As a biology education researcher, I investigate teaching and learning in biology with the aim of understanding what drives students to persist in biology research endeavors when they encounter challenges, setbacks, and ambiguity. As the fields of Ecology and Evolution continue to develop, the problems we tackle will become increasingly complex and require scientists to tackle increasingly challenging problems. To best instruct the next generation of scientists, we must understand why and how scientists make progress when challenges arise. My focus is on students' development motivation, grit, and resiliency in scientific research pursuits and how we, as instructors, can provide students with opportunities to develop these characteristics.
keywords
discipline based education research, life science education, biology education, ecology and evolutionary biology education, equity and inclusivity in biology education, course based undergraduate research experience assessment, resiliency in science
