Slesnick Symposium - 2025
Schedule of Events
- 8:30-9:00 a.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220
Coffee and light pastries - 9:00-10:30 a.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220
Workshop: ”Learning from Student Voices: Exploring What Students Say Impacts their STEM Classroom Experiences”
Facilitated by Dr. Sarah Eddy and Dr. Elli Theobald - 10:30 a.m. Break
- 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220
Student Panel joined by Dr. Sarah Eddy and Dr. Elli Theobald - 12:00-1:00 p.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220
Lunch 1:00-3:30 p.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 210, 220, 230, 240
Faculty Talks- 10 concurrent sessions: (to be updated)Talk Time Room Talk Title Presenter(s) 1:00 pm 210 Preparing Teaching Assistants for Effective and Inclusive Teaching: An Example from Physics Department Mojdeh Vahid 230 Through their lens: Examining how and why aspiring first-generation college students pursue STEM Nick Galati and Dustin Van Orman 1:30 pm 210 Rethinking Assessment in Physics Education: Exploring Labor-Based Contract Grading Thanh Le 230 Using a place-based ecosystem to create linked undergraduate research experiences: Soil ecology meets molecular microbiology in the Arboretum Rebecca Bunn and Marion Brodhagen 2:00 pm 210 Moving to learn math: Investigating embodied activities in math teaching and learning Liz Chen 230 Teaching through Data: Exposing Students to Coordinated Molecular Dynamics Simulations and NMR Spectroscopy Data within the Biophysical Chemistry Series Jay McCarty and Serge Smirnov 2:30 pm 210 n/a 230 Instructional Strategies That Benefit Learning and Belonging in Undergraduate STEM Education Dustin Van Orman and Sophie Westermann 3:00 pm 210 Maintaining student engagement with 'booster shots': An example from physics Andrew Boudreaux 230 Using Standards Based Grading in the Undergraduate STEM curriculum Rick Barnard and Mike Larsen - 4:00-5:00 p.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220 or webinar on Zoom
“Active learning: exploring the roles of classroom practices and climate on STEM student success”
Keynote by Dr. Sarah Eddy and Dr. Elli Theobald - 5:00-6:00 p.m.
In-Person at Western: SL 220
Reception
Keynote by Dr. Sarah Eddy and Dr. Elli Theobald
"Active learning: exploring the roles of classroom practices and climate on STEM student success”
Sarah Eddy, PhD
Sarah L. Eddy (they|them) received a BS in Biological Sciences from Purdue University and a PhD in Zoology at Oregon State University. Sarah studied sexual selection in salamanders before shifting their focus to studying college classrooms through a Postdoctoral experience at the University of Washington. Their research generates data and resources that support college instructors to create instructional practices, course climates, and content that promote student belonging, motivation, and learning. In addition to scholarly publications, Eddy's work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Science, and Insight into Diversity. (website: https://www.eddy-lab.org/)
Elli Theobald, PhD
Dr. Elli Theobald is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington. Prior to this position, she worked as a middle school and high school teacher, completed a PhD in ecology, transitioned to discipline-based education research as a postdoctoral researcher, and served as a Teaching Professor. Her research focuses on equity in higher education STEM classes. The group uses quantitative and sometimes qualitative approaches to: 1) describe inequities; 2) identify instructor and systemic practices that disrupt inequities; and 3) scale equitable practices to all classes in all STEM disciplines.
About the Symposium
STEM EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM
The late Dr. Slesnick retired in 1996 after a 33-year career on Western's College of Sciences and Technology biology faculty. During his 33 years in the biology department, he profoundly impacted thousands of students and future science teachers. His vision and tireless advocacy for improving science education played a critical role in gaining approval for constructing the Science Education Building and influenced its unique design. Slesnick was instrumental in the establishment of the current SMATE program housed in the building that continues the work he started. The annual Irwin L. Slesnick STEM Education Symposium is a tribute to his memory.
Past Symposia
The Irwin L. Slesnick STEM Education Symposium was begun in 2014. Each year's speakers and workshops have been recorded and are available on the Past Symposia page.