25 LEADERS IN BIOLOGY EDUCATION NAMED AS QUBES MENTORS

Honored for leading Faculty Mentoring Networks for teaching quantitative biology

 

JUNE 25, 2020 -- The Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis (QUBES) Project (http://www.qubeshub.org/), a STEM higher education reform program  supported by the National Science Foundation, has named 25 leaders in biology education as QUBES Mentors for the 2019-2020 academic year. Established in 2014, QUBES is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of undergraduate biology education with a particular focus on including more quantitative concepts and skills.

QUBES hosts semester-long Faculty Mentoring Networks (FMNs), which bring faculty from various disciplines, regions, and institution types in an online peer community to implement new resources and pedagogical approaches within their classrooms for teaching quantitative biology.

The mentors are recognized for leading these professional development opportunities, providing expertise, advice, and guidance as the peer group incorporates new educational practices. 

According to Jeremy M. Wojdak, PhD, QUBES Director of Professional Development and Professor of Biology at Radford University, “FMNs provide an important bridge between pedagogical theory and classroom practice, providing support and guidance to faculty just when they need it. An effective and dedicated mentor really ensures the success of an FMN.”

QUBES FMN Manager Deborah L. Rook, PhD, added, “these mentors worked hard to  guide their  faculty participants through development, adaptation, and classroom use of educational materials. Not only that, but the Spring 2020 mentors did so during a global pandemic and very sudden changes in teaching circumstances.”

Beyond the work within their FMNs, several mentors also participated in the online FMN Mentor Groups that worked together through the semester and assisted the QUBES team to improve the faculty development model for the future.

In addition to FMNs, QUBES provides a cyber and social infrastructure supporting the development, use, and adaptation of open educational materials. QUBES emphasizes scholarly teaching practices, including the use of evidence based pedagogies, thoughtful reflection on implementation results, and sharing outcomes with the community as open educational resources.

 

The Fall 2019 QUBES Mentors are listed below:

• Gaurav Arora, Assistant Professor of Biology, Gallaudet University
  FMN: “Genome Solver: Faculty Training in Basic Bioinformatics” (collaboration with Genome Solver)
• Libby Ellwood, Global Communications Manager, iDigBio

FMN: “Fall 2019 BLUE FMN” (collaboration with Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education and iDigBio)

• Megan A. Jones, Research Scientist in Science Education, National Ecological Observatory Network
  FMN: “NEON Data Education Fellows” (collaboration with the National Ecological Observatory Network)
• Jen Klug, Professor of Biology, Fairfield University
  FMN: “Project EDDIE: Teaching Quantitative Reasoning and Scientific Concepts with Data” (collaboration with Project EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry and Exploration))
• Erica Krimmel, Digitization Resources Coordinator, iDigBio

FMN: “Fall 2019 BLUE FMN” (collaboration with Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education and iDigBio)

• Debra Linton, Associate Professor of Biology, Central Michigan University
  FMN: “Fall 2019 BLUE FMN” (collaboration with Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education and iDigBio)
• Vinayak Mathur, Assistant Professor of Biology, Cabrini University
  FMN: “Genome Solver: Faculty Training in Basic Bioinformatics” (collaboration with Genome Solver)
• Anna Monfils, Professor of Biology and Director of the Herbarium, Central Michigan University

FMN: “Fall 2019 BLUE FMN” (collaboration with Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education and iDigBio)

• Paige Parry, Assistant Professor of Biology, George Fox University
  FMN: “Teaching with R in Undergraduate Biology”
• Molly Phillips, Education, Outreach, Diversity, & Inclusion Coordinator, iDigBio

FMN: “Fall 2019 BLUE FMN” (collaboration with Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education and iDigBio)

• Anne Rosenwald, Professor of Biology, Georgetown University
  FMN: “Genome Solver: Faculty Training in Basic Bioinformatics” (collaboration with Genome Solver)
• Steven Railsback, Lang, Railsback and Associates
  FMN: “Agent/Individual-Based Modeling 2019”
• John Starnes, Associate Professor of Biology, Somerset Community College
  FMN: “Project EDDIE: Teaching Quantitative Reasoning and Scientific Concepts with Data” (collaboration with Project EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry and Exploration))

 

The Spring 2020 QUBES Mentors are listed below:

• Malcolm Campbell, Herman Brown Professor of Biology, Davidson College
  FMN: “Data in Introductory Biological Sciences (DIBS)”
• Shuchismita Dutta, Scientific Development Education Lead, RCSB Protein Data Bank and Associate Research Professor, Rutgers University
  FMN: “Molecular Case Studies: At the Interface of Biology and Chemistry”
• Arietta Fleming-Davies, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of San Diego
  FMN: “Exploring Universal Design for Learning with BIOMAAP”
• Melissa Hage, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Emory University
  FMN: “Project EDDIE: Teaching Quantitative Reasoning and Scientific Concepts with Data” (collaboration with Project EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry and Exploration))
• Andrew Hasley, UDL Initiative Program Manager, BioQUEST
  FMN: “Exploring Universal Design for Learning with BIOMAAP”
• Laurie Heyer, Kimbrough Professor of Mathematics, Davidson College
  FMN: “Data in Introductory Biological Sciences (DIBS)”
• Megan A. Jones, Research Scientist in Science Education, National Ecological Observatory Network
  FMN: “NEON Data Education Fellows” (collaboration with the National Ecological Observatory Network)
• Jackie Matthes, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College
  FMN: “ESA Data Access - Inclusive Pedagogy” (collaboration with the Ecological Society of America)
• Hayley Orndorf, UDL Program Manager, QUBES

FMN: “Exploring Universal Design for Learning with BIOMAAP”

• Chris Paradise, Professor of Biology and Core Faculty in Environmental Studies, Davidson College
  FMN: “Data in Introductory Biological Sciences (DIBS)”
• Kaitlin Stack-Whitney, Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, and Society, Rochester Institute of Technology
  FMN: “ESA Data Access - Inclusive Pedagogy” (collaboration with the Ecological Society of America)
• Suann Yang, Assistant Professor of Biology, SUNY Geneseo
  FMN: “Make Teaching with R in Undergraduate Biology Less Excruciating (Make TRUBLE)”

 

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About QUBES

QUBES (Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis) is a virtual synthesis center supported by the National Science Foundation with a primary goal of increasing the effectiveness of undergraduate biology education nationwide and a particular focus on including more quantitative concepts and skills. Launched in 2014, QUBES now provides logistical, intellectual, and community support for innovative quantitative biology education projects and the extended community of instructors seeking resources. QUBES is a collaboration among educational leaders at BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium, Bates College, the College of William & Mary, North Carolina State University, Radford University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

www.qubeshub.org  |  Twitter: @qubeshub  |  Facebook: @qubeshub

Contacts:  
Deb Rook, deb.rook "at" bioquest "dot" org