I received my PhD from the Mathematics and Science Education Program at Middle Tennessee State University focusing on Biology Education. My research interests are broadly in issues related to science and biological literacy (figure right).
During my PhD program, I was on teams that examined this phenomena in a variety of contexts. As part of an NSF grant, I was instrumental in the development of two concept inventories written for genetics topics (specifically Mutations and Pedigree Analysis - publications forthcoming).
I also led a pilot study with pre-service teachers using both a modified personification prompt and a drawing prompt to evaluate science attitudes.
My dissertation examined in-service K-16 educators perceived self-efficacy towards teaching biology topics using both quantitative (Likert-style survey) and qualitative (personification prompt) methodologies. As part of my dissertation, I also developed a theoretical model of antecedents to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) anxiety (publication forthcoming). In the future I hope to join the emerging field of Bioinformatics education to assist students in areas such as data literacy in addition to the aforementioned biological literacy and to contribute to scholarship in areas such as bioinformatics pedagogy. Tangential to these interests, I have also had the opportunity to engage in laboratory course curriculum redesign. Other research interests that I have are in the realms of computational biology and bioinformatics education (using and teaching R to students for data analysis), as well as general science education (how we can use the history and philosophy of science to teach science), and the anthropology of science (how indigenous or ancient knowledge impacts that of the current sciences and the trajectory of scientific concept development through history).
Before joining the MSE program, I graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Biology. My Thesis project was titled "Developing a Model of AFP Transcriptional Regulation by Afr2, a Gene Implicated in Liver Cancer". This project focused mainly on Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (including bacterial culturing and transformation, PCR, and gel electrophoresis); I also developed a working knowledge of Bioinformatics tools and their uses relating to sequence analysis and molecular modeling.
Prior to the MSc., I graduated with a Bachelors in Biology, concentrating on Genetics and Biotechnology, and a minor in Psychology. Through an undergraduate research experience I worked with Daphnia lumholtzi in a lab that specialized in both Thermal Biology and Invasive Species Ecology.
I have been a teaching at the University level since August 2015, more about my teaching can be found on my Teaching & Mentoring page.
Once again, thank you for visiting! If you want to contact me, you can email me through the Contact Me page above.
During my PhD program, I was on teams that examined this phenomena in a variety of contexts. As part of an NSF grant, I was instrumental in the development of two concept inventories written for genetics topics (specifically Mutations and Pedigree Analysis - publications forthcoming).
I also led a pilot study with pre-service teachers using both a modified personification prompt and a drawing prompt to evaluate science attitudes.
My dissertation examined in-service K-16 educators perceived self-efficacy towards teaching biology topics using both quantitative (Likert-style survey) and qualitative (personification prompt) methodologies. As part of my dissertation, I also developed a theoretical model of antecedents to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) anxiety (publication forthcoming). In the future I hope to join the emerging field of Bioinformatics education to assist students in areas such as data literacy in addition to the aforementioned biological literacy and to contribute to scholarship in areas such as bioinformatics pedagogy. Tangential to these interests, I have also had the opportunity to engage in laboratory course curriculum redesign. Other research interests that I have are in the realms of computational biology and bioinformatics education (using and teaching R to students for data analysis), as well as general science education (how we can use the history and philosophy of science to teach science), and the anthropology of science (how indigenous or ancient knowledge impacts that of the current sciences and the trajectory of scientific concept development through history).
Before joining the MSE program, I graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Biology. My Thesis project was titled "Developing a Model of AFP Transcriptional Regulation by Afr2, a Gene Implicated in Liver Cancer". This project focused mainly on Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (including bacterial culturing and transformation, PCR, and gel electrophoresis); I also developed a working knowledge of Bioinformatics tools and their uses relating to sequence analysis and molecular modeling.
Prior to the MSc., I graduated with a Bachelors in Biology, concentrating on Genetics and Biotechnology, and a minor in Psychology. Through an undergraduate research experience I worked with Daphnia lumholtzi in a lab that specialized in both Thermal Biology and Invasive Species Ecology.
I have been a teaching at the University level since August 2015, more about my teaching can be found on my Teaching & Mentoring page.
Once again, thank you for visiting! If you want to contact me, you can email me through the Contact Me page above.