Biography
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.
Research Interests
Authentic Research Experiences impact on student persistence in STEM (e.g., CUREs, Mentored Research); Pre-service Teacher engagement in and learning STEM; Investigating the Importance of Place on student persistence and researcher development; Place-based Education (informal & formal)
Teaching Interests
The intersection of science and society, from pop culture to ethics, etc.