LA Program Administrative Team
Valerie Otero, Ph.D.
LA Program Co-Director
About Valerie
Valerie Otero is an associate professor of science education and is involved in several large projects throughout the University of Colorado, Boulder and throughout the United States. She is the director of the Colorado Learning Assistant Program, the Colorado Noyce Fellowship program, and the CU-Teach program. Her research spans from studies of science teacher knowledge to studies of how students learn various concepts in physics and the nature of science. Valerie has published broadly from Science magazine to Science and Children magazine. She is co-author of the popular Physics and Everyday Thinking curriculum, used in physics departments throughout the United States. Valerie is principal investigator on over $14 million in grants to improve mathematic and science education. As a first generation college student, Valerie is committed to increasing access and opportunities for students of all ages to get the most out of their science education.
 
Laurie Langdon, Ph.D.
LA Program Co-Director
About Laurie
Laurie has always been drawn to the unique challenges of teaching and learning and finds the complexity of studying how students learn chemistry very rewarding. In her position as Science Teaching Fellow within the CU Science Education Initiative (SEI), she has had opportunities to work with faculty to develop course learning goals, assess student learning, and implement research-based instructional approaches. As part of this experience, she became involved in the Colorado Learning Assistant program and it has proven very rewarding. Rewards have come in terms of increased student learning in the courses, recruitment and preparation of fabulous future teachers, working with other fabulous LAs who are pursuing medicine, graduate school, or other programs, and in collaborating with research and teaching faculty who are committed to creating effective learning environments and preparing our future K-12 teachers. Prior to joining CU in 2006, Laurie earned her bachelor degrees in Chemistry and in English, along with my teaching certification at Calvin College. Laurie completed her Ph.D. in Chemical Education at the University of Northern Colorado and worked as a post-doc in chemistry education at the University of New Hampshire (where she also taught 200-students sections of General Chemistry).
 
Olivia Holzman
LA Program Manager
About Olivia
Olivia is originally from Chicago, IL and became an official Colorado transplant in May of 2003. She has a background in journalism and an interest in the outdoors and spending quality time with friends and family. She has been the project manager of the LA Program since January 2010 and can be contacted with questions.
 
Mike Oatley
LA Program Technology PRA
About Mike
Mike has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and more than 20 years of experience designing and implementing software and websites for a variety of applications, plus additional experience in journalism, media and design.
 
Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences
John Stocke, Ph.D.
Professor of Astronomy
About John
Former APS LA Coordinator; Uses LAs in my course: Ancient Astronomy (ASTR 2000).

I am a Professor of Astronomy and have been in the APS Department here at CU for the past 25 years. For my research I study the large-scale structure and evolution of the Universe using all manner of ground-based and space
telescopes. My primary science these days is using the recently installed (and CU-built) Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope to study gas between galaxies out of which they form. I am also interested in the cosmologies of ancient and indigenous cultures and teach an intro-level course called "Ancient Astronomies".

 
Dr. Doug Duncan, Ph.D.
Faculty Member & Director - Fiske Planetarium
About Doug

Douglas Duncan is a faculty member in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences of the University of Colorado, where he directs the Fiske Planetarium. He began his career at the Carnegie Observatories where he was part of a project which found sunspot cycles on other stars. Subsequently he joined the staff of the Hubble Space Telescope. In 1992 he accepted a joint appointment at the University of Chicago and the Adler Planetarium, beginning a trend of modernization of planetariums which has spread to New York, Denver, and Los Angeles. 

Dr. Duncan is a national leader in presenting the excitement of scientific discoveries to the general public and a popular speaker. At the age of 19 he became the youngest planetarium speaker ever hired at Griffith Observatory in Hollywood. He has appeared on BBC television and as science commentator on National Public Radio. He leads groups of people to total eclipses of the sun and into the Arctic to view the spectacular Northern Lights. His photography has been published by National Geographic. In 1993 he traveled to the North Pole, and was elected to The Explorers Club (of New York).

He currently researches ways of improving science teaching, and is the author of the book, “Clickers in the Classroom,” that helps faculty members effectively use wireless student feedback systems or “clickers.”  CU students now have nearly 20,000 clickers in use.

He became one of the first faculty members to use learning assistants upon his arrival at CU in 2002.

