We research the role of higher education in creating just and equitable communities – we do this through investigations that reveal causes and consequences of gaps in science literacy, and how educators can design their courses to minimize barriers to success.
Here are examples of questions we address in the lab:
What geographic, cultural, or institutional barriers predict patterns of attrition among historically underserved students in STEM at the undergraduate level?
Check out our website for the NSF EDU-STEM Research Coordination Network for more information!
How does manipulating small-group gender ratios in active learning courses impact performance and peer evaluations?
What types of scalable teaching strategies can instructors employ to promote equitable performance and participation in biology classrooms?
What are the mechanisms that underlie learning and academic disparities observed in introductory biology courses?
How do we define active learning in the context of undergraduate biology education?
Check out the Active Learning Strategy Guide
What is the impact of scientist role models in data literacy instruction on student attitudes and learning in biology? Read more about our 5-year NSF grant here!
New and exciting! How does contextualizing societal and ethical considerations into biology curricula impact student experiences and learning? A 3-year NSF grant will support our efforts to address this question!
Check out publications for more info!
What classroom factors impact equitable student participation?
How long until demographic representation in biology textbooks reflects that of the U.S. population and biology student population?