Molecular & Cellular Biology
2022–2023
Mary Richardson
I had three focus areas this year as the MCB Pedagogy Fellow. The first was to conduct video consultations for TFs, TAs, and CAs in the department. I coordinated with the preceptors for LS1a (fall) and LS1b (spring) to record and consult with many of their teaching staff. My second primary focus was to teach the pedagogy course MCB 327 (spring). This is only the second year the course has run. I worked with members of the department to add practical exercises, including real examples of assignments and lessons from MCB courses. Finally, my third goal was to expand office hours by holding an informal coffee hour every week.
2021–2022
Roya Huang
This year, I designed and taught the first pedagogy course in the Life Sciences (MCB 327). Thanks to groundwork laid by the former MCB Pedagogy Fellow Matt Holmes, and support from departmental faculty and administrators, we were able to add this course to the catalog and make it available for G1s in the Molecules, Cells and Organisms (MCO) program.
I designed the course with inclusive teaching at the center. In my time at the Bok Center, I realized that all of the strategies we’d reflected on had the outcome of improving access to learning and making it more equitable for students of different backgrounds and levels of prior experience. In the future, I suggest including a day on practical information (resources at Harvard, types of courses available to teach in the life sciences). I also suggest opening up the course to anyone who wants to take it.
Additionally, I worked on an LGBTQIA+ inclusion worksheet (inspired by our activity from the University for Michigan Center on Learning and Teaching). This is meant to be a living document that I hope future PFs can edit and contribute to.
2020–2021
Matt Holmes
As the first MCB Pedagogy Fellow in several years, my goal was to reestablish and define my position. My capstone project, an attempt to pass the torch effectively, reflects my belief that the PF’s work extends beyond any one year or person. I have written a letter to my successor that describes our support network, the work that I’ve developed so far, and opportunities for their coming year. Accompanying this letter is a draft syllabus and lesson plans for a potential course on pedagogy for my graduate program. I hope this course will be a keystone for the PF position in the future.