Christine Goedhart, PhD
Science Education Specialist
University of British Columbia
christine.goedhart@botany.ubc.ca
Born and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles, I began my undergraduate studies at Fullerton College before transferring to Cal State Fullerton, where I earned a BS in Biology. I then went to UC Irvine, where I completed a PhD in Biological Sciences, and importantly, was introduced to the theory and practice of pedagogy and course design in the Pedagogical Fellows program.
After graduating, I knew that I wanted to teach at a community college, so I worked as an adjunct instructor at several local community colleges for a couple years before getting hired full-time at Citrus College. As I engaged with students there and gained insight into their unique situations, backgrounds, and needs, I developed an understanding of the value of diversity and the importance of inclusion in teaching and learning. With the goal of making my courses more equitable and inclusive for all students, I made many iterative changes to my course design and teaching practices… and I personally experienced how challenging this process can be.
Knowing how difficult it is to change to one’s teaching, I decided to take on a new position at UBC as a Science Education Specialist so that I could support others through this arduous process. In this role, I work with faculty and teaching teams to make courses more equitable and student-centred, and I am also involved in several initiatives and projects that aim to improve undergraduate teaching and learning in Biology and the larger Science program. Additionally, I recently had the privilege to develop and teach the new BIOL 348 – Biology of Cannabis course.
When I’m not working, I enjoy exploring new places around Vancouver with my partner Kim, and I’m always down for good food, great coffee, and interesting conversation. My goal is to enjoy every moment I have during this beautiful thing called life, and to contribute to making some positive change while I’m here.