-class reading assignments. To address this, we incorporated weekly homework assignments from the publisher's website into the syllabus. These assignments included multiple-choice and matching questions, with points awarded for completion. We hypothesized that these homework assignments would improve performance, particularly among C (70-79%) and D (60-69%) students. We compared final exam grades from semesters with and without homework assignments, categorizing students into A (above 90%), B (80-89%), C (70-79%) and D (60-69%) groups based on Exam 1 results. Although 67% of students (N=43) felt the assignments helped prepare for class, 28% admitted to clicking through answers. No significant differences in final exam performance were observed between the homework-assigned and control groups. This suggests that incentivized homework can enhance readiness, its impact on performance needs further investigation.

Speakers

Hikmet Nural Guvener

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 111. Experiential learning via extended-Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

The field of microbial genomics is rapidly advancing, yet there is a notable opportunity to bridge the gap in undergraduate education linking microbial physiology and genomics, particularly for underrepresented minorities. We aim to integrate advanced microbiology and genomics into its curriculum, enhancing hands-on learning opportunities. This initiative has updated two courses: biotechnology explorations and genomics and bioinformatics, linked through an extended-Course-based Research Experience (eCURE). Students kick off with engaging activities like pipetting by design, mastering this fundamental skill through interactive methods. As they progress, they dive into microbial enrichments, culturing unknown microbes from seawater, high-throughput microbial physiology experiments, data analysis, and genome sequencing, fostering a sense of scientific contribution and ownership. Biomathematical skills are seamlessly woven throughout the curriculum. This project aims to bolster technical skills, scientific communication, and pathways to STEM careers, serving as a model for other HBCUs to elevate diversity and inclusion in STEM, particularly in microbiology.

Speakers

Indu Sharma

Associate Professor, Hampton University

I am a mid-career Associate Professor at a Historically Black College and University. I have been teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses at Hampton University, ranging from introductory biology to Biotechnology Explorations, with a focus on microbial physiology and... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 112. High Achievement in Organic Chemistry is a Good Indicator of Success in General Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Organic Chemistry I (CHM2210) and Biology I (BSC2010) are pre-requisite to General Microbiology (MCB3020C) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), similar to other universities in Florida. While Biology I is a general education course completed by every student in the state, Organic Chemistry is only required for certain majors. In general, Organic Chemistry is a difficult topic: students are required to use critical thinking, demonstrate their ability to analyze information, and apply their knowledge to conceptual questions – much like how we teach and test students in General Microbiology. During discussions about possible curriculum changes, we have investigated removing the requirement for Organic Chemistry I and returning to only requiring Biology I and Chemistry Fundamentals I (CHM2045). To address this possible curriculum change, we independently measured student success in the current pre-requisites and compared those with the student’s success in General Microbiology. The data collected is based on students who have taken General Microbiology in the previous three years, post-COVID-19, in a face-to-face modality. A trend was observed while matching students’ success in Organic Chemistry to their final General Microbiology grade: the grade they received in Organic Chemistry similarly matched their final grade for General Microbiology, with few exceptions. Alternatively, student success in General Microbiology based on Biology I achievement revealed students who received an “A” in Biology I only had an increased chance of passing the class at best, compared to those students who finished the general education course with a “B” or “C.” These findings reinforce the requirement of Organic Chemistry I as a pre-requisite for General Microbiology, suggesting students may not be adequately prepared for the burden of this 5 credit hour course.

Speakers

Camilla Ambivero

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 113. It’s okay to be wrong (and it’s good to be corrected) – reducing stigma and building grit for learning biology

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Active learning methods encourage instructors to engage students by asking questions and fostering student-questioning. Instructor behavior significantly influences student participation, with positive feedback enhancing feelings of autonomy, while necessary constructive feedback can sometimes hinder motivation. To address this, we propose creating a classroom environment that normalizes fears of being incorrect or asking basic questions through the game 'Stump the Chump.' In this activity, student groups choose a topic, develop a series of questions with varying difficulty levels, and anticipate incorrect, partially correct, and correct answers using a structured worksheet. The instructor then intentionally provides an incorrect answer, prompting group discussions and peer questioning to find the correct answer collaboratively. This method builds 'grit' and resilience, encouraging student participation and fostering a supportive learning atmosphere. 'Stump the Chump' aims to enhance engagement, promote collaborative learning, while normalizing the scientific process of receiving feedback and reassessing conclusions in undergraduate microbiology education.

