Past Proceedings
ASM Annual Conference for Undergraduate Educators Past Proceedings 1995-2008 - pdf
16th Annual American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators
May 28-31, 2009
Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO
Conference Steering Committee
Donald P. Breakwell, Ph.D. Brigham Young University, Jennifer Herzog, Ph.D. Herkimer County Community College, Donald Lehman, Ed.D. University of Delaware
“Where Renewal Is a Way of Life” is Fort Collins, Colorado’s slogan. This eclectic western town of wide, tree-lined streets, artsy bars and bistros, and a world-class university, was an excellent venue for the gathering and renewal of microbiology educators from across the globe. Of the 275 participants at this year’s conference 51% were first-time attendees, and there were 16 international attendees representing 11 countries.
This year’s conference was marked with almost unbridled enthusiasm! It may well have been the thin mountain air! We wish to thank participants and presenters alike for their thoughtful and inspiring comments and speeches. ASMCUE is a conference for and by educators and it would never be successful without the seemingly endless numbers of volunteers, including abstract reviewers and moderators. Thank you to each for sharing your abilities and talents.
The theme for ASMCUE 2009 was drawn from the topics presented by five plenary speakers who addressed current topics from across the discipline of microbiology. Caroline (Carrie) Harwood (University of Washington) spoke of ways by which microbes can be used to provide hydrogen as biofuel. Her work has focused on Rhodopseudomonas palustris, a phototrophic purple non-sulfur bacterium, and how the ecology, molecular genetics, transcriptomics, and metabolic flux analysis of this organism can define webs of reactions needed for hydrogen production. Thomas Schmidt (Michigan State University) explained the microbial basis for life on Earth. Specifically, he discussed trade-offs microbes may make between metabolic power and efficiency, and how these trade-offs might alter the structure of microbial communities. Ian Orme (Colorado State University) suggested it might be time to leave the planet, given the rise of XDR tuberculosis cases. His dry British humor kept us earth-bound, however. We were intrigued by his discussion of the advances being made regarding TB vaccines. Speaking about the role of unculturable persister microbes in biofilms was Kim Lewis (Northeastern University). One of the problems with these persisters, we learned, is that their presence limits the discovery of antibiotics. His group has developed a bioassay to identify compounds that act as growth factors for uncultured bacteria. Our final plenary was a reprise of the 2008 Carski Foundation Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching award address by Jeff Pommerville. Jeff encouraged us to become classroom educators by sharing personal examples. His students’ creative project on HIV-AIDS in Africa left a lasting effect on all of us.
This year’s “Learn Something New” sessions were focused on updates from the discipline of microbiology. Lawrence Goodridge (Colorado State University) discussed how phages are being used as reporters in bacterial disease diagnosis. Joel Griffitts (Brigham Young University) married the classical and contemporary in microbial genetics. Rupa Iyer (University of Houston) described a novel interdisciplinary approach being used at her university centered in a pesticide-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas dimunita. Matt Mulvey prompted us to exPEC the unexpected when it comes to understanding the virulence mechanisms of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli. Ann Powers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) led participants on the adventure of investigating vector-borne outbreaks of viral diseases. Chris Woolverton (Kent State University) shared his expertise of federal regulations to discuss safety in the teaching laboratory. Mark Zabel (Colorado State University) presented how to introduce prions to undergraduates and have them think creatively about these infectious agents.
“Try something new” sessions focused on pedagogical approaches that can be used in microbiology. Mark Bergland and Karen Klyczek (University of Wisconsin-River Falls) shared how an NSF-funded project called “Case It!” integrates molecular biology and bioinformatics to learn about infectious diseases. Have you ever wondered how to get students to wrap their minds around the spatially varied nature of biomolecules? Tim Herman (Milwaukee School of Engineering) brought models and had participants work at activities designed to do just that. He had us engaged! Jennifer Herzog (Herkimer County Community College) examined best practices in internet-based education. Don Lehman (University of Delaware) presented the use of wikis, forums, blogs, RSS feeds, and podcasts as tools for teaching. Erica Suchman proposed that mid-term course evaluations can improve our teaching and can lead students to think more deeply about their own learning. Michelle Withers (West Virginia University) explained how Bloom’s taxonomy is used in formative and summative assessment. Robin Wright shared her innovative approach to teaching introductory biology using an active learning, team-based strategy.
Conference attendees were able to participate directly in Microbrew and poster sessions. There were 12 Microbrew sessions, with 30 presentations. These popular 15-minute “chalk-talk” presentations allow participants to present a variety of ideas for teaching microbiology and to receive feedback. In three poster sessions, there were 47 posters covering the gamut of ideas in teaching microbiology. We thank all presenters of these sessions and encourage all future participants to evaluate and assess their own teaching and present their hypothesis-driven classroom research at ASMCUE.
