Investigating and understanding novel antibacterial agents is a necessary task as there is a constant increase in the number of multidrug-resistant bacterial species. The use of nanotechnology to combat drug-resistant bacteria is an important research area. The laboratory experiment described herein demonstrates that changes in the nanostructure…

Cell therapies have gained prominence as a promising therapeutic modality for treating a range of diseases. Despite the recent clinical successes of cell therapy products, very few formal training programs exist for cell therapy manufacturing. To meet the demand for a well-trained workforce, we assembled a team of university researchers and…

Metacognition is often described as the awareness and regulation of learning. It uses strategies which include monitoring one's own thinking, engaging in active planning and self-evaluating one's study habits. Bloom's taxonomy can be used as a metacognitive tool to guide students' study strategies and thus improve their academic performance by…

Course-based undergraduate experiences (CUREs) have been employed to enhance students' content knowledge, self-efficacy, science identity, and enrollment in postgraduate programs. In this study, we used it as a science communication skills enhancement tool. The CURE-Comm Framework was implemented to integrate science communication into a CURE in…

Previous research indicates that infection, especially from viruses in the family Herpesviridae, may play a role in the etiology of some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a case-control design and the polymerase chain reaction with site-specific primers, we screened newborn and childhood blood samples for the presence of eight human…

Lipidomics is a discipline that focuses on the identification and quantification of lipids. Although a part of the larger omics field, lipidomics requires specific approaches for the analysis and biological interpretation of datasets. This article presents a series of activities for introducing undergraduate microbiology students to lipidomic…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) outcomes of community college students by looking at students' sense of project ownership, science self-efficacy, and science identity using an end of course survey. A total of 54 students, 41 females and 13 males, completed the survey.…

Although many laboratory experiments are available to illustrate spectrophotometric or fluorometric methods, few of them introduce the use of luminometry to students. Bioluminescence, a subtype of chemiluminescence, is produced when an enzyme-catalyzed chemical reaction gives rise to light emission. Despite the advantages of bioluminescent…

Learners are more disconnected from the natural environment than ever before. Science education occurs predominantly in classrooms and laboratories, settings that rationalize and deconstruct the natural world in a Cartesian-Newtonian paradigm. This often negates humans' relationality and interdependence with other life phenomena and furthermore…

University of Idaho Extension educators developed an innovative approach to analyze the effectiveness of handwashing lessons taught to school-age children. A protocol was designed to determine if there was a significant decrease in bacterial Colony Forming Units (CFUs) before and after implementing an educational handwashing lesson. The protocol…

As research of benefits and detriments of pesticides and biocides progresses, people's knowledge needs to be updated. This study takes an audience perspective on how practitioners may improve communication. Through online focus group discussions of how and why Danes acquire knowledge of pesticides and biocides, we find that focusing on improving…

Have you ever deeply considered the intersections between research and education, particularly for second-level students? Traditionally, the convergence of these two realms is most often noted when considering the integration of research findings into educational practices or the involvement of, typically a small number, of students in research…

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and are central to human, animal, environmental, and planetary health. They play a particularly important role in the food chain and the production of high-quality, safe, and health-promoting foods, especially fermented foods. This important role is not always apparent to members of the public. Here, we…

Multiple-true-false (MTF) assessments can provide granular feedback on course materials, which stems from the format of the MTF question and helps to enhance student understanding and illuminates misconceptions that can be hidden with other assessment types (Brassil & Couch, 2019). The purpose of this study was to document how students use and…

To create opportunities for meaningful applications of data science for diverse students, we developed and implemented an online learning module focused on engaging students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in an analysis of authentic soil data. Development of the module occurred over three design iterations involving interviews with 10…