Conversations in STEM Education presented by SEIRI

In this conversation, Anusha S. Rao, assistant director at the Center for Teaching and Learning, will discuss her experiences assisting instructors with evidence-based, discipline-centered, and course-specific teaching practices. She will describe how she uses discipline-based education research and the scholarship of teaching and learning to transform evidence into classroom practice. She will al...

In this conversation, Dean John DiTusa will reflect on his evolution as a science educator, from early encounters with conceptual physics instruction and evidence-based teaching methods to his current role leading the School of Science. He will discuss how mentorship, retreats, and emergent tools transformed his classroom practice during his years as a physics instructor. He will also explore how...

In this conversation, Pratibha Varma-Nelson will discuss her early years as a chemistry instructor and how her persistent drive to improve her teaching led to her becoming a national leader in Peer-Led Team Learning. She will reflect on her academic journey and how she was shaped as a scholar. She will also discuss her time as a program director at NSF, which led to her becoming executive director...

​​​​In this conversation, Dr. India Johnson will discuss her experiences as an intergroup relations researcher at the intersection of Psychology and STEM education research. She will describe her research on identity-safety and belonging among minoritized individuals within organizations, such as institutions of higher education. This conversation will close with an exploration of how faculty and...

In this conversation, Dr. Amy Pearce will discuss her experiences as a practitioner and researcher in STEM education outreach contexts, where science communication skills are performed and developed. She will describe several novel programs she has been involved in through the years, how those programs were evaluated, and the outcomes associated with those programs. This conversation will close wi...

In this conversation, Dr. Samuel Nyarko will discuss his experiences in geoscience, education, and research. He will describe his formative years, his early research projects in Ghana, and his current research on the teaching of the nature of geoscience. As he walks the audience through his scholarship, Dr. Nyarko will examine the complex ways that students engage in climate science education, as...

In this conversation, Dr. Lyniesha Ward will discuss her experiences as a discipline-based education researcher in Chemistry. She will first explore how her experiences have led to her interest in questioning how students make connections across chemistry topics and across disciplines and what challenges might hinder such conceptual border-crossing. She will also share insights from her scholarshi...

Join Daniel Walzer for a conversation on music technology education and research, with a focus on his scholarship at the intersection of both fields. He will share insights from his informal STEAM learning outreach and research projects, highlighting his work with IU Indianapolis’s Music Technology Academy (MTA). The discussion will also explore his mixed-methods research on the outcomes associate...

In this conversation, David Malik will discuss his experiences as a learner, scholar, and educator in STEM education. He will reflect on the power of active learning, asking questions, teaching to learn, and other topics through the lens of two decades of implementing Peer-Led Team Learning. The conversation will explore how and why instructors should embrace curiosity and adventurousness as educa...

In this conversation, Dr. Gautam Vemuri will discuss his experiences innovating physics instruction and assessing those innovations. He will describe how he has collaboratively introduced computational physics into the curriculum, as well as how he has pursued the transformation of physics labs. In conclusion, Dr. Vemuri will discuss his recent experiences with physics education assessment, resear...

In this conversation, Dr. Brandon Sorge discusses his experiences with scholarly activism, especially how it pertains to the enhancement of STEM education opportunities to cultivate ethical, civic-minded, and equitable students. He describes his research, which aims to educate the whole person through meaningful experiential learning in engaging contexts, such as urban farms and the Indianapolis c...

In this conversation, Dr. Tony Chase will discuss his experiences in Chemistry and Occupational Therapy education, as well as the research he has conducted in both spaces. He will describe his research and education journey with special emphasis on interdisciplinarity, transferability, accessibility, and representation. Through these topics, the conversation will explore evidence-based ways to tea...

Join Kathy Marrs, Professor of Biology, for a discussion of large-scale advancements in STEM education during her time at IUPUI. Dr. Marrs discusses initiatives focused on departmental transformation through best practices in STEM teaching and inclusive excellence, interdisciplinary programs to prepare secondary STEM teachers, and ongoing development of programs to foster authentic undergraduate r...

In this conversation, Dr. Sharon Miller discusses her experiences in biomedical engineering research and education as well as her scholarship at the intersection of the two. She describes her research and education journey, with special emphasis on her research work in discipline-based education research and her educational innovations in BME engineering design, health equity, and ethics. Through...

In this conversation, Dr. Catherine (Cam) Macris discusses her work around DEI in geoscience education. She describes her efforts to incorporate inclusive teaching practices into Earth Science classes and foster a sense of belonging in her department and the geosciences more broadly. Dr. Macris also explores the assessment of these efforts and introduces her approach to teaching equity in the geos...

In this conversation, Dr. Grant Fore discusses his experiences with interdisciplinary scholarship, particularly at the intersection of Anthropology and STEM Education Research. He describes his research in design anthropology and how his findings have inspired his approach to STEM ethics education and community engagement. The conversation also examines how STEM educators might collaborate with so...

Success in STEM education research for faculty requires understanding the similarities and differences between technical and pedagogical research. But it also may require patience, new research partners, and research goals centered around student success. This conversation will present an almost 20-year project focusing on improving undergraduate student writing in STEM.

​​​​In this conversation, Dr. Andy Gavrin will discuss his scholarly activities in STEM education through the years. He will specifically reflect upon how, in being attentive to student desires and needs, he has been able to enhance his teaching practices and create novel approaches for supporting student learning. Dr. Gavrin will also examine strategies for practicing attentiveness with students...