Category: News

Building Better Biologists: A New Program Trains the Next Generation of Science Educators

The University of Georgia (UGA) is home to a large and robust group of biology education researchers (BER). Collectively, this group has a long and strong record of training postdoctoral fellows who go on to pursue a variety of careers, including research and teaching intensive positions in higher education, positions in faculty professional development, and others. One of the reasons for the success is the diverse and collaborative environment in the social and behavioral sciences. Many faculty at UGA with research programs in biology education have ongoing collaborations with faculty in educational psychology, psychology, science education, higher education, and other disciplines.

A team co-led by Dr. Erin Dolan, an OIBR distinguished scholar, Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Innovative Science Education, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Dr. Logan Fiorella, also an OIBR distinguished scholar and associate professor of educational psychology, is fostering a new generation of BER through an exciting initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

This project, titled “Preparing the Next Generation of Biology Education Researchers through Interdisciplinary Co-mentorship and Evidence-based Professional Development,” tackles a crucial challenge in the field of BER. Traditionally, BER research has been criticized for being isolated from other disciplines, limiting its impact, and hindering the development of robust theories on teaching and learning biology.

“Given the rich scholarly and training environment at UGA, and our collective networks and collaborations, we thought we could put together and facilitate a rigorous and supportive postdoctoral training program that was focused on cross-disciplinary research in biology education,” said Dr. Dolan.

She explains, “Imagine studying how students make decisions about careers in the life sciences or how students learn to solve life science problems without considering the science of motivation or problem-solving. That’s the kind of isolation we’re aiming to bridge.”

This new program directly addresses this issue. Biology education research investigates teaching and learning in life science fields by combining the priorities, worldviews, knowledge, and practices of biology with the research methods, tools, approaches, and theory from the social sciences. By leveraging UGA’s wealth of BER faculty and experts in social and behavioral sciences, the project will train postdoctoral fellows in a truly interdisciplinary environment.

Why is this important?
BER plays a vital role in improving how biology is taught and learned. It investigates how students develop as life scientists and come to understand life science concepts and their applications and implications. But without a strong foundation in other disciplines like psychology and education, BER research can struggle to build a comprehensive picture.

This research project aims to change that. Postdocs in the program will be co-mentored by BER faculty and researchers from other relevant fields. This unique approach will equip them with the tools and perspectives to conduct more impactful and theoretically grounded BER research.

Collaboration is Key
Dr. Dolan highlights a particularly rewarding aspect of the project: the collaborative spirit among faculty. “It has been such a pleasure to work with the faculty involved in the project,” she says. “Everyone is coming to the project with an open mind, generative spirit, and collegial ethos.”

This collaboration extends beyond the faculty. The project prioritizes equity and inclusion in its recruitment process. Potential applicants can participate in virtual office hours and submit “curiosity statements” instead of traditional research statements. This approach focuses on aligning applicants’ interests with the program’s goals, fostering a diverse and dynamic learning environment for the incoming postdocs. Dr. Dolan stated, “Applicants are responding very favorably to these elements,” pointing out “that it is one of the reasons they were attracted to apply to the program.”

The Road Ahead
The project is funded for three years, with postdocs receiving two-year appointments. While future funding from the NSF is uncertain, the potential for expansion is exciting. Dr. Dolan envisions recruiting additional cohorts in the coming years, allowing the program to continue its mission of building a new generation of well-rounded BER researchers.
This initiative promises to revolutionize BER by fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. By training the next generation of researchers to think outside the box, the program paves the way for a brighter future in biology education, ultimately benefiting students and the field.

More info.: Erin Dolan
Written by: Andrea Horsman

This past April the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) hosted their annual Social Science Advocacy Day. On Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., social scientists from across the country converged to talk with lawmakers about the importance of social and behavioral science.

Advocates were teamed with other social scientists from their state to participate in a day of meetings with members of Congress and representatives from their offices. They discussed the importance of federal support for social and behavioral science.. COSSA provided training and logistical support (including scheduling meetings with Congressional offices and providing an on-call expert to answer day-of policy questions), as well as materials to help advocates communicate their message to policymakers.

The Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) sponsored two OIBR distinguished scholars, Dr. Lydia Aletraris, Associate Research Scientist, School of Social Work, and Dr. Scott Ardoin, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education and Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, for the event.

Dr. Aletraris, whose research spans topics from cannabis policy to human trafficking, began her first journey into legislative advocacy. Reflecting on her expectations versus reality, she noted the whirlwind pace of the meetings, where time was precious. “The fast pace of the meetings served as a valuable lesson in having clear, succinct, and impactful talking points ready,” she remarked. She quickly learned the art of filtering complex research into digestible narratives that resonate with policymakers.

