Biography and education
I am a Discipline-based Education Researcher (DBER) in Biology. I completed by Ph.D. in Biology at The University of Southern Mississippi in 2015. My research interests revolve around investigating ways to help undergraduate students learn biology and increase diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Prior to my Ph.D. program, I completed my Master's degree in Science Education at The University of Southern Mississippi in 2010. I completed my Bachelor's of Arts in Biological Sciences with a Minor in Natural Resources in 2008 from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Featured grants
- Fuess, Lauren Elizabeth (Principal), Percent Contribution: %90, Bucklin, Carrie Jo (Supporting), Percent Contribution: %10. CAREER: Characterizing the mechanisms linking bleaching recovery to pathogen susceptibility in a model cnidarian system, National Science Foundation, Federal, $676765.5. (Submitted: 2024, Funded: August 2025 - 2030). Grant.
- Aleinikava, Darya (Principal), Percent Contribution: %50, Ronkainen, N (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %15, Ziliak, Ellen (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Bucklin, Carrie Jo (Other), Percent Contribution: %10. S-STEM: Benedictine University STEM Scholars (BenSTEMS), NSF, Federal, $1595353. (Funded: October 2025 - December 2030). Grant.
- Daniel, Kristy Lynn (Principal), Percent Contribution: %50, Bucklin, Carrie Jo (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %50, Godfrey, Amy (Co-Principal). Plant Protectors: Enriching Elementary Plant Biology Education by Integrating Outdoor Science Inquiry, American Society of Plant Biologists. Plant Biology Learning Objectives, Outreach Materials & Education Award Program, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $8500. (Funded: September 2025 - August 2026). Grant.
- Bucklin, Carrie Jo (Principal), Percent Contribution: %50, Gay, Danielle Lexi (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %50. Increasing Wildlife Career Preparedness by Investigating Bat Activity Through Acoustics, Wildlife Acoustics, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $1596. (Submitted: February 15, 2025, Funded: August 2025 - July 2026). Grant.
- Bucklin, Carrie Jo (Principal). CURE TAPESTRy: Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences TA Professional Development Resource Development, NSF via UT El Paso, Federal, $2500. (Submitted: February 2024, Funded: June 2024 - May 2025). Grant.

Featured scholarly/creative works
- Bolus, R. T., Ogburn, R. M., & Bucklin, C. J. (2024). Ecology in Action: A Niche Modeling CURE. The American Biology Teacher, 86(4), 228–232. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2024.86.4.228
- Bucklin, C. J., & Mauger, L. (2022). CUREs: How to Create & Incorporate a Collaborative Ant-Based Project to Teach Science Practices. The American Biology Teacher, 84(6), 353–357. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2022.84.6.353
- Daniel, K. L., Zipperer, J. E., Godfrey, A., & Bucklin, C. J. (2025). Natural journey. In Research Rangers. Retrieved from https://researchrangers.wp.txstate.edu/?page_id=513
- Zipperer, J. E., Amy Godfrey, Bucklin, C. J., & Daniel, K. L. (2025). Plant protectors. In Research Rangers, Jr. Ed. Retrieved from https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wp.txstate.edu/dist/a/4338/files/2025/10/Research-Rangers-Plant-Protectors.pdf
- Bucklin, C. J., Zipperer, J. E., & Daniel, K. L. (2025). Winged wanderers. In Research Rangers. Retrieved from https://researchrangers.wp.txstate.edu/?page_id=446
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Nominee: NABT Four-Year Section Research Award, NABT - National Association of Biology Teachers. 2025
- Award / Honor Nominee: Distinguished Faculty Service Award, SUU - Southern Utah University. 2023
- Award / Honor Recipient: SUU Influencer Award, SUU - Southern Utah University. 2022
- Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Faculty Award, SUU - Southern Utah University. 2022
- Award / Honor Recipient: Distinguished Educator Award, SUU - Southern Utah University. 2021

Featured service activities
- Member
TXST - The Audrey and Tony Evers Endowed Scholarship Committee
- Member
Daughters of the American Revolution, Captain Thomas Moore Chapter
- Reviewer / Referee
Article Reviewer, CBE-Life Science Education
- Member
Science Teacher Association of Texas (STAT)
- Member
Southwest Association of Science Teacher Education (SW ASTE)
- Reviewer / Referee
Grant Reviewer, National Geographic Society