His home page may be found at http://casa.colorado.edu/~dduncan

 
Seth Hornstein, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor
About Seth
Seth Hornstein has been a senior instructor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado at Boulder since January 2007. He earned a B.S. in physics from Virginia Tech in 2000 and his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006. At CU, his primary responsibilities involve contributing to the teaching reform of the large (~200 student enrollment) introductory courses. He has already found unique ways to transform these large courses into more learner-centered environment through the use of Peer Instruction with clickers, classroom discussions, and Lecture-Tutorials. He serves as a mentor for undergraduate APS majors with career interests in teaching and is the department coordinator for the Learning Assistant program. Since 2008 he has been working with the Center for Astronomy Education's Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) team leading a program to develop a Solar System Concept Inventory for use in intro solar system courses.
 
Chemistry
Thomas R. Cech, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor, Director, and Investigator
About Thomas

Dr. Cech worked with 3 LAs in his Fall 2009 CHEM 1251 course (General Chemistry I for Chem/Biochem Majors). He continues to use LAs in his course, and has helped secure significant support for the LA ProgramI.

Dr. Cech was raised and educated in Iowa (B.A. in chemistry from Grinnell College, 1970). He obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and then engaged in postdoctoral research in the department of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1978 he joined the faculty of the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he became a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator in 1988 and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1990. In 1982 Dr. Cech and his research group announced that an RNA molecule from Tetrahymena, a single-celled pond organism, cut and rejoined chemical bonds in the complete absence of proteins. Thus RNA was not restricted to being a passive carrier of genetic information, but could have an active role in cellular metabolism. This discovery of self-splicing RNA provided the first exception to the long-held belief that biological reactions are always catalyzed by proteins. In addition, it has been heralded as providing a new, plausible scenario for the origin of life; because RNA can be both an information-carrying molecule and a catalyst, perhaps the first self-reproducing system consisted of RNA alone.  In January 2000, Dr. Cech moved to Maryland as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which is the nation's largest private biomedical research organization. In addition, HHMI has an $80 million/year grants program that supports science education at all levels (K-12 through medical school) and international research. In April 2009, Dr. Cech returned to full-time research and teaching at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where he also directs the Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology.

Dr. Cech's work has been recognized by many national and international awards and prizes, including the Heineken Prize of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (1988), the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (1988), the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1989), and the National Medal of Science (1995). In 1987 Dr. Cech was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and also awarded a lifetime professorship by the American Cancer Society.

 
Laurie Langdon, Ph.D.
LA Program Co-Director
About Laurie
Laurie has always been drawn to the unique challenges of teaching and learning and finds the complexity of studying how students learn chemistry very rewarding. In her position as Science Teaching Fellow within the CU Science Education Initiative (SEI), she has had opportunities to work with faculty to develop course learning goals, assess student learning, and implement research-based instructional approaches. As part of this experience, she became involved in the Colorado Learning Assistant program and it has proven very rewarding. Rewards have come in terms of increased student learning in the courses, recruitment and preparation of fabulous future teachers, working with other fabulous LAs who are pursuing medicine, graduate school, or other programs, and in collaborating with research and teaching faculty who are committed to creating effective learning environments and preparing our future K-12 teachers. Prior to joining CU in 2006, Laurie earned her bachelor degrees in Chemistry and in English, along with my teaching certification at Calvin College. Laurie completed her Ph.D. in Chemical Education at the University of Northern Colorado and worked as a post-doc in chemistry education at the University of New Hampshire (where she also taught 200-students sections of General Chemistry).
 
Amy Palmer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
About Amy
Dr. Palmer uses Learning Assistants in a class she teaches entitled Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications (CHEM 4411/5411). This course introduces students to thermodynamics, emphasizing macromolecule and biochemical applications. Learning assistants facilitate group break out activities during each class period and serve as liaisons between the faculty and students.

Amy E. Palmer received her B.A. cum laude in 1994 from Dartmouth College where she worked with Karen E. Wetterhahn on the toxicity of chromium compounds. She received her PhD in 2001 in Chemistry from Stanford University, working under the direction of Edward I. Solomon characterizing the structure and function of multi-copper oxidases. During her time at Stanford, Dr. Palmer also received an M.A. in Science Education. From 2001-2005, Dr. Palmer was an NIH-postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Roger Y. Tsien at the University of California San Diego. During this time she developed a family of genetically encoded fluorescent calcium sensors and used them to examine localized calcium signalling. Since 2005 she has been an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Colorado-Boulder and a member of the Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology (CIMB). Her research focuses on developing fluorescent sensors for metal ions to probe metal distribution and dynamics in living cells, developing methodology for imaging Salmonella pathogenesis, and using optically integrated microfluidics to optimize fluorescent probes. Dr. Palmer is a 2010 Sloan Foundation Research Fellow.

