All it takes is 30 seconds

What’s in the bag? Why are we all at different tables? The class has never been set up in tables before. Sasha and I are the only two at our table. Every other table has three or four people. If this is a competition, then we are already at a disadvantage. Needless to say, I…

Building skills in Biology

I stood in Cathedral room 232. In front of me were 150 anxious biology students eager about their first college exam the following morning. It was time for me to explain the levels of protein structure as part of their review system. Working with students one-on-one during my office hours, I recognized that there were…

Aiming for Success in Biology

When I started my undergraduate career here at the University of Pittsburgh, I vividly remember feeling intimidated taking my first biology course, BIOSC 0150: Foundations of Biology 1. As a student interested in pursuing a career in medicine, I heard the harrowing stories of students receiving C’s in BIOSC 0150 after being straight-A students in…