MicrobeLibrary review sessions gave participants, over a lunch hour, to peer review projects that were recently submitted to the teaching database. Projects reviewed were Biochemical Differentiation of Bacteria via Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer (MVRP), Citrate Test, Identification of Unknown Bacteria by 16S rDNA Sequencing, Indole Test, Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Test, and Use of Escherichia coli Broth and Agar Media with 4-Methylumbelliferyl-ß-D Glucuronide to Confirm Escherichia coli Contamination in Water Samples (MUG test).
Congratulations to this year’s travel award winners!
- Textbook travel awardee: Andrew V. Greene (Ashland University).
- Faculty Enhancement Program awardees: Donna Hazelwood (Dakota State University), Yolanda Serrano-Núñez (Inter American University of Puerto Rico), Janie Sigmon (York Technical College) and Robert Thornton (Georgia Perimeter College).
- Early-Career Travel awardees: Melanie DiClaudio (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), Adrienne Dolberry (Salem State College), Julianne Grose (Brigham Young University),Rachel Horak (Georgia Institute of Technology), Kai Hung (Eastern Illinois University), Daniel Isaac (United States Naval Academy), Kara Lukin (National Jewish Health), Heather Seitz (Johnson County Community College), Amy Siegesmund (Pacific Lutheran University), and Wei Wu (William Jewell College).
- ASMCUE/GM Travel Assistance Program awardees: Patricia Baynham (St. Edward's University), Sue Katz (Rogers State University), and Betsy Martinez-Vaz (Hamline University).
- ASM Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship awardees: Katie Busch (Davidson College), Jordan Frisch (Dakota State University), Kristen Ruckman (Colorado State University), Ashley Scott (University of Arkansas at Little Rock), and Jessica Thibeault (Western Connecticut State University).
- ASM-UNESCO Train-the-Trainers Scholarship for International Educators awardees: Vivien Amonkar (St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, India), Uchechi N. Ekwenye (Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria), Erum Khan (The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan), Juta Kroica (Riga Stradinš University, Riga, Latvia), Juana Ortellado-Canese (Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asuncion, Paraguay), Verónica Beatriz Rajal (Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina), Armen Trchounian (Yerevan State University and Russian-Armenian State University, Yerevan, Armenia) and Sylvia Uzochukwu (University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria).
The steering committee sincerely thanks Neil Baker (Chair of ASM Education Board), Kelly Cowan (Chair of Undergraduate Education), and Amy Chang, Kelly Gull, Michelle Slone, and Leslie Robinson (ASM Education Office) for their continuing support of ASMCUE.
ASMCUE 2010 will convene May 20-23, 2010, in San Diego, CA.
The following speakers have made their presentations available to us:
Mark Bergland and Karen Klyczek, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Using Computer Simulations Integrating Molecular Biology Techniques and Bioinformatics for Case-Based Learning in Infectious Diseases (Powerpoint)
Linnea Fletcher, National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation CCLI Grant Writing (Powerpoint)
Some of the Grant Opportunities for Two and Four Year Institutions at the National Science Foundation Focusing on Eduaction (Powerpoint)
Joanne Fox, University of British Columbia
Tools for Bringing Bioinformatics into Your Undergraduate Classrooms (Handout)
Joel Griffitts, Brigham Young University
Marrying the Classic and Contemporary in Microbial Genetics (Powerpoint)
Tim Herman, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Tactile Teaching and Active Learning: Using Physical Models to Introduce Students to the Biomolecular WorlD (Handout)
Jennifer Herzog, Herkimer County Community College
Online Teaching: Best Practices in Internet-based Education (Powerpoint)
Questions to Input into Your Ice Breaker Questionnaire (Handout)
Lee Hughes, University of North Texas
Using Surveys in Your Research (Handout)
Rupa Iyer, University of Houston
Research-based Interdisciplinary Skills Across the Curriculum (Powerpoint)
Don Lehman, University of Delaware
Wikis, and Forums, and Blogs Oh My! (Handout)
Jeffrey Pommerville, Glendale Community College
Do We Need to Know…? Those Who Have the Courage to Teach Must Never Cease to Learn (Powerpoint)
Education Quotations (Powerpoint)
Mary Spratt, William Woods University
Teaching Bioinformatics Tools and Socio-Political Connections in
the Context of Preparation for a Term Paper on Infectious Disease (Microbrew Handout)
Erica Suchman, Colorado State University
Using Midterm Evaluations to Get Feedback that Can Really Help You Improve Your Teaching (Handout)
Michelle Withers, West Virginia University
If You Assess Them, They Will Learn (Powerpoint)
Christopher Woolverton, Kent State University
Risk Assessment, Safety, and Security for the Microbiology Teaching Lab (Handout)
Concept Map Exercise (Powerpoint)
Safety Exercises for the Microbiology Lab (Handout)
Mark Zabel, Colorado State University
Lecturing on Prions: A Faith-Based Initiative (Handout)
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