Academic careers are often thought of as having a traditional path that most faculty will follow, yet in reality there are many unique ways that individuals enter and navigate through their academic careers. While I followed a particularly unorthodox pathway, along the way I benefited from several supporting and collaborative communities. There is power in finding your community and my successes in microbiology education and research are directly related to the communities to which I belong. I will share my academic journey and the communities that have supported me along the way.
Our study examines the barriers and bridges to DEIB among STEM students, whether undergraduate STEM majors identify as scientists, and whether identifying as a scientist leads to increased feelings of inclusion and belonging. Prior research has focused on science identity as a driver of DEIB among STEM majors. However, nearly all of these studies have utilized quantitative measures with little attention paid to how science identity relates to a broader sense of inclusion and belonging among STEM students. The current study fills this gap by presenting both quantitative and qualitative data on barriers and bridges to inclusion and belonging.
Team teaching can be powerful for enhancing student learning, supporting instructor growth and well-being, and reducing burnout. At its best, team teaching promotes effective course design, diversifies role models for students, and provides peer mentorship and support for instructors. However, team teaching can also present challenges, introducing conflicting student expectations, course design approaches, and classroom management strategies. In this session, attendees will use our adaptation of a teaching values assessment tool to reflect on their own teaching values and priorities and practice using the tool to facilitate open communication and co-planning between members of a teaching team.
Students often struggle to interpret the abstract ways that biologists represent DNA. We developed two online interactive learning tools to help students develop the visual literacy skills that are necessary for accurately interpreting abstract representations in molecular biology. These tools use animations and gameplay that can help students learn to distinguish between the shapes and symbols that represent nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes. We will discuss scaffolding visual literacy skills into instruction to address common errors in student interpretation of representations in molecular biology. Attendees should bring a laptop to this session.
In this workshop, participants will learn how the Biologists and Graph Interpretation (BioGraphI) Project, an NSF-funded initiative, can help them improve student persistence in biology through increasing representation of diverse scientists and integrating data interpretation skills in the curriculum. As a Research Coordination Network of faculty, we create and publish Open Educational Resources in online Faculty Mentoring Networks (FMNs), conduct workshops on curriculum implementation, and collaborate with similar initiatives. Participants will explore existing BioGraphI lessons and will be guided on how to align a lesson to their course’s goals and student audience and measure the efficacy of curriculum implementation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the importance of understanding viruses, but also the challenges with misinformation about and misunderstanding of viral evolution, control, and treatment. Educating undergraduates about viruses can help mitigate these challenges, but virology is not always offered at this level. In part, this is due to the complexity of viruses, and finding time in the curriculum to include virology. Here, session participants will be introduced to recently-developed undergraduate virology curriculum guidelines and example learning objectives, to develop (or modify) their microbiology (and/or introductory biology) course(s) to help their students better learn this important material.
New activity! Join fellow attendees to discuss important & timely topics relevant to undergraduate biology teaching. Topics will be announced at a later date.
Sunday November 17, 2024 10:35am - 11:05am EST
Westin DowntownFederated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Bioinformatics pipelines, code libraries, and other tools are ubiquitous in microbiology. Even armed with documentation and preexisting online resources, learning how to use these tools can be overwhelming to trainees who may be unfamiliar with computational vocabulary and concepts. Additionally, teaching these methods can be overwhelming to instructors who need to anticipate errors, bugs, and other obstacles they may encounter. Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have the potential to smooth the learning process by providing real-time student-specific feedback and creating examples from which to learn. I will present a learning activity where students will use ChatGPT to identify the cause of an error and generate synthetic examples of error-producing inputs in a bioinformatics sequencing pipeline. This will demonstrate that instead of simply fixing bugs, generative AI has the potential to help students develop broader pattern-recognition skills and deeper understanding of the tools they use.
An active learning assignment was developed for students in an introductory microbiology course for health professionals and also used in advanced immunology and virology courses. Project objectives included providing students with an opportunity to develop skills in research, written communication, and team-building while better understanding how various diseases impact individuals of diverse cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities and gender identities. Additionally, students cultivate proficiency in analyzing medical information and critically reviewing peer work. Students develop a 2-4 page, well organized, creative and personalized presentation encompassing the chronological case history, any personal or clinical intervention of the disease pathology and its outcome. The account must include at least four integrated questions requiring a reader to comprehensively address the following topics: disease etiology, diagnosis, pathogen characteristics, pathogenesis, treatment and/or prevention. Unfamiliar terminology must be defined and instructional visuals included. Classmates solved and reviewed peers’ case studies, and expressed enthusiasm for this real-life experience.
In the face of the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, it is essential to establish strong antimicrobial stewardship in clinical settings. The unnecessary use of antibiotics in clinical settings often results from communication breakdown between medical teams and allied health professionals. This disruption in patient-centered care makes it challenging to reduce the development of heightened antimicrobial resistance in clinical cases of patients with bacterial infections. In response to this challenge, the Departments of Clinical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant at Howard University have collaborated to create an interdisciplinary learning module. This module is designed to effectively identify and treat infectious diseases according to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) guidelines, using proactive communication, and draws on the knowledge and skill sets of the medical laboratory science and physician assistant disciplines. By utilizing interdisciplinary learning activities, future healthcare professionals will be better equipped to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Students interested in careers in the biomedical sciences often declare majors that require 9 semesters of chemistry including general chemistry I and II, organic chemistry I and II, and biochemistry. Chemistry, and specifically organic chemistry can be a barrier to a student pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences as it often lowers overall student GPA. We are interested in whether completing organic chemistry II is necessary for better student performance in upper-level biochemistry and molecular biology courses and success in future career endeavors. We are analyzing how two different student groups – students who have completed organic chemistry I and II and students who have only completed organic chemistry I compare in their 1) successful completion of upper-level biochemistry and molecular biology courses, 2) admission into professional or graduate programs, 3) success in professional or graduate level biochemistry courses and 4) success in earning professional or graduate degrees.
