Biology

Education

2013 BS in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology from Illinois State University- Normal, IL 2016 MS in Microbiology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2019 Ph.D. in Microbiology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Teaching

I am a scientific educator, passionate about teaching and learning- actively seeking out innovation and continuously developing my teaching strategies. I am responsible for the coordination and instruction of our foundational biology course laboratories (BIOL 101/102). In this course, students are introduced to the process of science and encouraged to experimentally design and conduct their own research projects. Students learn how to analyze and communicate their results to a wider audience. In addition, the General Biology labs provide students an in-depth study of the physiology and structure of a variety of organisms with additional opportunities to develop dissection skills.

As an educator, my role is not to simply provide information, but rather to facilitate the learning of that information. I utilize active learning strategies and student feedback to create opportunities that will help them learn best. I strive to create an inclusive environment and I am committed to the personal development of my students. My work in teaching and learning has been incredibly fulfilling and I am dedicated to continuing the conversation and advocating for the use of informed and effective teaching methods in higher education.