 
Education
Valerie Otero, Ph.D.
LA Program Co-Director
About Valerie
Valerie Otero is an associate professor of science education and is involved in several large projects throughout the University of Colorado, Boulder and throughout the United States. She is the director of the Colorado Learning Assistant Program, the Colorado Noyce Fellowship program, and the CU-Teach program. Her research spans from studies of science teacher knowledge to studies of how students learn various concepts in physics and the nature of science. Valerie has published broadly from Science magazine to Science and Children magazine. She is co-author of the popular Physics and Everyday Thinking curriculum, used in physics departments throughout the United States. Valerie is principal investigator on over $14 million in grants to improve mathematic and science education. As a first generation college student, Valerie is committed to increasing access and opportunities for students of all ages to get the most out of their science education.
 
Steve Iona, Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor
About Steve

Steve has been a high school science and mathematics teacher for about 30 years and retired from the Adams 12 Five Star School District (Horizon High School in the Thornton-Northglenn area). He enjoyed my time with the students and played many other roles in the school and district including serving as the building technology coordinator, building budget chair, department chair, school improvement leader, assessment coordinator, district data analyst, and district outdoor education coordinator. He has had many wonderful experiences working with teacher preparation programs including teaching the Science Methods courses for Metropolitan State College in Denver and for the University of Denver, being trained as a Mentor Teacher as part of the district's Induction Program, earning an administrative license, and supervising several student teachers. Currently, Steve is also a Departmental Lecturer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Denver. At DU, he teaches the General Physics class for pre-med, biology, and chemistry majors and a physics and astronomy class for non-science majors. He also coordinates Physics Day at Elitchs for the Department, and has helped implement grants on Utilizing Classroom Response Systems and Expanding Lecture Demonstration Options in the Physics Classroom. Recently he served as a Teacher In Residence for the PhysTEC Project at CU. For over 20 years, Steve has been the Director of the Denver Area Physics Teacher Group, and has helped with the Colorado Science Convention. He is beginning his fourth year as the National Secretary for the American Association of Physics Teachers.His Ph.D. in science education examined cognitive associations students use in solving physics problems. He has continued his interest in physics education research with action research projects in my classes examining conceptual development of students. He also received the Radio Shack Teaching Award in 2001 and the Presidential Award for Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2002.

 
MCD Biology
Christy Fillman, Ph.D.
Instructor
About Christy
Christy supervies the genetics LAs in the fall semester and helps out with the genetics lecture, lab, and co-seminar. The LAs she works with assist students with group activities and problem solving during a 1 hour weekly co-seminar associated with the introductory genetics course.

Christy has lived in Colorado most of her life. She grew up in Colorado Springs, got her B.S. in biochemistry at Colorado State University, and her PhD in the MCDB department at the University of Colorado (2007). Her PhD research focused on mRNA decay and the proteins involved in that process. Since graduation, Christy has been an instructor in the MCDB department. She is involved with the genetics lecture, lab, and co-seminar. Through a grant from HHMI, she has had the privilege to teach an investigative research intensive phage biology lab for freshman students with co-teacher Dr. Nancy Guild. She also teaches an advanced independent study lab course that gives students an opportunity to work on their own research projects. In her free time she enjoys reading, hiking, and playing with her dog.

 
Nancy Guild, Ph.D.
Professor, Attendant Rank
About Nancy

Nancy teaches part of the introductory molecular and cellular biology course (MCDB 1150) and designs and supervises the introductory molecular and cellular biology labs (MCDB 1151) and introductory genetics labs (MCDB 2151). For each of our introductory classes (MCDB 1150, Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology, and MCDB 2150, Introduction to Genetics) they offer a one hour, one credit co-seminar class. These co-seminars, which are taught by Learning Assistants, include problems and activities that relate to the lecture material. She has written many problems and activities for MCDB 1150 and she supervises the LAs who teach those co-seminars (with the exception of Dr. Christy Fillman who supervises the genetics LAs in the fall). Nancy is also the faculty sponsor for the MCDB club and a member of the MCDB Undergraduate Committee.