Speakers

Khayriyyah Mohd Hanafiah

Jonathan Millen

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 114. Microbial March Madness: A CURE for bacterial physiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Through the “Microbial March Madness”, students will learn about the specific environmental adaptations of the different microbes to develop and test their hypotheses about the environmental fitness of individual microbes. The Microbial March Madness CURE embraces the TTU love of NCAA basketball by allowing the students to prepare and experimentally test an NCAA-style March Madness bracket of microbes pitted against each other. The benefits of CUREs include enhancing the student's awareness of what it means to be a researcher, increasing their likeness to stay in STEM careers, and helping students discover their science identity. We additionally seek to assess whether our CURE assists in promoting a better understanding of complex topics covered in our upper-level microbiology electives lectures by comparing the knowledge and lab skills between students who are taking only a bacteria physiology lecture class, and students that are taking both classes: Bacteria Physiology and Microbial March Madness.

Speakers

Jacqueline Miralles-Salazar

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 115. OER: Online Encyclopedia of Biological Methods

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Resource for this poster is here

The Encyclopedia of Biological Methods (EOBM) helps solve a problem faced by many biology faculty. Using primary literature in our classes is good practice, but not all students have the same background in different methods used in journal articles. The EOBM is written to briefly introduce a variety of biological methods to students with a basic understanding of introductory-level college biology. It introduces information at the correct level of technicality, can be more trusted and directed than the results of a Google search, and can directly address common undergraduate misconceptions. This is an ongoing project, and I hope to identify collaborators to contribute entries. These could be written by faculty, graduate students, or postdocs, or undergraduates could write entries as part of a course project, with the possibility of high-quality entries being published in the EOBM. The EOBM is openly licensed as CC BY-SA and is housed on LibreTexts.

Speakers

Katie Mattaini

Tufts University

Riga Technical University

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 119. Undergraduate Education Officers for Research Programs

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

In 2023, a research expedition sailed to the Juan de Fuca Ridge Flank to collect geochemical and microbiological samples from the marine crustal aquifer using existing subsurface borehole observatories. This subseafloor environment is approximately 62 ˚C, devoid of oxygen, and consequently home to unique thermophilic microorganisms. The site is also located within a Canadian Marine Area of Interest named Tang.ɢwan–ḥačxwiqak–Tsig̱is. To enhance the broader impacts of our expedition, berths were reserved for two First Nation observers and one education officer, a Hartwick College undergraduate biology major also enrolled in Hartwick’s education program. This inclusive approach aimed to integrate Indigenous perspectives into the scientific process and strengthen our educational outreach efforts. Here, the expedition co-chief and undergraduate education officer will discuss how working within Tang.ɢwan–ḥačxwiqak–Tsig̱is influenced our scientific objectives and will share lesson plans, which were designed for the community library, middle school students, and undergraduates.

Speakers

Stephanie Carr

Andrew Daisernia

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

3:45pm EST

Poster 120. Using Authentic Research Experience to Stimulate Student Interest and Sense of Belonging

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Today’s undergraduate students in Biology frequently face many hurdles in the path toward academic success. Some of these hurdles include low self-confidence and a lack of a sense of belonging. These hurdles can be particularly intimidating for underrepresented minority and first-generation students. We proposed to address these specific hurdles with the development of a laboratory course that would introduce young students to authentic research and help build student camaraderie. The HCU biology department received an NSF grant to develop a sophomore-level laboratory course to accompany Cell and Molecular Biology. This course is taken as the third and final of our prerequisite courses. Students in the laboratory course participate in both an authentic research experience and in student learning teams designed to engage in lecture material. Students in the course participate in identical pre-lab and post-lab surveys with nine questions related to confidence in their own laboratory capabilities and ten questions related to their sense of belonging. Analysis of the survey data shows consistently higher scores in the post-lab survey compared to the pre-lab survey. This trend is even more pronounced for students in the underrepresented minority and first-generation groups. Our data suggest that the lab course is achieving the intended outcomes of increasing student self-confidence as well as sense of belonging.

