For many years, my love of teaching biology was tempered by the discomfort of administering high-stakes exams. I strove to go beyond multiple-choice trivia contests by assessing students’ application of their knowledge to novel problems; however, to ensure that these problems were novel, I kept them well-hidden until the exams. This secrecy led to much student anxiety and frustration, as well as my own concerns that my assessment methods might be inequitable. Here I will discuss how a backward design process led to the creation of the Test Question Template (TQT) framework.

This seminar will explore the ingredients behind a healthy classroom environment. By creating a supportive atmosphere, promoting a growth mindset, and integrating metacognitive practices, all students are given the opportunity to succeed. When students feel empowered and supported, they are more likely to engage with the material and gain resilience when faced with academic challenges. Metacognition, or learning how to learn, is central to this approach, as it equips students with skills that extend beyond the classroom.

Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint. That’s a metaphor I take seriously—not just as a long-distance runner, but as an educator learning to pace myself in a career that demands constant reinvention. In this seminar, I’ll explore how both teaching and learning unfold as long-term processes—ones that require reflection, repetition, and resilience.

Given the diversity of student experiences, identities, and academic backgrounds, how can we cultivate classrooms that are both welcoming and rigorous? My teaching philosophy is built on five core principles: setting high expectations with structured support, fostering a culture of belonging, ensuring accessibility through flexibility, investing in the teaching team, and committing to continual informed improvement.

Undergraduate students in the biological sciences are often preparing for careers in areas where racial inequalities loom large, like public health, the medical professions, and education. And yet, as educators in higher education, we are often reluctant to talk about race, deeming it irrelevant or possibly even inappropriate for courses in the biological sciences. I argue that biology educators have the expertise and an obligation to help students understand why biological races with fixed differences have not evolved in humans.

Join us for our Spring 2025 grad student seminar series!

Presenting...
Investigating an Immune Kinase that may Potentiate Plant Defenses Against Caterpillars
By: Ben Sheppard (Steinbrenner Lab)

Molecular Diversification and Patterning of Skin Stem Cells in Zebrafish
By: Erik Black (Rasmussen Lab)

Heritability of behavioral heterogeneity in T cell migration
By: Heonsu Kim (Theriot Lab)

Join us for our Spring 2025 grad student seminar series!

Presenting...
Molecular CLUE: A Plant Murder Mystery
By: Ben Downing (Nemhauser Lab)

Paleocene forest expansions preceded dryland vegetation in southern South America: 40 million years of phytolith records
By: Elena Stiles (Strömberg Lab)

Investigating Vestibular Anatomy and Behavior in the Octopus
By: Amanda Rokicky (Wang Lab)

Join us for our Winter 2025 grad student seminar series!

Presenting...
Insight Into the Taxonomic Diversity of Campanian Mammals from North Central Montana
By: Isiah Newbins (Wilson Lab)

Molecular Pet or Parasite? Conditions Favoring Different Plasmid Lifestyles
By: Elizabeth Duan (Kerr Lab)

Charged biosensor Galvanin steers migratory cells from the rear
By: Amy Platenkamp (Theriot Lab)