Conversations in STEM Education presented by SEIRI

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 tear down the barriers in our programs that hinder the success of those that have been historically excluded.

Tony Chase, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Occupational Therapy. He is an expert in research methods and assessment. His research in childhood disability and mobility has resulted in a collaboration between Indiana University, Riley Hospital for Children, and The Crann Centre for Rehabilitation in Cork, Ireland. Before beginning his appointment as faculty at the School of Health & Human Sciences, Dr. Chase was an Evaluation and Research Specialist at the STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute at IU Indianapolis. He worked on research related to STEM Education, Educational Psychology, and Assessment. Dr. Chase graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.A. in 2012 and received his M.S. in Organic Chemistry at Purdue University. He earned his doctorate in Educational Psychology & Research Methodology from Purdue University in 2016.

Dr. Chase focuses on assessment as it relates to children with disabilities. Specifically, his research focuses on the improvement of mobility skills and social participation of children who are wheelchair users.

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 community. The conversation also examines how, through community-engaged and place-based experiential education, STEM educators (and beyond) can foster the development of students’ civic-mindedness, ethical praxis, and STEM literacy.

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 these topics, the conversation explores ways to support student learning outcomes related to translatable skills, collaboration, and curiosity.

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 research and leadership skills, enhancing student success in the classroom.   

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 social scientists and humanities scholars to shape curriculum in ways that mobilize STEM knowledge and skills to support the values and public purposes of our disciplines. 

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 geosciences through Geo-Equity Modules (GEMs). 

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 and for assessing STEM education innovations