Teaching Associate Professor, West Virginia University
I have been at WVU for two years where I am the Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education for the Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology Department. In this role, I administer our department's undergraduate Immunology and Microbiology (IMMB) Bachelor of Science degree. I am always... Read More →
Sunday November 17, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EST
Westmoreland CentralFederated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276
As a Microbiology course project, groups of 2-3 students created an episode of “Microbes Inside Me” a take on “Monsters Inside Me” as developed and presented on Animal Planet. In this video and script submission, students applied concepts learned throughout the semester, including taxonomy, biochemical means of organism identification, antimicrobial resistance, and patient risks and outcomes. A rubric guided project creation and concept incorporation. The University of Virginia College at Wise (UVA-Wise) ensures equitable access to technology through the iPad program on campus. One class session introduced the project and trained students to use the iPad app Clips to create their project. During their final exam period, students participated in a viewing session, where they watched the videos and guessed the infectious agent before the big reveal. Students then scored each other’s work and partnerships using Peerceptiv on our LMS system.
The Muhlenberg College microbiology course is offered as an upper-level undergraduate biology course for multiple science majors. This lab CURE involves water sampling from the streams and lake at Cedar Beech Park (walking distance). The aims of this project are to teach microbiological laboratory procedures using microbes from the local park. All activities (assays) will follow BSL-2 and include batch cultures, microscopy, Gram stains (cell structure and function), growth curves, growth (microbial systems) on differential and selective media, anaerobic growth (metabolic pathways), BLAST identification (information flow and genetics), antibiotic tests, biofilm growth as single-species and co-cultures (microbial systems and evolution). Students will execute and analyze experiments concomitant with lecture material. The CURE will last the entire semester. Also, this CURE is a good example of place-based education, emphasizing learning though community service. Therefore, this is a great opportunity to address the human population diversity in the city of Allentown, PA.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT can be used in positive ways to support science learning. When used appropriately, AI tools can support students as they engage with course materials and help them develop self-directed learning skills. Such tools can provide just-in-time support through immediate feedback and assistance. It can also potentially replicate the real-time dialogue that takes place at the lab bench and assist students with troubleshooting experimental procedures. During this microbrew presentation, we will explore the ways in which artificial intelligence can be used productively to support student learning, with a particular focus on the science laboratory. We will interact with ChatGPT during our session and see what it can, and cannot, do. We will also consider the ways in which AI can promote inclusivity for multiple modalities and populations.
Here we present an innovative approach to assessing understanding of biochemistry concepts through gamification. Students role play as lab technicians and are given a mission by “demanding” Principal Investigator: determine the identity and sequence of a mystery molecule and escape the lab. The engaging escape room format is an ideal space for problem solving, synergistic teamwork, and active learning. To successfully identify the molecule, students must demonstrate their understanding of the four major classes of biological macromolecules and ways to distinguish among them. Students are provided with an initial clue to the molecule’s identity. Once they successfully interpret each clue, they obtain another piece of the puzzle, thereby incrementally guiding themselves toward identification. Through gamification, we encourage students to work together to solve a problem and develop a deeper understanding of biomolecules. We will discuss the design, implementation, and ideas for effective assessment of this activity.
Calls for evidence-based teaching have provided educators with opportunities to develop skills and resources. However, faculty may not be aware of opportunities or have limited training at their institutions. Fellowships are important in bridging the potential gaps in educational training and a critical aspect to increasing and maintaining faculty engagement. As an added bonus, faculty also expand their professional networks by participating in fellowships, allowing for a supportive experience that continues to grow. In this interactive workshop, we explore the growing number of faculty development fellowship opportunities and where to find them. Participants will learn about opportunities for professional development through examples and exploration of websites. We will engage participants by discussing the importance of faculty development and collaborations in reenergizing and preventing burnout. Participants will search for resources to help them take advantage of professional development opportunities, connect with other scholars, and share their experiences.
Associate Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University
I am an Associate 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... Read More →
Sunday November 17, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EST
Westmoreland CentralFederated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15276
Understanding fundamental concepts about cell anatomy and physiology is critical for students pursuing degrees in all areas of biology, especially microbiology and all health care professions. Despite the completion of prerequisite general biology courses, many students entering 200-level courses such as microbiology and anatomy and physiology have not yet mastered cell structure and function. Remediation of this topic in upper-level courses is precluded due to time constraints. To address this issue, we have designed flipped activities that ensure remediation if needed as well as demonstration of mastery. Our methods include flipped short video lectures with embedded mastery questions, gamification of identifying cell structures and organelles and naming their functions, and higher-level Bloom’s activities to ensure students have the knowledge they need to be prepared for advanced course work. We will provide a walkthrough that includes timeline, examples, and templates.
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 →
Sunday November 17, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EST
ButlerFederated Tower, 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15273
