Life Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Representation In Microbiology Introductory Courses Can Encourage A More Inclusive And Inspiring Environment For Students And Instructors, Jill A. Mikucki, Elizabeth Fozo

Feminist Pedagogy

Microbiology has a relatively brief history where significant discoveries are often linked with major events in human history - from disease outbreak to industrialization to climate change. The founders of key microbiological principles span across continents, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic status. However, the portrait described in many introductory textbooks center around a lone, typically white male scientist. Such narratives not only are misleading regarding the development of key principles in microbiology but can also reinforce inappropriate stereotypes as to whom belongs in microbiology. In our introductory microbiology course, we designed group work for Zoom break-out rooms to help engage students …

Antimicrobial Resistance In Eskape Pathogens And Its Effect On Modern Medicine And Treatment, Cameran Runge

Honors Theses

Abstract

ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella

pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter

spp.) are seeing a growing resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics have played directly into the resistance observed, and the problem is growing exponentially. Antibiotic resistance is partially due to several intrinsic factors limiting the drug's uptake. These include efflux pumps, increased biofilm production, and reduced cell wall permeability in the resistant bacteria. ESKAPE pathogens also acquire resistance through horizontal gene transfer and plasmids. As antibiotics have become less effective, the bacteria can continue to thrive, leading to a detrimental …

The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning On Emirati Undergraduate Students In A Microbiology Course, Carole Ayoub Moubareck

All Works

Purpose: A composting project was introduced into an undergraduate microbiology course, to evaluate its efficacy against traditional lecturing for teaching environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The research project was a semester-long intervention. Three groups of students participated in the study: a group of 47 female undergraduate students were involved in a composting project, a group of 43 female students were exposed to a traditional lecture and a group of 34 students were the control group. A pretest and a posttest were used, along with poster presentations for the composting project students. In addition, a questionnaire was used to examine students' attitudes toward …

Exploring Bacterial Diversity Through Hand-Printing & Bacterial Art, Sudeshna Roy, Mark Abrahamson, Madhav Nepal, Nicholas Butzin

iLEARN Teaching Resources

Bacteria are present in a wide variety of environments, ranging from deep ocean floor to volcanoes. Based on their niche, bacteria can differ in their physiologies. This lesson is designed to make the students aware of the presence of bacteria in their surroundings. This lesson also aims to demonstrate the diversity in bacterial species using colorful bacteria. The bacteria used in this lesson require specific temperatures to grow and develop their color. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to visualize the different colored bacteria on the plate.

Toward Genetic Engineering: Teaching Transformation Using The Pglo Plasmid In High School Classrooms, Isaac Kovash, Tahmina Hossain, Sudeshna Roy, Michael Mitchell, Madhav P. Nepal, Nicholas Butzin

iLEARN Teaching Resources

In this lesson plan, students will learn about genetic engineering and perform the same transformation protocol used by scientists on a daily basis around the world. Genetic engineering is a technique used for direct manipulation, alteration, or modification of genes or genomes of an organism to manipulate the phenotypes. The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has emerged everywhere as a mainstay from agriculture to pharmaceuticals. Through this lesson, students will transform Escherichia coli with pGLO plasmid, which give a brilliant fluorescent green glow under UV light. Students will also learn the central dogma of molecular biology: DNA à RNA …

Creating An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Within The Undergraduate Arts And Sciences Through Agar Art, Julie Torruellas Garcia, Kandy Lopez, Véronique Côté, Katie E. Crump

Biology Faculty Articles

Evidence-based studies on the benefits of integrating STEM into the arts are limited; however, some suggest that it can lead to improved scientific literacy and new approaches for artistic scholarship. Unfortunately, undergraduate education often creates disciplinary silos where the two are not integrated. Here, we discuss a unique collaboration between professors in the art and biology departments. Our goal was to integrate science into art courses using an agar art activity. We hypothesized that art students could effectively learn microbiology laboratory techniques and use them as novel tools for artistic practice. The activity was integrated into two to four sessions …

Antimicrobial Properties Of An Unknown Microorganism Isolated From The Local Environment, Danielle Duryea

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Bacterial species that cause disease can usually be combatted with antibiotics; but as the years pass, more and more bacterial pathogens are becoming resistant to these treatments. In fact, the Center for Disease Control has identified eighteen classes of bacteria ranging from urgent to concerning threats due antibiotic resistance (2019), warning the advance of an antibiotic resistance crisis in which untreatable bacterial infections will become a leading cause of death (Bennadi, 2014). The Small World Initiative is a program created in 2012 at Yale University to address the antibiotic crisis through a crowdsourcing effort where undergraduate students are encouraged to …