Speakers

Curtis Henderson

Chair and Professor of Biology, Houston Christian University

Saturday November 16, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:00pm EST

Exploring the New Carolina Microbiology Essentials Lab Kit for Online Courses

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm EST

Allegheny I

Join us for a live unboxing of the new Carolina Essentials hands-on lab kit, led by online microbiology educator Bridgette West from Hawkeye Community College. In this engaging session, Bridgette will unveil the new kit's contents, highlighting its innovative features designed for effective learning. Drawing from her extensive experience with Carolina lab kits and online microbiology courses, she will share valuable insights and best practices to enhance student engagement and success. Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or new to online education, this event promises to provide practical tips and inspiration for making the most of your lab experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the new $97/student microbiology kit and learn from a trusted expert in the field!

Speakers

Bridgette West

Assistant Professor, Hawkeye Community College

Leah Bishop

Sales Team Manager, Distance Learning, Carolina Distance Learning

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

All Attendees

4:45pm EST

Active learning for Intro Bio from SimBio: A comprehensive, inexpensive solution. ASimBio Product & Author Corner

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:45pm - 5:15pm EST

Allegheny I

While research shows that active learning techniques enhance student learning and accountability, introductory biology classes often assign static, at-home textbook assignments. Over the past decade, SimBio has developed a broad set of simulation-based tutorials to be used in place of a traditional textbook. With SimBio’s tutorials, students discover and explore important biological concepts using simulated experiments, questions with instant feedback, games, and more. Covering the intro curriculum (experimental design, cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and more) with a maximum cost of $49/student, many classes across North America have adopted SimBio tutorials as the affordable and engaging textbook replacement.

Join us to learn about SimBio’s intro bio tutorials and some of the research behind them from our Director of Research, Dr. Eli Meir. Please bring your laptop and play along!

Speakers

Eli Meir

Director of Research, SimBio

I'm the Director of Research at SimBiotic Software where I've helped study a range of topics in BER from evolution misconceptions and how to overcome them, to ways of constraining open-ended activities to make it easier to interpret student understanding, to performance-based assessment... Read More →

Kelly Schmid

SimBio

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:45pm - 5:15pm EST
Allegheny I Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15275

All Attendees

4:50pm EST

Poster 101. A Scaffolded Biofilm Laboratory Project for Improving Student Learning of Scientific Methods

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Biofilms are ubiquitous, easy to grow and quantify, and provide useful systems for improving student learning of scientific methods. Biofilms were the focus of a semester-long scaffolded laboratory activity for upper-level biology and biochemistry majors. Shorter interspersed activities were used to introduce procedures so that the biofilm project served as a summative assessment of learning. There were five outcomes: 1) locate and summarize primary scientific literature about biofilms, 2) develop hypotheses and predictions to answer a scientific question, 3) design an experiment to test hypotheses and predictions, 4) analyze and present data in scientific format, and 5) present results in a written scientific report. The activity was scaffolded into four parts. For the first part individual students used scientific literature to identify variables impacting formation and/or growth of microorganisms as biofilms. For each variable they wrote a one-page summary of their learning. The remaining three parts of the activity were completed by pairs of students working collaboratively. For part two each pair submitted a proposal for a scientific experiment that contained an introduction to the question they proposed to investigate, accompanying hypothesis and prediction statements, detailed methods for completing the experiment, and a graph showing the data if the prediction was correct. Part three was a description of the experimental data analysis and results. Part four was a written description of the entire project in complete scientific format. Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms were grown in 96-well plates and density was measured by staining with safranin, which was eluted and quantified as absorbance with a plate reader. Achievement of all five learning outcomes were measured on scoring rubrics with four levels: achieved, competent, developed, and initiated. Median scores calculated for n=10 (outcome 1) or n=5 (outcomes 2-5) indicated a majority reached competent or achieved levels for all outcomes.

