Speaker Series: Spring 2021

ITE brings speakers to campus that are nationally recognized for their work in higher education.

Spring 2021: Upcoming Events

Title: Finding Funding for Undergraduate STEM Education Research and Development

Date/Time: Friday, April 9, 2021 - 11 am - 12:30 pm

This event is scheduled as a two-part event. The first hour (11am-12pm) will be a seminar, followed by 30 minutes (12-12:30pm) where Dr. Wright will meet with faculty interested in education research and development.

Location: Webex - Click here to register and join

RSVP for Post Seminar Workshop 12-12:30 PM

Presenter: Dr. Robin Wright, Division Director for Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation

Abstract: Each year, NSF invests about a quarter of a billion dollars in undergraduate STEM education research and development.  In this interactive discussion, we’ll explore general features of NSF funding, as well as specific funding pathways for undergraduate STEM education research and development.  Please bring your ideas about possible projects and Dr. Wright will try to match them with potential funding programs. 

Bio: Robin Wright currently serves as the Division Director for Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. She is serving as a rotator from the University of Minnesota, where she is a professor in the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning at the University of Minnesota.  She has led improvements in the biology curriculum at the University of Minnesota, including implementation of active learning and classroom-based research experiences.  She has also been a leader in developing effective pedagogies for active learning classrooms. 

Prof. Wright has served on the education committees of the American Society for Cell Biology and the Genetics Society of America.  In addition, she has served as: an editor and senior editor of the Journal: Life Science Education; a member of the Advisory Committee for the HHMI/National Academies of Science-sponsored Summer Institute on Biology Education; and as the founding editor-in-chief of a new biology education journal, CourseSource, which publishes biology curriculum resources that are linked to learning outcomes established by biological sciences professional societies.  In 2012, she was named as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2014, she was awarded the Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education from the Genetics Society of America. She has been serving as division director for NSF's Division Undergraduate Education since 2017.

 

Spring 2021: Previous Events

Title: Active Learning for Busy Skeptics

Video Recording: A recording of this event is available (you will be required to login with your UCID to watch this recording) 

Date/Time: Wednesday, February 17, 2021 - 2:30 - 4:30

Location: Webex

Presenter: Michael Prince, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Bucknell University 

Abstract: Active learning has consistently been shown to be more effective than traditional instruction for promoting learning, motivation and student retention.  Despite this overwhelming research support, instructors have a number of significant concerns about adopting active learning techniques in their own classes. Common concerns include worries about preparation time, content coverage and student resistance to new teaching methods.  This hands-on session is designed to introduce quick and simple active learning techniques that are effective, require little preparation or class time, and which generate little or no student resistance.