2024 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators

Exact location is TBA.
Report to the second floor lobby of Westin Pittsburgh and follow signs

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.

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

Speaker: Kelly Cowan, McGraw Hill author of Microbiology Fundamentals and Microbiology: A Systems Approach

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.

Self-serve buffet lunch with ASMCUE attendees will be provided on-site.

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!  
 

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

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!

Optional. Join fellow ASMCUE attendees for dinner & conversation at local eateries around the ASMCUE hotel (near the Sheraton Station Square). Advance sign-up required. Sign-up sheets will be available in November.