Speakers

Mary Allen

Professor of Biology, Hartwick College

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 102. A transposon-based CURE to improve student understanding of the genotype to phenotype concept

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Studies suggests that the molecular details of the Central Dogma are not properly learned, and students exhibit a superficial understanding of the genotype to phenotype (GP) link. Thus, we developed a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that uses environmental bacteria as a means to directly identify and learn GP links. Here, we demonstrate the CURE, which includes transposon mutagenesis along with arbitrary PCR and bioinformatics, to connect GP traits. The CURE has been implemented in the Tiny Earth curriculum and tested in other science lab courses with success thus demonstrating its ease of adaptability at other institutions.

Speakers

Joanna Klein

Assistant Professor of Biology, University of St. Thomas

Hans Wildschutte

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 103. CUREing the antibiotic crisis

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Mount Mary University (MMU) is a liberal-arts based, all female undergraduate institution in Milwaukee Wisconsin. 86% of our undergraduates come from Milwaukee. Their 53206 zip code denotes the 2nd most impoverished large city in the nation. 79% of our STEM undergraduates are women of color. Because of our high ranking in social mobility (2023 US News and World Report), MMU is in a position to bridge the gender divide by recruiting and retaining women from historically untapped groups to enter and succeed in STEM. We have completed year three of an NSF S-STEM track 2 award providing academically-talented, financially-in need students with rich, early and sustained opportunities to conduct original microbiological research. We implemented the Tiny Earth Program as a CURE (course-based undergraduate research experience). Here, students isolate and characterize soil bacteria as a source of previously unidentified antibiotic producing organisms. CUREs have been shown to increase retention, persistence to graduation, build a sense of belonging, and provide a space for cohort community building. Quantitative measurements given to the CURE-enrolled STEM students demonstrate that participation correlated with a higher overall motivation to learn and engage with science in general compared to control non-CURE students. CURE students indicated higher ‘inherent satisfaction in learning science for its own sake; and the belief they have control over their ability to learn science’. CURE participants more frequently saw traits of scientists in themselves and felt they identified as a scientist. Some anecdotal answers from the prompt “Do you feel this CURE provides community?” the students responded: “Yes, this is a safe space.”, “I look forward to coming.”, “We help each other to grow and learn.”, “There is a connection and belonging.”. Through this CURE, students report increased motivation, satisfaction and internal locus of control in relation to science, traits that correlate with STEM persistence.

Speakers

Kathleen Boyle

Mount Mary University

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 104. Deliberate Training in Argumentation Helps Promote Ethical Reasoning: The Case for Ethical Training

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Ethical reasoning and navigating often inevitable and complex power dynamics in research settings are critical skills for developing researchers. Thus, training and developing scholars through effective and adaptable interventions is critical. Case studies and argument analysis have been used to engage participants in analyzing scenarios that address the responsible conduct of research in various contexts. We developed a 200-level biotechnology and sustainability course that leverages the How We Argue adaptive course modules (developed by ThinkerAnalytix) and scaffolded case study analyses through a template reflection to promote a deeper understanding of complex ethical scenarios. We incorporated discussion forums for learners to share their interpretation of custom-tailored e-waste recycling case studies. Through this approach, participants completed the How We Argue module and transferred their reasoning skills to potential ethical dilemmas in biotechnology and the sustainability of electronic waste reuse. We hypothesized that argument analysis and open discussion of ethical scenarios would promote ethical reasoning skills. Mixed methods, pre-post surveys, and thematic analysis indicated that participants can identify ethical dilemmas yet vary in their ability to articulate the issues and their corresponding impact on power dynamics. Analyses of additional student responses and feedback will aid in the refinement of the case studies and more effective implementation of argumentation training and ethical reasoning in course-based research experiences.

