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news

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

September 16, 2019 by ljudy

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.

Filed Under: Featured, news

Welcome Freshmen Biological Sciences Majors!

August 21, 2019 by ljudy

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!

Filed Under: Featured, news

Congratulations Dr. Randy Brewton

July 25, 2019 by ljudy

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.

Filed Under: Featured, news

Welcome Dr. Randy Small

July 25, 2019 by ljudy

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.

Filed Under: news

Congratulations to our 2019 Graduate Student Award Winners!

May 22, 2019 by ljudy

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

Filed Under: news

Congratulations Biological Sciences Graduates!

May 21, 2019 by ljudy

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!

Filed Under: news

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

August 28, 2018 by ljudy

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.

Filed Under: news

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

August 28, 2018 by ljudy

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!

Filed Under: news

Congratulations to Biological Sciences Chancellor’s Honors Banquet Award Winners!

April 20, 2017 by ljudy

2017 Graduate Student Teaching Award

Cassie Dresser

Unlike many PhD candidates who focus solely on research, Cassie Dresser has wanted to teach since arriving in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2013. In fact, she’s been teaching throughout her academic career. As an undergraduate at Hartwick College in New York, she was a tutor. As a master’s student at Central Michigan University, she was a teaching assistant. Before starting her PhD, she worked as an environmental educator at a state park in Michigan. Here, she’s been a lecture assistant, a teaching assistant, and now head TA. She excelled when given the rare opportunity to be the sole instructor of a 200-level course, and she is one of the first graduate students to complete UT’s Certificate in College Teaching program. Dresser has not only sought to improve her own teaching but also enhanced the teaching of other TAs in her department by researching and sharing best practices and by developing research-based scientific literacy coursework.

 

2017 Excellence in Teaching

Elisabeth Schussler

Elizabeth Shussler, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is described by her students as excited, enthusiastic, and committed to their success. “Beth must engage students at all levels, and she is wildly successful,” a colleague said. She finds ways to “really engage her students in learning how to do science, rather than just memorizing what science has already learned.” Schussler has been a pioneer in using active learning techniques—everything from clickers and Learning Catalytics to small-group discussions—to keep students engaged during large science lectures. She serves as director of teaching and learning for the Division of Biology and has been instrumental in improving biology courses at UT. She received the 2016 UT Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2012 College of Arts and Sciences Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award.

2017 Research and Creative Achievement—Professional Promise

Karen Lloyd

Assistant Professor Karen Lloyd of the Department of Microbiology investigates a critical yet poorly understood subject: microbial diversity. Microbes are some of the most abundant organisms on the planet, and Lloyd’s work is expanding our knowledge of them. She focuses on microbes that are adapted to the Arctic Ocean and other sub-seafloor environments. Lloyd’s research into microbial response to climate change and the role of microbes in global nutrient cycles may yield insights into biotechnology and our understanding of how life could exist on other planets. Lloyd has authored 20 journal articles, some in prestigious publications like Nature and ISME, and has established herself as an independent principal investigator and mentor. She has received $3.6 million in external funding from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Simons and Sloan Foundations. Her expertise is in such demand that she’s had to turn down invitations to participate in conferences and workshops so she can devote more time to research.

2017 Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Gladys Alexandre

Gladys Alexandre, professor and associate head of the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, is passionate about helping students build    research careers. In her 12 years at UT she has mentored 52 undergraduates, giving them opportunities to be listed in peer-reviewed publications and sponsoring summer research fellowships and honors research grants. These students have gone on to receive MS degrees in microbiology and enter medical schools. Since 2014, she has been the principal investigator and director for the National Institutes of Health–funded Program for Excellence and Equity in Research, which seeks to increase the number of underrepresented students receiving PhDs in biomedical and behavioral sciences. She is a prolific writer and presenter whose work is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Science Alliance.

Filed Under: news

Welcome Dr. Caroline Wienhold as the new Assistant Director of Biology Teaching and Learning

April 19, 2017 by ljudy

The Division of Biology would like to formally introduce Dr. Caroline Wienhold, the new Assistant Director of Biology Teaching and Learning.

Caroline received her PhD in Genetics & Genomics from the University of Connecticut, where she studied the differentiation of the mesodermal and neuroectodermal cell lineages in human and mouse embryonic stem cells. However, her passion was always in educating the next generation of biologists. In fact, she probably spent more time going to education seminars than biology seminars. While at UCONN, Caroline earned her Certificate in Undergraduate College Teaching, and sought out connections in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Discipline Based Education Research (DBER).  She was recruited to the University of Wisconsin – Madison for an HHMI postdoctoral fellowship to train in DBER and diversity issues related to STEM and higher education. There she studied the impact of a disciplinary first-year seminar on the achievement of underrepresented student populations in introductory biology. She also worked to develop an instrument to measure conceptual thinking around the core concepts of Vision and Change, and train graduate students in evidence-based pedagogy. Caroline has a strong belief in creating community in the classroom, giving others agency over their learning, and providing the support for learning to happen at its own pace.

As the Assistant Director of Biology Teaching and Learning, Caroline will work closely with Director Beth Schussler to provide teaching professional development opportunities for faculty and grad students and assessment of General Biology courses. She will also be working on student success initiatives, primarily focused on first year students.

Filed Under: news

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Recent Posts

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  • Welcome Freshmen Biological Sciences Majors!
  • Congratulations Dr. Randy Brewton
  • Congratulations Dr. Stephanie Madison
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