Meena Balgopal
I am an entomologist turned science education researcher. I used to study parasitoids (parasitic wasps) and their interactions with their respective hosts (while I was University of Wisconsin-Madison). I moved on to studying aphids and the plant viruses they hosted (while I was at the University of California-Davis). After a few years working in schools and with teachers, I studied how undergraduate biology majors (some who intended to become science teachers) overcame misconceptions about evolution through writing activities (while I was at North Dakota State University).
When teaching secondary and undergraduate biology I realized that reflective writing helped many students put concepts together and promoted learning. I have been studying writing to learn (WTL) for more than 15 years and enjoy collaborating with colleagues. I have also collaborated with colleagues to study other ways to improve K-12 and undergraduate science education, including problem-based learning and interdisciplinary curricular approaches. CV
I am a strong proponent of faculty members broadening their definition of what it means to be engaged in their communities. Follow me on Twitter: @MBalgopal.
Oh, and I am a musician. I have been playing violin (western classical and Indian classical/Carnatic) for the past 45 years. I also play in a local orchestra. Check out our concerts!
I am an entomologist turned science education researcher. I used to study parasitoids (parasitic wasps) and their interactions with their respective hosts (while I was University of Wisconsin-Madison). I moved on to studying aphids and the plant viruses they hosted (while I was at the University of California-Davis). After a few years working in schools and with teachers, I studied how undergraduate biology majors (some who intended to become science teachers) overcame misconceptions about evolution through writing activities (while I was at North Dakota State University).
When teaching secondary and undergraduate biology I realized that reflective writing helped many students put concepts together and promoted learning. I have been studying writing to learn (WTL) for more than 15 years and enjoy collaborating with colleagues. I have also collaborated with colleagues to study other ways to improve K-12 and undergraduate science education, including problem-based learning and interdisciplinary curricular approaches. CV
I am a strong proponent of faculty members broadening their definition of what it means to be engaged in their communities. Follow me on Twitter: @MBalgopal.
Oh, and I am a musician. I have been playing violin (western classical and Indian classical/Carnatic) for the past 45 years. I also play in a local orchestra. Check out our concerts!
Current Students
Hayley Bubb -- Ecology, MS student, co-advised by Dr. Paul Ode
Dani Lin Hunter -- Ecology, PhD student
Madison Scheer -- Ecology, MS student
Dee Dee Wright -- Ecology, PhD candidate
DeeDee Wright, PhD (Ecology), 2021
DeeDee brough 25 years of experience as a K-12 science educator and science teacher educator with her when she started her PhD at CSU. She focused her dissertation on place-based education and secondary teachers in both suburban and rural schools. Because the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the middle of her studies, she transitioned to studying professional resilience of early career STEM teachers. She was a coPI on an EPA Environmental Education grant and was funded through NSF Noyce funds for the duration of her studies. She is now Director of climate change education research at the National Center for Science Education. |
James Peth, PhD (Food Science & Human Nutrition), 2018
James started graduate studies in human nutrition metabolism. Before returning to earn his PhD, he was a web designer, and completed an MS in physiology and an MPH. His dissertation focused on understanding what determines learning outcomes and motivations to learn of Nutrition majors. He was co-advised by Dr. Chris Melby, who also shares a passion for improving learning outcomes. He is currently an Instructor in Food Science & Human Nutrition at CSU teaching online courses and helping colleagues adopt active learning based teaching strategies.
James started graduate studies in human nutrition metabolism. Before returning to earn his PhD, he was a web designer, and completed an MS in physiology and an MPH. His dissertation focused on understanding what determines learning outcomes and motivations to learn of Nutrition majors. He was co-advised by Dr. Chris Melby, who also shares a passion for improving learning outcomes. He is currently an Instructor in Food Science & Human Nutrition at CSU teaching online courses and helping colleagues adopt active learning based teaching strategies.
Peter Leipzig, MS (Biology), 2018
Peter finished his MS in Biology, with an emphasis on education research. He is interested in the role that storytelling as an instructional/communication strategy in helping people environmental issues, like climate change. He conducted his study in undergraduate biology lab courses. He also has an MS in Ecology, studying invasive plant community ecology. He currently works at the Ithaca Sciencenter (museum) as an Education Program Coordinator.
Peter finished his MS in Biology, with an emphasis on education research. He is interested in the role that storytelling as an instructional/communication strategy in helping people environmental issues, like climate change. He conducted his study in undergraduate biology lab courses. He also has an MS in Ecology, studying invasive plant community ecology. He currently works at the Ithaca Sciencenter (museum) as an Education Program Coordinator.
F. Neely Clapp, PhD (Science Education), 2017
Neely finished his PhD through the School of Education with an emphasis in Science Education. He studied how secondary science teachers, who spent a year on leave from their schools at a university, perceived and used a Carbon Cycle Learning Progression when they returned to their classrooms. He found that the researchers and teachers have different ideas about the utility of Learning Progressions as a teaching and assessment tool. He is now a middle school science teacher in Denver with aspirations of being a teacher educator or instructional coach.
Neely finished his PhD through the School of Education with an emphasis in Science Education. He studied how secondary science teachers, who spent a year on leave from their schools at a university, perceived and used a Carbon Cycle Learning Progression when they returned to their classrooms. He found that the researchers and teachers have different ideas about the utility of Learning Progressions as a teaching and assessment tool. He is now a middle school science teacher in Denver with aspirations of being a teacher educator or instructional coach.