Speakers

Carlos Goller

Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 105. Developing a semester-long CURE to support your research goals

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Course-based Research Experiences (CUREs) are an evidence-based tool to foster student belonging in the sciences. I implemented a CURE that I learned about in a JMBE article in an upper division course and witnessed students engage and experience ownership of working on their own samples. However, there was a disconnect between the data students were generating in the CURE and my own research. I implemented a top-down and bottom-up approach to design a new CURE for my course that supports my research agenda. I aim to help attendees develop CUREs that support both their students and research program.

Speakers

Katrina Twing

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 106. Educational Integration of Biofilm Research: Creating a Versatile Assay for Diverse Bacterial Species

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Many students struggle with basic microbiological concepts, like the formation of biofilms, even though this knowledge is relevant to their careers like public health (nursing, pre-med, dental hygiene, surgical technology, etc.). To get students more engaged with the course materials, the creation of a biofilm assay and subsequent laboratory exercise were designed with three intentions: one of improving student interest, understanding and retention about biofilms, two to give students practical experience in designing and performing labs, and three a way for students to contribute to the curriculum of the course. First, a group of former microbiology students met over the summer to assist in the setup of the biofilm assay based on a protocol by O’Toole. Then two students completed a practice run to troubleshoot the linguistics. Once some changes were implemented, these students led the other students in our group in the exercise. Some of the students wrote up the process that was published in our Journal of Emerging Scholarship and presented at a state STEM conference. The students who participated in this exercise had an increased interest in research and had more insights on what goes into course design and how much this exercise would have improved their understanding of biofilms by having real-life examples. In the future, a case study and exercise will be developed for implementation in the classroom. The purpose of this poster is to highlight the relevance of this work, the logistics, the results, and lessons learned after completing the design.

Speakers

Sandra Fox-Moon

Assistant Professor Biology, Anne Arundel Community College

I am the microbiology coordinator at Anne Arundel Community College and looking to incorporate research into the course.Currently, I am working on Proteus mirabilis biofilms.Besides research I am always looking for ways to engage students on difficult topics like cell parts, diffusion/osmosis... Read More →

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 107. Empowering Low -Income students in STEM through NSF-S-STEM Program

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Community colleges play a vital role in bridging demographic disparities in science and technology by offering accessible STEM education to many low-income, first-generation, and minority students. Despite inclusive teaching practices, economic obstacles often impede student success, prompting the need for additional support strategies. National Science Foundation funded S-STEM Scholars Program at Minneapolis College (MC) is tailored to aid financially disadvantaged students in STEM. The program, spanning up to five semesters, offers a two-prong approach providing financial support through scholarships and enriching scholars undergraduate experience through high impact STEM enrichment activities like research experiences and faculty mentoring. Over a four-year period, the S-STEM program has supported 55 students hailing from low-income backgrounds, 53% being first-generation college students, and representing diverse minority groups, aligning with the institution's demographics. The program facilitates cohort meetings for community-building, advisor sessions for educational planning, and faculty mentorship for navigating challenges and achieving successful transfers. Faculty mentors, transcending social identity differences and institutional transitions, meet with each scholar twice per semester to support scholars as needed. These discussions often include academic progress, grades, course success, career planning, and job opportunities. Scholars document these interactions, with 75% of meetings focusing on academic progress and 61% on career planning, with 94% of students reporting awareness of support resources. The mentor-mentee relationship is key to the success of the program. The program's impact is further evidenced by degree completion and transfer rates. Of the 55 scholars during the 2020-2024 academic years, approximately 65% graduated, while 20% remain active and on track for graduation or transfer, resulting in an 85% retention or graduation rate. Continuous program enhancement aims to sustain and bolster retention efforts. MC's S-STEM program provides a comprehensive platform for students to engage in STEM activities and seamlessly transition to four-year institutions through a partnership with the PRISM project.

