Author: ljudy

The Division of Biology is seeking a General Biology Postdoctoral Teaching and Learning Scholar

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General Biology Postdoctoral Teaching and Learning Scholar

The Division of Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville seeks a Postdoctoral Teaching and Learning Scholar in the area of biology or biology education to provide curricular and programmatic support for the General Biology program. The successful candidate will also teach one large-enrollment introductory biology course for majors or non-majors in the General Biology program per year.

This position will work closely with the Director and Assistant Director of Biology Teaching and Learning, to develop and evaluate introductory biology curricula. Project specifics will be defined by the needs of the General Biology program and the interests of the successful candidate.

The Postdoctoral Teaching and Learning Scholar will:
* contribute to assessment and curriculum development activities within General Biology and the Division of Biology
* teach one semester of a large-enrollment introductory-level biology course per year, specific to the needs within the General Biology program
* have the opportunity to disseminate results through publication or attendance at relevant national meetings

FTE salary: This position is a full-time, 9-month lecturer position with benefits, titled as Postdoctoral Teaching and Learning Scholar. Salary is $40,000. There is an option to teach one summer course for additional pay.
Start date and term: Beginning no later than January 1, 2020. This is a renewable appointment contingent upon performance and project needs, with a maximum of three years.

Minimum Qualifications:
* Ph.D. in a life science, or science education with significant graduate course work in biology
* Experience or demonstrated interest in curriculum design and assessment
* Experience teaching at the introductory biology level
* Demonstrated interest in undergraduate student success and/or faculty and graduate student teaching professional development
* Ability to interact well in a collaborative environment

Preferred Qualifications:
* Experience in curriculum design and assessment, or STEM education research

How to apply: Applications should be emailed as a single PDF (cover letter, CV, teaching philosophy, list of three references) to Caroline Wienhold (wienhold@utk.edu). Review of applications will begin Oct. 1, 2019 and continue until the position is filled. Contact Caroline Wienhold (wienhold@utk.edu) or Randy Small (rsmall@utk.edu) with any questions.

Welcome Freshmen Biological Sciences Majors!

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The second annual freshmen biological sciences majors picnic was a success!

“This event was great! It was the number one thing on my to-do list for UT’s Welcome Week.”

-Brent Carroll, incoming freshman biological sciences major.

Good Golly Tamale was delicious and the students were excited for their first semester! Thanks to all the incoming freshmen that attended. We enjoyed getting to meet each of you and look forward to having you in class!

Congratulations Dr. Randy Brewton

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Congratulations to Dr. Randy Brewton on his promotion to Distinguished Lecturer. Dr. Brewton has served as an instructor for the last twenty years at the University. You can usually find him teaching BIOL 101 and BIOL 102. He is also the General Biology Program Coordinator. You can read more about Dr. Brewton here.

Congratulations Dr. Stephanie Madison

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Congratulations to Dr. Stephanie Madison on her promotion to Senior Lecturer. Dr. Madison has served as an instructor for the last five years in the general biology program. She typically teaches BIOL 160 and BIOL 240. She is also the coordinator for BIOL 160 BioLit. You can read more about Dr. Madison here.

Welcome Dr. Randy Small

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After ten years of services to general biology making it into the extraordinary program it is today, we say farewell to Dr. Elisabeth Schussler as the program director. She is still an active faculty member in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) department, and you can still find her teaching your introductory BIOL 150 course. Stepping in as the new Director of Biological Sciences Teaching and Learning is Dr. Randy Small. Dr. Small has twenty years of service to the University and is a professor in the EEB department. You can read more about Dr. Small here.

Congratulations to our 2019 Graduate Student Award Winners!

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Recipient of the Carolyn W. Fite Scholarship for outstanding scholarly achievement at the University of Tennessee:

Miranda Chen

PhD candidate

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Schussler lab

There is a rising mental health crisis among graduate students. PhD students are 6 times more likely than the general public to suffer from depression or anxiety. For Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), this may be attributed to role tension, where GTAs have multiple teaching and research priorities vying for their attention. In my dissertation, I study teaching and research anxiety of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). My goal is to further understand what contributes to these anxieties and how GTAs cope, so we can better support the mental health of our graduate students.

 

Recipient of the Timothy L. Cokkinias Scholarship for outstanding scholarly achievement at the University of Tennessee:

Joseph Jackson

PhD candidate

Microbiology

Sparer lab

My work focuses on the HCMV viral chemokine, vCXCL-1, which induces an innate immune cellular response. As HCMV disseminates throughout the body via innate immune cells, we hypothesize this virally encoded chemokine alters the normal inflammatory environment and recruits innate immune cells to infection site enhancing viral dissemination. During my pursuit of an answer to this question I have developed many tools for understanding viruses, the immune system, and cutting-edge gene editing technology (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9). Additionally, I have developed a fascination with the innate immune system. My specific interests include innate immune cell function and activation in abnormal inflammatory environments. Moving forward I want to continue to unravel the primal functions of our innate immune system and how dysregulation of this system can lead to exacerbated disease induction. The skills I have learned at UT will help me as I begin a postdoctoral fellowship at Pittsburgh School of Medicine using oncolytic herpes simplex virus to combat glioblastoma multiforme.

 

Recipient of the Timothy L. Cokkinias Scholarship for outstanding scholarly achievement at the University of Tennessee:

Sarah Cooper

PhD Candidate

Genome Science and Technology

Parks lab

 

Recipient of the Alexander Hollaender Graduate Fellowship for outstanding scholarly achievement and the Biology Graduate Teaching Scholarship for outstanding instructional achievement by a graduate student:

Justin Westerfield

PhD Candidate

Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology

Barrera lab

 

Recipient of the Alexander Hollaender Graduate Fellowship for outstanding scholarly achievement:

Ben Holt

PhD Candidate

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Fitzpatrick lab

The Division of Biology hosted the 2nd Annual Mobile Summer Institute Workshops

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The Mobile Summer Institute (MoSI) is an intensive multi-day workshop hosted in May by The University of Tennessee’s Division of Biology to introduce STEM educators to the principles of evidence-based teaching. This year participants from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Pellissippi State Community College gathered to create a portfolio of innovative teaching approaches, instructional materials, and practical strategies for enhancing student learning that can be adapted to their own teaching environments.

To read more about the Summer Institutes, visit their website here.

Congratulations Biological Sciences Graduates!

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A good time was had by all at the biological sciences graduation picnic on May 10th. Graduates and their families mingled with faculty while enjoying delicious Good Golly Tamales to celebrate their achievements! We wish all of our graduates luck as they pursue their post graduation goals!

The Division of Biology hosted the Mobile Summer Teaching Institute workshops this summer

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The mobile Summer Institutes are multi-day workshops to introduce STEM educators to the principles of evidence-based teaching. Participants are also given instruction in peer evaluation to drive long-term reflective teaching as well as facilitated strategic planning to develop a shared vision between administrators and mobile Summer Institute participants. More information on the Summer Institutes can be found here.

The first annual freshmen biology majors welcome picnic was a success!

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The first annual freshmen welcome picnic for biological sciences majors was held August 20th in Strong Hall. Students were given a chance to meet professors in biological sciences, meet fellow students in the biological sciences majors, and see the facilities where most of their first year classes are held. Thanks to all the students that came out and made this event a success! A good time was had by all while enjoying delicious tamales!