Preservice Science Teachers Present at National Conference

Monday, November 27, 2017

Oklahoma State University preservice science teachers (PSTs) recently presented at the 2017 National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The NABT is the leader in life science education with the goal of empowering teachers, students, scientists and allied professional organizations to enhance and improve biological literacy for all. Five OSU students attended the NABT conference, including Caitlin Cobbs and Maggie Pearce who presented research they conducted under the mentorship of OSU science faculty and involvement with the OSU Research Experience for Teachers Program.

Cobbs presented her research titled, “Does Behavioral Responses to a Novel Environment Vary in Parental Species and Hybrids?” in the NABT general non-competitive category. She participated in the OSU Research Experience for Teachers Program during the Summer of 2017 under the mentorship of Dr. Polly Campbell, Assistant Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Integrative Biology. Cobbs, who has an undergraduate degree in zoology from OSU, will graduate in May 2018 with a master’s degree in teaching secondary science.

Pearce was awarded first place in the mentored undergraduate research category for her research titled, “Transgenerational Responses of Freshwater Snails to Fish Predators.” Part of the OSUTeach program, Pearce is pursuing an undergraduate degree in biology. She conducted her research under the mentorship of Dr. Barney Luttbeg, Associate Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Integrative Biology.

“Oklahoma State University PSTs are among the few in the nation who conduct authentic research before entering the teaching profession,” says Dr. Julie Angle, Associate Professor of Science Education in the College of Education, Health and Aviation and NABT Region VII Coordinator. “Research apprenticeships for PSTs are made possible because of the outstanding science and engineering research faculty at OSU who are dedicated to ensuring that students graduating from OSU, with an intent of entering the science teaching profession, have a sound understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated.”

Both Cobbs and Pearce anticipate graduating in May 2018 to become high school or middle school science teachers. For more information about becoming a science teacher, please contact Dr. Julie Angle at julie.angle@okstate.edu.