Erin Dolan, Ph.D Professor Eldolan at uga.edu Erin Dolan is a Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Innovative Science Education at the University of Georgia. As a graduate student in Neuroscience at University of California San Francisco, she volunteered extensively in K-12 schools, which prompted her to pursue a career in biology education. She teaches introductory biology, and her research group works to delineate the features of undergraduate and graduate research that influence students' career decisions, including the influence of research mentorship. Alexandra (Lexie) Cooper, Ph.D Postdoctoral Researcher Alexandra.Cooper at uga.edu Lexie Cooper is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia. Funded by a National Science Foundation STEM Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, her work investigates pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). Prior to joining the SPREE Lab, she earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona where her dissertation focused on investigating instructor reasoning behind science practice-based instruction. Lexie also has her M.S. in Biology where she conducted phylogenetic research in mycology through bench science work. Marie Delcy PhD Student Marie.Delcy at uga.edu Marie Delcy is a PhD student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program at the University of Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in Health Science at Fort Valley State University. In the SPREE Lab, their research interests focus on improving STEM mentorship and retention by examining how deep-level psychological similarities between mentors and mentees influence the quality of their relationships. She aims to develop and test interventions that strengthen these connections to enhance undergraduate research experiences. She is also interested in how early-career researchers proactively shape their roles through job crafting to support their well-being and persistence in academia. Through this work, she seek to bridge psychological theory, education research, and practical application to inform inclusive, evidence-based practices. Terri Dunbar Postdoctoral Researcher Terri.Dunbar at uga.edu Terri Dunbar is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia. She earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Psychology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her work supports departments and faculty as they rethink the ways they evaluate teaching by providing professional development, facilitating cross-departmental working groups, and researching new sources of evidence that may better shed light on teaching effectiveness. Terri is an accomplished instructor and workshop facilitator with several years of experience that includes core psychology and interdisciplinary elective courses for undergraduate students, teaching preparation courses for graduate students and postdocs, and professional development workshops for faculty. Her commitment to and leadership in instruction has been recognized nationally by the AACU. In the future, Terri plans to continue her work advocating for the role of teaching in the faculty reward system at R1 institutions. Megna Tiwari Postdoctoral Researcher megna.tiwari at uga.edu Megna Tiwari earned her Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia, where as a T32 fellow her research focused on the glycobiology of pathogenic parasites and protists. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of California, Riverside and a thesis-based Master’s in Cell and Molecular Biology at California State University, Fullerton. As a postdoctoral researcher in the SPREE lab, she is developing educational resources as part of the NSF-funded BioF:GREAT initiative. BioF:GREAT aims to democratize glycoscience by broadening use of glycoscience by practicing scientists and broadening awareness and understanding of glycoscience for a wide audience, including scientists, students, and the public. Fama Sarr MPH Student Fama.Sarr at uga.edu Fama Sarr is an MPH student in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior at the University of Georgia. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of Georgia in May 2023. Her research focus is on the Lab Talk project in the SPREE lab, where she investigates instructor talk that influences student retention. Her research interests are in student mental health affecting student retention in STEM majors and mentoring relationships that provide an emotional and academic support system for students. Trevor Tuma Postdoctoral Researcher Trevor.Tuma at uga.edu Trevor Tuma recently completed his PhD as an National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, with co-advising from Drs. Erin Dolan and CJ Tsai. His research in the SPREE Lab focuses on the mentoring experiences of graduate researchers in the life sciences. Mentorship is an essential component of graduate STEM graduate education, as high-quality mentorship contributes to the development and training of graduate students. However, mentoring relationships can also have dysfunctional elements. His work seeks to understand how these mentoring experiences contribute to the personal and professional outcomes of graduate students. His research interests broadly include mentoring and relational processes, the work-life interface, and career decision making in STEM fields. C.J. Zajic PhD Student CJZajic at uga.edu C.J. Zajic is a PhD candidate in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology department at the University of Georgia. His research is focused on what makes undergraduate research experiences (UREs) effective and how students gain access to UREs. He is currently working on the Lab Talk project, comparing what instructors talk to students about in course-based UREs (CUREs) vs. traditional life science laboratory courses to determine whether and how this effects students' experiences. He is also working on a project aimed at better understanding how undergraduate students leverage their social connections to gain access to UREs. This second project is being funded through his National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. SPREE Team end of semester celebration!
