Student Research Spotlight – Mya Baptiste

Hello! My name is Mya Baptiste and I am currently in my 5th year of studies in the Faculty of Science. I am originally from Cornwall, Ontario, a small city about an hour outside of Ottawa. I am working towards an honours degree in biology, but I took my fourth year off formal studies to …

Addressing the 5 Major Reasons Instructors Don’t Do Mid-Course Student Feedback

By Christine Goedhart There are many reasons to ask students for mid-course feedback. It’s a great way to learn about students and how they are experiencing the course so that you know what’s working well and what could be improved. It’s also an opportunity to build trust and rapport with students and to show them …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Ria Goel

Hello! My name is Ria Goel and I am a third-year student in the Integrated Sciences program, specializing in genetics and physiology. I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia and then moved to South Surrey when I was in grade 7. In my free time, I like to volunteer at senior homes and go for long …

TA Spotlight – Nicole Bison

I’m a 2nd year MSc student in the UBC Physiological Ecology Lab. I’m originally from Kamloops, BC, where I completed my first two years of university before transferring to UBC to earn my BSc with a specialization in Ecology. At UBC, I completed an undergraduate thesis where I used mathematical models to evaluate key factors …

Teaching Spotlight – Instructor Experiences with Mid-course Student Feedback

The midpoint of a course is a great time to ask students for feedback – students now have enough experience in the course to provide meaningful feedback, and there’s still time in the term to respond to the feedback they provide. Below, Rachel Germain, Bridgette Clarkston, and Jaclyn Dee share their experiences with doing mid-course …

Teaching Spotlight – Adding a Sex & Gender Acknowledgement in BIOL 371

Irene Ballagh recently added a new element to her BIOL 371 course this past summer: a Sex & Gender Acknowledgement. When students logged onto the course Canvas site, they found the following statement: “As a neuroscientist with a background in studying the complex links between brain and hormones, I acknowledge that a person’s gender, or …

Student Spotlight – Maya Tselios

Maya Tselios recently graduated with a BSc in Biology and may be the youngest person ever to have graduated from this program, having been accepted to UBC when she was only 13 years old! Some words that describe Maya are: smart, fun, energetic, and persistent. She has diverse interests and has already accomplished many things …

TA Spotlight – Tessa Blanchard

My name is Tessa Blanchard, and I am from a small town in southern Ontario – Welland! I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa where I received my BSc in Biology with specialization in animal physiology. I completed my MSc at the University of Guelph where I studied the respiratory system of …

9 Ways to Help Students Develop Psychological Safety in Your Course

By Christine Goedhart The term is almost over and Vania has only spoken a few times in their biology course. While there has been a lot of opportunity for student interaction through group work and class discussions, Vania decided early on that it was just easier to stay silent. Vania identifies as gender non-binary and …

TA Spotlight – Jessica Kowalski

My name is Jessica and I grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. I did my undergrad at Western University in London, Ontario, and I actually have two undergrad degrees – a BSc in Food nutrition and a BSc in Environmental Science. I started off in the nutrition realm, found that it wasn’t for me, and then …

Instructor Spotlight – George Haughn

Hi, I am a Professor of Genetics (soon to be emeritus) in the Department of Botany.  I have a B.Sc. in Biology with honours in Genetics from Dalhousie University and a Ph.D. in Genetics from Cornell University. My postdoctoral research was completed at the U.S. Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State University. …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Amendri De Mel

Hello! My name is Amendri De Mel and I’m from Kingston, Jamaica! I am soon to be a fourth year student majoring in Biology. For the past year I have been fortunate enough to be a Peer Tutor for BIOL 111. At my time at UBC I have been a representative, and now an executive …

Teaching Spotlight – Organism of the Day

Brett Couch starts most of his BIOL121 classes with a 1-2-minute presentation of some fun facts about an organism that can be found around UBC or coastal British Columbia. In addition to introducing students to various local species, the organism of the day activity “is meant to be fun and to also help students see …

Exploring the Emotional Side of Learning

By Christine Goedhart Can you recall a time when you felt joy, delight, or pride while learning something? What about a time when you felt anxious, bored, frustrated, or hopeless? If you’ve ever experienced these emotions while learning, how did it impact your interest in what you were learning or your ability to perform on …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Nicole Cormack

My name is Nicole and I’m currently in my 3rd year majoring in Microbiology and Immunology! This year I had the opportunity to be a Peer Tutor for Biology 201 and it was such an incredible experience! In my free time, I also volunteer for the AMS Peer Support and am currently training for my …

Teaching Spotlight – Book Club with Students

Jaclyn Dee recently organized an informal Book Club for students in her BIOL 112 course. The Book Club was centred around Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science, which brought an Indigenous lens to some of the relevant course material. “I had such a positive experience and I know the …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Kyle Tarry

Hello! My name is Kyle Tarry and I’m currently working towards a bachelors in Biochemistry. I will be entering into my third year this September. I grew up in a very rural town in northern British Columbia and lived there my whole life. The town population was only around 9000, so transitioning to a large …

Instructor Spotlight – Leticia Avilés

Hi! I am a faculty member at the Department of Zoology and the Biodiversity Research Centre at UBC. I have a PhD from Harvard University and was a postdoctoral fellow and young Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona before arriving to UBC in 2002. I have an active research lab, with undergrad and grad …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Annie Zhou

Hello! My name is Annie Zhou and I am a 3rd year Integrated Science student specializing in physiology and genetics. I was born in Guangzhou, China and immigrated here when I was in Grade 2! This summer I will be working with the Klein-Geltink lab at BC Children’s Hospital under the Summer Studentship Program and …

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