Speakers

Renu Kumar

Dr. Biology Faculty, Minnesota State

Jessica OHara

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Maryland

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 111. Incorporation of a microbiology laboratory activity in OMS1 curriculum improves student attitudes and performance

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Microbiology is a vital component of preclinical education for both allopathic and osteopathic medical programs. However, many medical students have not completed an undergraduate medical microbiology course, making this their first introduction to the subject. Additionally, microbiology content in many medical schools is typically not supplemented by laboratory coursework. In this educational research project, first-year osteopathic medical students (OMS1) participated in a two-session microbiology lab activity covering colony isolation, differential and selective media, Gram staining, and catalase testing. Students completed surveys consisting of multiple-choice microbiology knowledge questions, and opinion questions on a Likert scale, both before and after the lab exercise. Paired T-tests were used to examine each student’s change in responses from the pre-survey to the post-survey. Performance on multiple-choice questions significantly improved after completing the lab activity, regardless of whether students had completed a microbiology course before or worked in a lab (outside of coursework) before. Performance on the post-survey also was not influenced by course readings completed between the two lab sessions. Additionally, students’ reported enjoyment of microbiology, enjoyment of lab work, and confidence in their ability to perform lab techniques and identify diagnostic tests improved significantly following this lab activity. In summary, implementation of lab activities in OMS1 curriculum should be considered when possible to improve understanding and attitudes towards microbiology content.

Speakers

Victoria Hrach

Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Seton Hill

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 112. Innovations in pedagogy: How to engage a new generation of students?

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Team-based Learning, Self-directed learning, and problem-based learning are different pedagogical styles. Each has its own pros and cons. We will give practical examples of each and allow input from audience. We will discuss current challenges in light of a new generation of students that seem to like shortened versions and more focused education. The talk will be very interactive and audience will be asked to actively participate with the two speakers. We will emphasize that styles of learning need to match preferences of students and to take into consideration background and preparation of individual students. We will also cover group-based learning versus individual learning plans. This will all be done through one-minute activities that will involve the audience and would be practical case studies of what we are trying to convey. The interaction is expected to be organic and to be partly guided by the input of the audience.

Speakers

Hossam Ashour

Hatem Elshabrawy

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 113. Lessons from Ted Lasso for the College Microbiology Classroom

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Ted Lasso is a popular series on Apple TV+. It is about an American football coach who is hired to coach a professional soccer team in England. As Lasso struggles to understand an unfamiliar game and help his players work as a team to be successful, he utilizes a variety of philosophic ideologies to achieve his goals. Other academic and professional areas have used some of these ideals to achieve better outcomes in students or employees. No attempt has been made to link the lessons of Ted Lasso to college science. Students who take microbiology are nursing, biology, premed/vet students. These students need to achieve good grades in this course to succeed in their major. The stress these students feel is high. How do college science professors help these students achieve and maintain excellence while being cognizant of their mental health? Characteristics of Ted Lasso and his life lessons can and should be used in how we teach and mentor our microbiology students. These lessons, used in a college science classroom, can increase student success and lessen student anxiety. Of particular importance are using empathy, understanding, positivity, humility, resilience, and humor daily. Students appreciate being told that they should be a goldfish when something does not go right (i.e. poor exam grade, bad lab results); rather they should focus on the future. After instituting a Lasso-like classroom, all students were surveyed. Every student (100%) said they felt their professor conveyed that she believed in their ability to succeed in microbiology, showed empathy and encouragement, was positive, provided humor and a safe and nurturing learning environment. Using a Lasso –like classroom resulted in students saying that although the course material was challenging, they loved the classroom environment which was happy, fun, amazing and enjoyable.