For Dr. Ardoin, whose expertise lies in reading comprehension and classroom behavior management, the experience was equally enlightening. He highlighted the importance of aligning advocacy efforts with the interests of policymakers. “Just because they will be voting on an item does not mean that the item is important to them,” he emphasized. Understanding the agenda of congressional leaders and framing advocacy within that context emerged as a key takeaway.

Both scholars echoed the need for greater education and collective recognition within the social science community. Dr. Ardoin emphasized the importance of disseminating research beyond academic circles, advocating for a unified approach under the umbrella term of social science. “If we only talk about our specific areas, we risk overlooking the shared importance of our research,” he emphasized. Dr. Aletraris echoed this sentiment, stressing the significance of collaboration and broader dissemination efforts to foster public appreciation for scientific endeavors.

May 14, 2023 Written by: Andrea Horsman

Agricultural biotechnology straddles the line between prosperity and peril, offering both the potential to transform economies and the risk of severe environmental and health consequences. This dichotomy forms the heart of the research project “Prosperity, Plants, and Pesticides: The Dangers and Opportunities of Agricultural Biotechnology,” led by Dr. Pablo Lapegna, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Georgia (UGA). With recent grant support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Lapegna hopes to unravel these complexities through a forthcoming book and a comprehensive online repository, alongside his collaborator Johana Kunin (a professor of anthropology at the Universidad Nacional de San Martin, UNSAM, and a researcher at CONICET, the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, both in Argentina).

The Seeds of Research
Lapegna’s research in agricultural biotechnology and its dual-edged impacts began with his earlier work, encapsulated in his book “Soybeans and Power.” This study delved into the repercussions of pesticide use on marginalized populations, particularly small farmers in northern Argentina. Witnessing firsthand the stark contrast between communities suffering from pesticide drift and those flourishing from the economic gains of genetically modified soybean production sparked the idea for his current research.

“Farming needs to use herbicides because that’s the way that you guarantee good yields,” Lapegna explains. “The bigger the yield, the more profit you get as a farmer.” This fundamental tension—between economic prosperity and the health and environmental impacts of pesticide use—is central to Lapegna’s latest investigation.

The Human Element
One aspect of this research is its focus on mid-sized family farmers in Argentina who inhabit the very lands they cultivate. These farmers, often descendants of Spanish and Italian migrants, are relatively prosperous and live comfortably compared to other middle-class Argentinians. Yet, they share the same air and water, and so, the same health risks posed by pesticide use.

Lapegna shares an intriguing ambivalence among these farmers about the health impacts of pesticides. “There’s a claim that pesticides create cancer clusters in many farming towns,” he notes. While this notion gains traction primarily in urban areas and among environmental activists, farmers themselves are skeptical yet not entirely dismissive. This ambivalence is central to Lapegna’s research on how farmers experience the tensions between their economic success and the potential health hazards of pesticide exposure.

Voices from the Fields
Throughout his research, Lapegna has been struck by the farmers’ willingness to share their stories. Contrary to their often-negative portrayal in the media, these farmers provide a nuanced perspective on their practices. They emphasize the knowledge and care involved in farming, the generational legacy tied to their land, and their belief in the safe use of pesticides when managed properly.

One poignant anecdote underscores the pride and heritage these farmers feel. Lapegna recounts meeting an extraordinarily successful farmer who, despite his wealth, cherishes the old steering wheel of his grandfather’s tractor that is hanging on the wall of his office, a symbol of the hard work and perseverance that built their family’s prosperity. This farmer’s story epitomizes the broader narrative Lapegna looks to capture: the delicate balance between pride, tradition, and the harsh realities of modern agriculture.

Looking Ahead
As Lapegna and an interdisciplinary team—including experts from UGA and beyond—delve deeper into their research, they plan to employ innovative methods such as using silicone wristbands to measure pesticide exposure among farmers. This approach aims to gather concrete data on the everyday realities of pesticide exposure in farming communities.

Lapegna’s research looks to highlight how modern life, dependent on various toxic substances, navigates the delicate balance between benefit and harm. By integrating humanistic social sciences with environmental humanities, his project aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of our relationship with nature and its inherent tensions. In a world increasingly reliant on agricultural biotechnology, the insights from “Prosperity, Plants, and Pesticides” could be globally invaluable. As Lapegna aptly puts it, “There are all kinds of products that we cannot live without, but at the same time, they may be killing us.” This research holds the promise of guiding us toward a more balanced and informed approach to the challenges and opportunities in agricultural biotechnology.

Written by: Andrea Horsman