I serve as an educator in many capacities: both in the undergraduate and graduate student classroom and in my research laboratory where I have mentored scientists at all stages, including high school, college, graduate and postdoctoral trainees. The motivation underpinning my educational activities is to engage students/trainees in scientific principles and research practices, and to facilitate their independence in scientific literacy and thinking, collaboration, and communication.
Undergraduate Courses
Bio385W: So you have some data … now what?
This course explores how the primary scientific literature is written for two very different audiences: 1) the expert technical audience and 2) a non-expert, yet still scientific, audience and how to engage both audiences when writing scientific manuscripts.
Course objectives: a) Identify, select, and gather evidence on biological processes. b) Evaluate and analyze evidence from biological research. c) Prepare and assess a piece of science communication for the public. d) Prepare and assess a scientific manuscript for an expert audience.
Bio264: Genetics: From the human perspective
This course provides a fundamental understanding of genetics. Topics include transmission genetics, molecular genetics, genetic interactions and complex traits, population genetics and evolutions, as well as genomics and genome technologies.
Course objectives: a) Obtain a fundamental understanding of genetic concepts. b) Identify and utilize genetic approaches to solve biological problems, c) critically assess and interpret the primary scientific literature, and d) develop scientific writing and communication skills.
Graduate Courses
Practice of Science
This course is designed to provide an informal structure to help 2nd year PhD students gain insight into some aspects of being a scientist that don’t occur at the lab bench or field site. Topics include setting (and meeting) writing goals, the peer-review process, grant structure, and presentation styles. Class enrollment is typically 5-10.
Current Topics in Molecular Genetics
The goals of the course are to introduce 2nd year PhD students to the latest cutting edge work in molecular genetics, to improve scientific communication skills through presentation and conversation and to familiarize with the scientific cultural practices surrounding seminar visits. In pairs, students present two scientific papers from the invited seminar speaker prior to the seminar, arranging the speaker’s schedule, and introducing the speaker at their seminar. As a class, we meet as a group with each invited speaker to discuss their work and career trajectory. Class enrollment is typically 5-10.
Ethical Conduct in Research
The goal of this mini-course is to provide PhD students with continuing exposure to ten areas of scientific ethics, including: human and animal subjects, research misconduct, publication practices, mentor/trainee rights and responsibilities, data sharing and ownership, etc. Students are divided into teams and responsible for researching and presenting a given topic that includes an overview of the topic, Emory’s &/or academic community guidelines for appropriate conduct, and finding 1-2 relevant cases for class discussion. Class enrollment is typically 10-20.