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In this Issue:
- NABT Announces Results of 2023 Election
- Bill McComas Named NABT Honorary Member
- Check Out the NABT2023 Program Before Baltimore!
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IGELS Survey Request: Help Inform PD Design for Undergrad General Education Life Science/Biology Instructors
- SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Get Hands-on with 3DMD at NABT
- Ann Reid Retiring as Executive Director of NCSE
- NABT Members in the News: Ken Miller Receives Award from Sigma IX
- NIH Partners with Kahoot! to Create STEM Quizzes
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NABT Announces Results of 2023 Election
Continuing a process used since 1938, members of the National Association of Biology Teachers have selected individuals from our community to serve as the leaders of our association. Official results of the 2023 NABT Election are below, and the elected officers will begin their terms on January 1, 2024.
President-Elect: Kirstin Milks, Bloomington High School South, Bloomington, IN
Director-at-Large: Anneke Metz, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Carbondale, IL
Region IV Coordinator: Andrew Taylor, Olathe Northwest High School, Olathe, KS
Region V Coordinator: Robin Bulleri, Carrboro High School, Carrboro, NC
Region VII Coordinator: Beth Cates, Western Sierra Collegiate Academy, Rocklin, CA
Congratulations to this year's election winners.
We are also grateful to all candidates who ran for NABT positions. Our community was fortunate to have so many highly qualified individuals willing to volunteer as NABT leaders. Our sincerest thanks go to Don Pinkerton, Rachel Lytle, Jim Lane, and Dillon Crockett.
We also thank the members of the NABT Nominations Committee for recruiting and confirming candidates for this year's ballot. Lastly, we appreciate all of the members who voted in this election.
We look forward to welcoming our newest leaders in January and appreciate their continued service to the NABT community.
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Bill McComas Named
NABT Honorary Member
This year's NABT Honorary Member utilizes a personal teaching philosophy based on four "E's." Using an "E" framework is not unusual for a long-time science educator, but like most things Dr. William F. (Bill) McComas does, he puts a unique perspective on it. "These four factors: experiences, enthusiasm, expectations, and extending beyond, have served well as a useful philosophy during my years as a high school biology instructor and are equally relevant in my present work, informing and preparing new teachers for the vital role they play."
The first "E" relies on Bill's ability to provide his students with a variety of different experiences to engage them. Students might conduct a laboratory activity, debate a bioethical dilemma, view relevant videos, and make presentations all within the same week. Bill often shares insights from his own experiences in the classroom, both as a secondary school biology teacher in suburban Philadelphia and a university professor. Bill is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Arkansas, where he also holds the inaugural Parks Family Endowed Professorship in Science Education.
Which brings us to the next "E." "Enthusiasm" is barely sufficient to describe Bill's passion for myriad topics. He is a science educator, historian, wildlife photographer, collector of rare and antique books, extensive traveler (100 countries and counting), and lifelong learner. He is so knowledgeable on so many subjects that when a conference speaker canceled 30 minutes before their plenary session, a certain NABT executive director asked Bill to fill in, and he was able to grab a tie and flash drive with four new presentations for her to choose from in under 5 minutes.
Following "enthusiasm" is "expectations." "Expectations are a keystone element of my teaching philosophy and are vital to student success," said Bill. "Students must know that they have responsibilities to their own learning. However, to be successful [,]students must know what is expected of them and with knowledge develop a sense of responsibility and control over their lives." Bill maintains high expectations for himself as an educator. He has served on several dissertation committees and has chaired committees for 15 students who are now professors. Service to the community is also a professional expectation that Bill models. He is a frequent contributor, mentor, and leader for several organizations, including NABT, NSTA, NCSE, and ASTE. Bill has been the editor for The American Biology Teacher for over ten years and is the incoming President of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE).
The final "E" is "extending beyond." "Teaching can be one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs, but that choice belongs with the individual educator. My participation in a variety of science teaching organizations has demanded that I remain focused and up-to-date, transforming the job of teaching into a satisfying career that has lasted decades. This is particularly true with my service to NABT through my work as editor of The American Biology Teacher. It has been a joy to extend the reach of countless authors worldwide and share their ideas and insights with biology educators across the globe." Bill's impact is hard to overstate. He is the expert on the "nature of science," and his articles, talks, and books have transformed science education. His teaching and research, especially related to evolution education, have resulted in numerous awards. He was a Fulbright Fellow at Dublin City University, Ireland, and was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Linnean Society (UK)."
We have an additional "E" to add to this profile, "esteem." The National Association of Biology Teachers is proud to bestow our highest honor on Dr. William F. McComas by naming him the 2023 NABT Honorary Member. This award recognizes individuals who have "achieved distinction in teaching, research, or service in the biological sciences." The usually easy-going and well-spoken Bill McComas was at a complete loss for words upon learning of his award. "All I can say is "wow!" He then added, "Please know how much I appreciate the support of my colleagues and NABT leadership regarding this honor. Wow, and thanks."
We look forward to recognizing Bill McComas and our other 2023 NABT award winners at the Honors Luncheon held during the Professional Development Conference in Baltimore.
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Check Out the NABT2023 Program Before Baltimore!
The excitement is building, and we can hardly wait for you to join us at the 2023 NABT Professional Development Conference in Baltimore. This year promises to be an incredible event for hundreds of biology and life science educators, and the full conference program can be downloaded at NABT2023 Program.
