Research
STEM and Biology Education Research
Dissertation Work
While significant strides have been made in undergraduate biology education research over the last two decades (Lo et al., 2019), fewer studies have attended to graduate biology education. Graduate students represent the next generation of scholars and faculty in biology. Furthermore, universities are increasingly relying upon graduate students to teach courses for undergraduates. Therefore, attending to the professional learning of biology graduate students is of upmost importance.
My dissertation was centered around professional learning of biology graduate students. I operationalize professional learning as a process of growth and development as an academic. This learning occurs during graduate school via participation in social and cultural structures. In my research, I used ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1978) to understand the experiences had by biology graduate students that may influence their perceptions of research, teaching, and the intersection of the two.
My dissertation was centered around professional learning of biology graduate students. I operationalize professional learning as a process of growth and development as an academic. This learning occurs during graduate school via participation in social and cultural structures. In my research, I used ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1978) to understand the experiences had by biology graduate students that may influence their perceptions of research, teaching, and the intersection of the two.
The Role of Social Networks in the Professional Development and Retention of STEM Teachers and Researchers
I like to think of K-16 education as a complex system that includes both social and cultural interactions between individuals, their peers, and their environment. Retaining both practitioners and scholars in STEM fields is of critical importance to the sustainability of societal resources. I use network analytical approaches to explore sense-making in STEM learning environments (I.e., epistemic network analysis) and the role of professional networks with professional development approaches (I.e., social network analysis).
Creating Space for Undergraduate Students to Engage in Authentic Disciplinary Practices
I am interested in understanding how to bridge this gap between the science that biologists do and the science that is taught in classrooms. For example, the quantitative nature of biology is an often misrepresented aspect of biology education. Research has demonstrated that students do not perceive biology as a quantitative science; however, biologists regularly use quantitative models and concepts in making claims about their data. Additionally, I am interested in how students learn genetics and how misconceptions may arise through language use (i.e., how instructors talk), social media, and other external sources.