Speakers

Christine Bieszczad

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 114. Lessons Learned and Opportunities Discovered: Successful implementation of SEA-PHAGES at a 2-year Community College (Metropolitan CC) in Nebraska

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Background: Students interested in STEM fields who enroll in 2-year Community Colleges primarily do so to complete prerequisites for a pre-professional undergraduate degree. Metropolitan Community College (MCC), Omaha, Nebraska, broke new ground by offering a year-long SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) curriculum based undergraduate research experience (CURE) program for college credit – the first and only community college in the state to do so. The program introduces students to cutting-edge research early in their academic journey, aligning with MCC's mission of delivering relevant, student-centered education to a diverse community. Statement of research question: Determining whether a CURE program can be implemented at a 2-year college addressing the aspects of diversity inclusion and equity. The inaugural cohort was remarkably diverse, including high school students earning college credits, returning adult learners reigniting their research interests, international students from Burkina Faso, Indonesia, and Cuba, local Nebraskans, and a homeschooled student from a military family. United by a shared goal of using SEA-PHAGES to propel themselves into STEM graduate programs, this cohort stood out from typical MCC science classes. The opportunity to conduct groundbreaking research and identify undiscovered bacteriophages with potential for phage therapy was a major draw. Supported by MCC scholarships, the course was highly successful, with 11 new bacteriophages identified and two genomes annotated in the Bioinformatics course. Students received accolades at multiple Nebraska conferences, including the Best Undergraduate Research Project in Biology at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences meeting. Concluding Statement: The program's success has led to expansion, with offerings at two campuses in 2024-25. Recruitment efforts include open houses, scholarship events, interviews, and potentially a summer camp for interested high schoolers. The community has taken notice, with coverage in the Omaha World Herald, KETV (ABC affiliate), and MCC's online and video publications.

Speakers

Bhaswati Manish

Biology Instructor, Metropolitan Community College

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 115. Perceived Academic Judgement Of Undergraduate Science & Agriculture Students Improves Upon Using An Assessment Literacy Module

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Success in higher education correlates with students' self-regulation and assessment comprehension. The Assessment Literacy Module (ALM) fosters student academic judgment and assessment literacy via interactive online tools. Students evaluate work samples using rubrics and expert marker feedback, enhancing understanding of marking standards. This study surveyed 18 staff and 416 students across ten undergraduate subjects, finding that 94.0% of students better understood assessment criteria, 90.3% felt more prepared for assignments, and 86.3% were more confident in their work after completing ALM. Staff perceptions mirrored student feedback. ALM is recommended for improving assessment literacy and academic judgment especially in large cohort subjects.

Speakers

Sarah Frankland

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 116. Strategies for Highlighting the Invisible Voices in Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Only 1% of the environmental bacteria can be cultured. These bacteria are what microbiologists have studied in detail. There has been a historically tendency to teach students about the contributions to microbiology from scientists depicted in textbooks . Just as cultured bacteria are neglected in research, the contributions of marginalized communities in STEM, including women, people of color, researchers from developing countries, and LGBTQIA+ have been undervalued or overlooked by the scientific community. We will provide strategies and an evidence-based approach based on data from our in-person and online courses to facilitate inclusion of the invisible voices of in the classroom.

Speakers

Grace Borlee

Speakers

Erik Hill

Assistant Professor, Seton Hall University

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 121. Use of nonfiction books to discuss ethical issues in Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Tackling ethical issues in microbiology in an unbiased manner can be very challenging to do for undergraduate students. Using nonfiction books that are readily available is an easy and accessible way for student engagement. By combining this with lectures, podcasts and case studies about ethical issues pertaining to microbiology students, ethical critiques and discussion are done prior to their own ethical critiques of the books. Past iterations of this exercise would have a student give an ethical critique of an approved book as a presentation in addition to a paper at the end of the semester. Last semester it was changed to grouping students by ethical issues so they could provide the audience with case studies and discussion questions based on their books/ ethical issues covered.