One of the most valuable aspects of the NABT Conference is the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals who share your passion for biology education. Whether through casual conversations in the exhibit hall, organized events like section luncheons, or in one of the many interactive sessions, you'll have plenty of chances to forge new connections and strengthen existing ones.
If you're interested in getting more involved in NABT, please join us at the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, the Leader Meet & Greet on Friday, or during the various committee meetings scheduled throughout the conference. Review the conference program for times and locations.
Advance registration ends on Friday, October 28th, and so does your opportunity to take advantage of significant savings. Registering online is easy, or you can use the 2023 Registration Form. NABT is still offering discounts for group registrations. Contact us at conference@nabt.org for details.
Don't miss out on your chance to learn, connect, and grow with us. Register today and join NABT this November!
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IGELS Survey Request: Help Inform PD Design for Undergrad General Education Life Science/Biology Instructors Across The U.S.
Faculty who teach undergraduate life science to non-science majors play an incredibly important role in our society. These courses may be the only opportunity students have to learn essential information and gain skills necessary for a future filled with environmental, health, scientific, and technological issues.
We are asking members of the NABT community to provide their perspectives through a survey developed about teaching in general education life science courses. The feedback shared in the survey will be used to inform the development of a new Life Skills Guide for students as well as future professional development resources and opportunities.
The survey is accessible here or copy and paste the URL below: https://uofmississippi.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0eVAeeND6fyYhiS
This survey is an initiative of the Improvement of General Education Life Science courses (IGELS) project through NSF award #2126154. IGELS is investigating what impact the biology education report, Vision and Change (AAAS, 2009), has had on select life science/biology instructors. Even if you have not read the document, your input is valuable.
You can also learn more about IGELS during a free special workshop entitled "IGELS: Introducing the LifeSkills Guide for Undergraduate Faculty," being held during the NABT Conference on Thursday, November 2nd from 11:30am - 3:30pm. Tickets can still be added to your registration here, and light snacks and NABT memberships will be provided to attendees.
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Get Hands-on with 3DMD at NABT
Get hands-on with 3D Molecular Designs at Booths 217 and 316 to discover how to enhance your lessons with classroom modeling! Check out our session schedule to get hands-on with our dynamic kits and models and learn from experienced educators. We’re excited to share tips and tricks with you on how modeling in the classroom improves student learning. Plus, we gift a free kit to one participant at each session, so join us for an interactive modeling experience!
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Ann Reid Retiring as Executive Director of NCSE
NABT would like to congratulate Ann Reid, executive director of the National Center for Science Education (NSCE), on her upcoming retirement.
NCSE was formed in 1982 and quickly became a vital partner to NABT. After serving as a coordination center for grassroots efforts to promote and protect the accurate teaching of evolution, NCSE hired Dr. Eugenie Scott as its first director and started developing programs to support educators directly.
In 2014, Ann was named the executive director of NCSE on Genie's retirement and quickly expanded the center's growing portfolio of programs. Under Ann's leadership, NCSE spearheaded new research efforts, such as conducting the first nationwide survey on the teaching of climate change in public schools with Penn State University. NCSE also launched new outreach and professional development opportunities for teachers.
Ann is a dedicated champion of educators and is well-known in the NABT community. She has authored articles for The American Biology Teacher and was a featured speaker at the 2020 NABT Online Conference. NCSE is also the coordinator of the NABT Evolution Symposium at the NABT Conference and NABT's partner for our popular Darwin Day online events.
We have enjoyed working closely with Ann these last ten years and celebrate her many accomplishments. We wish her all the best in her upcoming retirement!
NABT also looks forward to working with the next executive director of NCSE as we enter a new era of collaboration.
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NABT Members in the News:
Ken Miller Receives Award from Sigma IX
Congratulations to Dr. Kenneth R. Miller, Professor Emeritus of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry at Brown University, on receiving Sigma Xi's 2023 John P. McGovern Science and Society Award. The award is given to a scientist or engineer who serves as "a highly visible and prominent spokesperson for the public understanding and appreciation of science."
In addition to his research in cell biology, Ken is coauthor with Joseph Levine of one of the nation's most popular high school biology textbooks. Ken has also written extensively on evolution and served as a lead witness in the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover trial.
Previous honors for his work include the NABT Evolution Education Award, the Public Understanding of Science Award from AAAS, the Stephen Jay Gould Prize from the Society for the Study of Evolution, the Gregor Mendel Medal from Villanova University, and the Laetare Medal from Notre Dame University.
The Sigma XI awards will be presented at the International Forum on Research Excellence (IFoRE), being held November 10–12, 2023 in Long Beach, California.
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NIH Partners with Kahoot! to Create STEM Quizzes
The National Institutes of Health is collaborating with Kahoot! to create a new collection of NIH STEM offerings.
Kahoot! is a platform of interactive quizzes that teachers can use to test student knowledge of important topics such as health literacy, hearing, lung health, teen depression, drugs and alcohol, circadian rhythms, superbugs, and anesthesia.
Quiz content is available from various institutes and centers, including the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Engage science and health students with interactive quizzes that test their knowledge of important STEM topics! Visit https://bit.ly/nihkahoot to learn more.
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November 3 - 5, 2023
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Baltimore, MD
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Phone: (888) 501-NABT
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