Scholars Spotlight
Here we feature our collaborators! Below you can find information about their current research, their life in science, and why EDU-STEM is important to them.
Fall EDU-STEM Scholars…a Closer Look
Our EDU-STEM scholars program continued this fall with many new and returning scholars and mentors. The scholars program gives mentorship and undergraduate research opportunities in STEM education research. Here, we spotlight three amazing members of this program and the work that they have done this past Fall!
Kimani Williams, a freshman at Tuskegee University majoring in Biology, participated in and helped evaluate a microbiology lab course. Besides helping to set up the course’s experiments, Kimani formulated surveys and interacted with students to learn more about what kept them engaged in the class activities and how to improve their learning. Kimani has always wanted to participate in research, but was worried about being able to find opportunities for research, especially as a freshman during a pandemic era. The scholars program, she explains, not only gave her the opportunity to dive into research, but also assured her that STEM was a passion she wanted to pursue. She is especially grateful for the mentorship she received from Sanchez Rolle and the inspiration she has gotten, both academically and personally. Outside the scholars program, Kimani is an incredible poet (see link to a poem she wrote: ) and an aspiring OB-GYN doctor. She hopes that she can continue to work in research in the future.
Sanchez Rolle is a second-year PhD student at Tuskegee University working towards his masters in public health with a focus in community health and environmental justice. Sanchez loves traveling and hopes to one day visit Egypt and Tanzania. Through the scholars program, he has had the opportunity to mentor Kimani Williams and collaborate with her in their study on improving a microbiology lab course that Sanchez is the TA for under Dr. Sheritta Cooks-Fagbodun. As a mentor, Sanchez has really enjoyed his role in sharing his experiences with Kimani in a way he wishes someone had done for him as an undergrad. He has also enjoyed the mentorship he has received from Dr. Cooks in navigating both academia and life. The experience of mentorship, attending meetings, and working with others through the Scholars program has helped Sanchez pursue his long-term goals of becoming an entrepreneur in STEM.
Jacob Wilger is an undergraduate at Portland Community College who plans to transfer to Oregon State University next year to major in Pre-Clinical Health. Besides playing rpg (role playing video games), he has been working on a study to evaluate the efficacy of belonging intervention exercises (that help explain to students that it is normal to struggle in class) on creating a positive learning environment. Jacob has helped develop a code book to quantify the students’ responses to surveys, and has really enjoyed the research experience that he explains helped him “feel like a real scientist!” With his nontraditional route to his undergraduate career, Jacob feels like the Scholars program has helped him believe that his goals in STEM of working in emergency medicine or family/primary care medicine are more in reach.
Congratulations to all our amazing Fall 2021 scholars…we are so proud of the work that you have completed! Stay tuned for our future Summer 2022 scholars!
Spotlight Archive
Reimagining science education: seth thompson
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “science”? Maybe it’s neon rainbows of test tubes and white flashy coats. Maybe it’s an old white man with crazy white hair sticking his tongue out. However, in truth, science, a field once perceived as very exclusive, has always been very relevant to our everyday lives. Besides the explosively growing field of technology, our world today is shaped by a medical pandemic that has created massive controversy. Scientific literacy is an essential tool people need to navigate our everyday lives, a tool that starts developing from early childhood.
Seth Thompson, as a member of EDU-STEM and the director of outreach in the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Biological Science, helps to shape science education as we know it. A lot of Seth’s work revolves around understanding STEM equity and how we engage with different populations in STEM, particularly in K-12 outreach. Read more.
COVID-19 In community college: Cleo Rolle
With the drastic changes in education that came with COVID-19 in 2020, many of our EDU-STEM colleagues felt that it was important to highlight the impacts of the pandemic on education from a community college standpoint. In response, they published a paper in the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education (JMBE) entitled, “Teaching during COVID-19 Times: A Community College Perspective”. This work was authored by EDU-STEM members at six institutions, including four community colleges. Here, we focus on Cleo Rolle!
Cleo Rolle is a professor at Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut, and has taught there for eight years. She is the coordinator for biology technologies and teaches general biology and microbiology. Outside of the classroom, Cleo enjoys traveling with her husband, who is also a professor, and her eleven-year-old child. Read more.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: ABBY GRACE DRAKE
A College education is a wonderful gift that, if you are lucky enough to get it, should be a time for your mind --and your future prospect--to bloom like the buds in Spring. But it doesn’t always feel like that for everyone. For a first-generation student, the college atmosphere can be terrifying.
Abby Grace Drake was a first-generation college student and often felt like she wasn’t meant to be at college--like she didn’t belong. Being from a rural area, Abby found the college environment unfamiliar and she just didn’t know what to expect. She attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts, which was unique in its wide adoption of active learning, and did not use grades or credits. With this background, Abby found adapting to the traditional forms of teaching and learning a challenge. Read more.
Celebrating Community College with Catherine Creech
Research and theory are an important part of advancing education—but they’re useless unless someone puts them into action. Catherine Creech is an instructor who does just that, working hard every day to improve her students’ experiences and education as a whole.
Catherine is a professor at Mt. Hood Community College, an institution based in Gresham Oregon. She teaches biology classes and labs, and is currently on year 3 of 4 in a tenure track. When not in the classroom, Catherine can be found attending the local Mushroom society meetings. As a mycologist, Catherine searched for the perfect mushroom hunting location when relocating after her education. She and her wife chose Oregon because it captured both their interests. “We needed somewhere with lots of mushrooms and lots of beer—cause [my wife] works in beer.” Read more.
Advancing Analytics: Jordan Harshman and Buddie
Advancing a field of research isn’t always about gathering new data—sometimes progress is rooted in the systems that support analysis. Jordan Harshman is a member of EDU-STEM who is using his background in coding to push education research forward in exciting and innovative ways.
Jordan is an assistant professor at Auburn University wrapping up his third year on the job. In that short time he’s already established his own lab that focuses on doctoral level chemistry education. His specialization in chemistry gives him a unique view among other EDU-STEM partners, helping to broaden the network’s reach across STEM disciplines. Read more.