Speakers

Ramaydalis Keddis

Assistant Teaching Professor, Rutgers University

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 122. Using "Arts To Remember" (ATR) strategy to improve Pharmacy students' understanding of concepts in advanced Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Concepts of Immunology are advanced science courses in Microbiology which are often taught within the peak semesters of the pre-clinical years of study along with some other advanced sciences in the Pharmacy school. This makes learning problematic. The Co-operative learning and student-led teaching strategies as employed in higher education have shown to be effective in improving students' understanding of scientific concepts. For this reason, a modified mixed strategic approach (MMSA) which incorporated the above-mentioned teaching strategies were developed. To do this, a mixed methods research design was employed to explore the outcomes of the MMSA. The MMSA was translated into in-class student-led presentations dubbed the ‘Art to remember’ (ATR) approach. Class RX 26 was the target group for this study. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Concepts of Immunology classes were chosen for this study. Quantitative data was obtained with a google form survey and analysed with frequencies, mean tests, sample T-test and some other inferential statistics. In the qualitative data, thematic analyses on students' perception of learning with the ATR strategy was done through whole class discussions and google forms. The findings showed that the ATR strategy was an effective strategy for teaching as compared with the conventional approach. Although ATR could not exhaust the entire content of the topics of study, they improved concentration, allowed the expression of talents which is de-stressing and created opportunities to remember aspects of the content of the topics under study. Students perceived the opportunity to search and share information as well as relate these concepts to everyday arts in the like of poetry, singing, dancing, games and drama. The ATR strategy facilitated the understanding of concepts in the target courses of study. It is recommended that higher educators in biology incorporate the ATR strategy to teach concepts students find problematic.

Speakers

Akosua Dufie Ankomah

Assistant Lecturer, University of Cape Coast

I love to be creative and will continue to preach creativity in every spot I am placed. It makes even the most challenging task so easy!

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 123. Using podcasts and as an educational tool in Microbiology

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

Microbiology is constantly changing: new methodology, nomenclature changes, and more. Both students and professionals that are in this field need to learn and keep up with a great amount of information. In an era of digital technology, podcasts can be used as an educational tool.

Speakers

Luis Plaza

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

4:50pm EST

Poster 124. Using the MEGA-plate Experiment to Engage Students in Microbiological Concepts and Evolutionary Thinking Around Antibiotic Resistance

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST

Allegheny II & III

The MEGA-plate (Microbial Evolution and Growth Arena) experiment provides an elegant visual demonstration of bacteria rapidly developing antibiotic resistance. A short video describing the method and major results has already proven useful in the classroom. We have developed a set of curricular materials to connect details of the methods and results of the MEGA-plate experiment and antibiotic resistance to core microbiological concepts. These materials enhance the use of the video by providing important foundations before showing students the video, facilitating discussion of the video, and engaging students with deeper concepts and skills from the MEGA-plate research article, following the video.

Speakers

Justin Pruneski

Associate Professor of Biology, Heidelberg University

Stephanie Carr

Saturday November 16, 2024 4:50pm - 5:50pm EST
Allegheny II & III Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15366

Poster

6:00pm EST

Affinity Dinners - sign-up now!

Saturday November 16, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Westin Downtown

Optional. Join fellow ASMCUE attendees for dinner & conversation at local eateries around the ASMCUE hotel (near the Sheraton Station Square).

Sign-up here. Meet at the registration desk to find your people (ask Rachel Horak if you need help locating your group).

Speakers

Heather Townsend

Saturday November 16, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Westin Downtown Federated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

All Attendees

7:30pm EST

ABRCMS passholders: Keynote address, Alumni panel discussion, Awards Ceremony & Recognition

Saturday November 16, 2024 7:30pm - 9:30pm EST

David L. Lawrence Convention Center

For attendees who purchased the ABRCMS pass. Option to attend the ABRCMS Keynote and Awards Ceremony.

Saturday November 16, 2024 7:30pm - 9:30pm EST
David L. Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

ABRCMS