Anne Marie (Aramati) Casper, PhD (Ecology), 2016
Aramati completed her MS (forest ecology) and PhD degrees (co-advised by Maria Fernandez-Gimenez) in the Ecology (GDPE) program at CSU. Her interests are in plant ecology and natural resource management education. As a graduate student she worked on several other projects in our lab, including: studying problem-based group work in engineering classes and studying the impact of WTL interventions in biochemistry classes. She has been a post-doc at CSU in Biology (with me), at Washington State University, and back at CSU in Engineering (with Becki Atadero).
Aramati completed her MS (forest ecology) and PhD degrees (co-advised by Maria Fernandez-Gimenez) in the Ecology (GDPE) program at CSU. Her interests are in plant ecology and natural resource management education. As a graduate student she worked on several other projects in our lab, including: studying problem-based group work in engineering classes and studying the impact of WTL interventions in biochemistry classes. She has been a post-doc at CSU in Biology (with me), at Washington State University, and back at CSU in Engineering (with Becki Atadero).
Katie Boyd -- MS (Ecology), 2016
Katie finished her MS degree in Ecology in Fall 2016 (co-advised by Thomas Birner, Atmos Science). After working at the Exploratorium Museum (San Francisco), she became an Education & Outreach Associate at CIRES (Boulder). She is interested in how the public understands climate change and Earth system science, and how scientists can support this understanding. As a graduate student she studied how an atmospheric scientists and classroom science teachers each engaged their students in discussions about the nature of science to learn about atmospheric processes.
Katie finished her MS degree in Ecology in Fall 2016 (co-advised by Thomas Birner, Atmos Science). After working at the Exploratorium Museum (San Francisco), she became an Education & Outreach Associate at CIRES (Boulder). She is interested in how the public understands climate change and Earth system science, and how scientists can support this understanding. As a graduate student she studied how an atmospheric scientists and classroom science teachers each engaged their students in discussions about the nature of science to learn about atmospheric processes.
Leila Graves, PhD (Horticulture/ Education), 2014
Leila is a horticulturist who is interested in how public and school gardens help children learn about plant science, agriculture, and food choices. She studied how one STEM elementary school used their school garden to teach five core areas: science, math, language arts, social studies, and health. She found that the garden was used to teach all of the core areas, except for science! She is currently a Curriculum Development Specialist with the national Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.
Leila is a horticulturist who is interested in how public and school gardens help children learn about plant science, agriculture, and food choices. She studied how one STEM elementary school used their school garden to teach five core areas: science, math, language arts, social studies, and health. She found that the garden was used to teach all of the core areas, except for science! She is currently a Curriculum Development Specialist with the national Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.
Lisa Pitot, PhD (Science Education), 2014
Lisa was a secondary science teacher for 20+ years. She is now an Assistant Professor of Science Education at University of Wisconsin Lacrosse. She is passionate about improving science literacy through professional development for teachers. Her dissertation focused on measuring 100+ secondary science teachers' science and science assessment literacy. She found that area teachers were scientifically literate but that their student assessment tools did not reflect that.
Lisa was a secondary science teacher for 20+ years. She is now an Assistant Professor of Science Education at University of Wisconsin Lacrosse. She is passionate about improving science literacy through professional development for teachers. Her dissertation focused on measuring 100+ secondary science teachers' science and science assessment literacy. She found that area teachers were scientifically literate but that their student assessment tools did not reflect that.
Alexis Soffler, PhD (Science Education), 2011
Alexis is a STEM coordinator at an elementary school in Maryland. She collaborates with a teacher education program on supporting place-based graduate studies. She was a STEM coordinator at a local STEM elementary school in Fort Collins and helped the teachers define what a STEM school is. She is committed to taking theory to practice in this regard. Her dissertation focused on the role that leadership (and followership) play in problem-based group work when young children are exploring science.
Alexis is a STEM coordinator at an elementary school in Maryland. She collaborates with a teacher education program on supporting place-based graduate studies. She was a STEM coordinator at a local STEM elementary school in Fort Collins and helped the teachers define what a STEM school is. She is committed to taking theory to practice in this regard. Her dissertation focused on the role that leadership (and followership) play in problem-based group work when young children are exploring science.
Undergraduate Students (past/ present)
- Kelli Boehrer (Food Science & Human Nutrition)
- Zachary Boor (Biology)
- Kenna Castleberry (Biology/English)
- Briana Chamberlain (Chemical & Biological Engineering)
- Amy Clark Walpole (Agricultural Biology/ Natural Science Education)
- Ryan Clark (Chemistry)
- Sarah Coleman (Biology/Psychology)
- Natalie Feild Berner (Biomedical Science/Biology)
- Jordan Fleming (Biology)
- Kaitlin Hellwig (Chemistry, Music)
- Jennifer Jessup (Biology)
- Melanie Leong (Wildlife Biology)
- Rylie Mann (Biology)
- Meghan Moriarty (Biology/Math)
- Kristin Olsson (Chemistry)
- Abigail Pearson (Biology)
- Jessica Quig (Biology)
- Consuelo Reyes (Biology)
- Haile Romero (Biology)
- Jessica Taylor (Biology)
- Elizabeth Thompson (Fish, Wildlife, Conservation Biology)
- Bradley Whitaker (Biology)
- Joanna Whitsitt (Chemistry)
- Christina Welsby Parsons (Biology/Psychology)
Amazing spring 2017 undergraduate honors students. All three received awards at the Conference for Undergraduate Research & Creativity this spring at CSU!
Sarah C. (College of Natural Science Honors), Briana C. (3rd place, Social Justice & Equity research), and Meghan M. (University High Honors).