Biodiversity is uneven both across geographic regions and branches of the tree of life. In this talk, I will explore one possible cause for this pattern: variation in the rate at which new species form. Using a data set from lizards and snakes, I will discuss the possible factors influencing speciation rate variation.
Note: this talk was not recorded at the request of the speaker.
Using an algorithm incorporating high school GPA and SAT scores, we can predict a student’s GPA in biology at the end of SPU’s introductory undergraduate sequence. A disproportionate number of underrepresented students, however, are predicted to have lower grades. This finding instigated the development of the BioCORE Scholars Program in 2015. Its interventions include study cohorts, peer mentors, community role models, and research participation.
For many students, stepping into an undergraduate science classroom can be intimidating. Students face many barriers to success, including weaknesses in their educational backgrounds, mental and physical health issues, and outside demands on their time. As faculty, we walk beside our students through these challenges and work to inspire them to feel invested in their learning. In this talk, I will describe several strategies that I have used to create engaging classroom environments.
In the era of standardized testing, it is all too easy to lose the curiosity and love of learning that drove us as young learners, and switch to an extrinsic motivation mindset, learning just enough to get the desired grade. I hypothesize that by designing assignments and modules which value creativity and curiosity, and have the right balance of challenge, autonomy, purpose, and community building, we can help our students rekindle their intrinsic motivation and love of science and guide them into becoming lifelong learners.
As scientists, we find motivating questions, we collaborate with colleagues, and we engage with peer-reviewed studies to guide our research. As teachers, we should do the same to guide our teaching. In this talk, I'll explain (a) what my teaching goals are, (b) how my practice is guided by pedagogical studies, (c) how I contribute to pedagogical research, and (d) future goals for undergraduate education at UW Biology.
How do vertebrate embryos develop to form the adult organism? Coordinated cell movements during gastrulation are key to laying down the early embryonic body plan. The cells migrate by two distinct mechanisms that I will describe. They can migrate on extracellular matrix or on their neighboring cells. In zebrafish embryos, endoderm cells migrate on the yolk extracellular matrix to form the organs of the gut.
Students learn science by doing science. I will demonstrate individual-based models of evolving populations that let students hone their understanding of fundamental concepts in evolutionary biology—by making predictions and checking them against data in real time.
Please bring a laptop or tablet (although even a phone will work). Please be ready to collaborate. There's nothing you need to install or do ahead of time, but this link will be useful during the seminar:
For two decades, I created new courses, developed new teaching strategies, and mentored
junior faculty and postdocs while teaching a wide range of Biology courses. Then in 2020 the
pandemic and stark racial injustices forced us to make drastic changes in how we teach, and to
rethink how we address students’ experiences of our coursework. I will describe how the
pandemic has been an opportunity for me to improve student experience and growth in my
courses: getting rid of high stakes exams where I can, creating student-centered policies and
In her talk, Elli Theobald will provide an overview of her efforts to apply evidence-based practices in introductory Biology courses, advance the use of these practices through her research and graduate-level coursework, and accelerate the adoption and support of these practices through joint work with undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students and researchers.