A Cultured Learning Environment: Implementing A Problem- And Service-Based Microbiology Capstone Course To Assess Process- And Skill-Based Learning Objectives, Rachel M. Watson, John D. Willford, Mariel A. Pfeifer

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In this study, a problem-based capstone course was designed to assess the University of Wyoming Microbiology Program’s skill-based and process-based student learning objectives. Students partnered with a local farm, a community garden, and a free downtown clinic in order to conceptualize, propose, perform, and present studies addressing problems experienced by these partners. Instructor assessments enabled understanding of student competencies, and according to external subject matter experts students demonstrated mastery of all learning objectives on the final research presentation. Community partners were completely satisfied with the students’ solutions, professionalism, and communication. Instructional diagnosis and student course evaluations showed satisfaction, engagement, and …

Plpt 496/892: Disease Dynamics & Evolution—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Sydney E. Everhart

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark course portfolio was developed as a component of the University of Nebraska Peer Review of Teaching. The course selected for this portfolio was a new course developed and taught as an Independent Study PLPT 496/892. The working title for the course was Disease Dynamics and Evolution. This course was designed to cover core concepts of disease ecology and pathogen emergence/evolution. Concepts were organism-agnostic and important for understanding infectious diseases of humans, animals, and plants. The course format was lecture-based and inquiry driven, using primary literature as case studies. The goal of this course was to use interesting and …

Watts Cooking: Using A Microwave To Prepare Bacterial Media For Inquiry-Based Experiments, Judith A. Scheppler

Staff Publications & Research

Microbiology provides an excellent opportunity to capture student interest, encourage exploration, and to begin the development of research skills. With a low power microwave, similar to the type found in homes, and a short list of materials easily obtainable and/or found in many biology laboratories, you can begin to open this exciting world to your life science and biology classes. Microwaves are available at very reasonable prices, and can substitute for a much more expensive laboratory autoclave. Your students can choose and design inquiry investigations as well as learn basic laboratory techniques.

The Effects Of Supplemental Online Learning Aids On Student Performance And Student Engagement In Medical Microbiology, Kimberly Murray

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of online learning aids on student performance and engagement. The thirty-five participants of the current study were students enrolled in two sections of a junior level Medical Microbiology laboratory. The experimental section was required to spend ten minutes each week on an online learning aid. The online program, StudyMateTM, was used to present text and images in the form of flash cards, multiple choice questions, matching, and crossword puzzles. Both groups completed the Index of Learning Style survey, an initial engagement survey at the start of the course, and a …

Engaging Students In A Bioinformatics Activity To Introduce Gene Structure And Function, Barbara J. May

Biology Faculty Publications

Bioinformatics spans many fields of biological research and plays a vital role in mining and analyzing data. Therefore, there is an ever-increasing need for students to understand not only what can be learned from this data, but also how to use basic bioinformatics tools. This activity is designed to provide secondary and undergraduate biology students to a hands-on activity meant to explore and understand gene structure with the use of basic bioinformatic tools. Students are provided an “unknown” sequence from which they are asked to use a free online gene finder program to identify the gene. Students then predict the …

Defining Anuran Malformations In The Context Of A Developmental Problem, Carol U. Meteyer, Rebecca A. Cole, Kathryn A. Converse, Douglas E. Docherty, Mark Wolcott, Judy C. Helgen, Richard Levey, Laura Eaton-Poole, James G. Burkhart

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

This paper summarizes terminology and general concepts involved in animal development for the purpose of providing background for the study and understanding of frog malformations. The results of our radiographic investigation of rear limb malformations in Rana pipiens provide evidence that frog malformations are the product of early developmental errors. Although bacteria, parasites and viruses were identified in these metamorphosed frogs, the relevant window to look for the teratogenic affect of these agents is in the early tadpole stage during limb development. As a result, our microbiological findings must be regarded as inconclusive relative to determining their contribution to malformations …

Ec92-2308 Principles And Practices For Food Sanitation Programs, Susan S. Sumner, Dianne L. Peters

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Food plant sanitation programs will vary depending on the type of product produced. All sanitation programs begin wtih a commitment to construct, upgrade, and maintain the food processing system. Follow federal, state and local regulations. This publication will concentrate on your food plant sanitation program and will cover the following areas: plant and grounds, plant construction, equipment, receiving and storage, processing and packaging, warehousing and shipping, cleaning and sanitizing, personal hygiene and food handling.

Ec92-2307 Food Microbiology/Foodborne Illness, Julie A. Albrecht, Susan S. Sumner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This extension circular discusses the microorganisms in food. Bacteria, yeasts, and mold are microorganisms associated with foods. The individual microorganism cannot be seen without the aid of a microscope. Microorganisms may be classified into three groups according to their activity: beneficial, spoilage, and pathogenic. All three microorganisms will be discussed.