 
Mike Klymkowsky, Ph.D.
Professor & CU Teach Co-Director
About Mike
Mike Klymkowsky is a Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He received his bachelors degree in Biophysics from the Pennsylvania State University, and his Ph.D. in Biophysics from the California Institute of Technology. He was a Muscular Dystrophy Association postdoctoral work in cellular neurobiology with Martin Raff at University College London and Lee Rubin at the Rockefeller University. He has been a faculty member in the department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder since 1983. He was named a Pew Biomedical Scholar and received a Basil O'Conner award from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. He has published over 100 papers on topics ranging from membrane protein structure, cytoskeletal organization, germ layer formation, and effective education practice and its assessment. He is co-director (with Valerie Otero, School of Education) of the CU Teach science and math teacher recruitment and training program, funded in part by the National Mathematics and Science Institute and was recently named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2008).

Among his current projects include collaborations with Melanie Cooper (Clemson University) on a new, research validated NSF-funded introductory chemistry curriculum (Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything) and the development of an novel interactive, on-line, open-source, graph-based Socratic tutorial system, BeSocratic, that can respond to students with tiered prompts and Socratic challenges - BeSocratic will be incorporated as an integral component of the CLUE curriculum.

 
Jenny Knight, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor
About Jenny
Jenny has used LAs in her classes (MCDB 1041, MCDB 4650) since 2004.

She has taught both majors and non-majors in MCD Biology for 11 years. With a background in neuroscience and developmental genetics, Jenny has focused on biology education research since 2004 and has been the coordinator of the MCDB division of the Science Education Initiative since 2006. Her research focuses on concept assessment development, and best practices for clicker use.

 
Physics
Paul Beale, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Physics
About Paul
Paul Beale has been a member of the faculty of the Department of Physics since 1984. He earned a B.S. in Physics from the University of North Carolina in 1977, a Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell University in 1982 and was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Theoretical Physics at Oxford University from 1982-1984. His research field is the statistical mechanics of condensed matter systems. He was awarded the Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence in Teaching Award in 2004. He has served as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences, the Director of the Honors Program and has served as the Chair of the Department of Physics since 2008.

Personal website: http://spot.colorado.edu/~beale

 
Noah Finkelstein, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
About Noah
He teaches using LAs, supports LAs, supports the LA program overall through institutional and external support, help organizes the overall direction of the LA program, and conducts research on the effectiveness of the LA program.

Noah Finkelstein received a Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Yale University and his PhD. for work in applied physics from Princeton University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder and conducts research is in physics education. He serves as one of the directors of the Physics Education Research (PER) group at Colorado, one of the world's largest research groups in physics education. Finkelstein is PI or Co-PI many nationally funded research grants to create and study conditions that support students' interest and ability in physics. These research projects range from the specifics of student learning to the departmental and institutional scales, and have resulted in over 70 publications. Finkelstein is also a co-PI and a Director of the Integrating STEM Education initiative (iSTEM), an NSF-i3 funded program to establish a Center for STEM education. He is also a key figure in the Colorado Learning Assistant program which is designed to transform undergraduate education and recruit and prepare the next generation of STEM teachers. Finkelstein is increasingly involved in policy and in 2010 he testified before the US Congress on the state of STEM education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Finkelstein serves on five national boards in physics education, including: the Physics Education Research Leadership Organizing Council, and the Committee on Education of the American Physical Society. In 2007 he won the campus-wide teaching award; in 2009 he won the campus Diversity and Excellence award; and in 2010 he won the campus Graduate Advising Award. More information on Noah: http://spot.colorado.edu/~finkelsn

 
Steven Pollock, Ph.D.
Professor
About Steven

Steven Pollock is a professor of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a Carnegie teaching scholar and a University of Colorado president's teaching scholar. His research is in the field of PER (Physics Education), investigating student learning in large and small scale physics classes, and the constraints and opportunities involved in replicating "proven" curricular practice, as well as extending educational models to the upper division. He has implemented and studied "Tutorials in Introductory Physics" at CU, along with supporting and investigating TA and Learning Assistants' pedagogical development. He has been described by his students as a human electron.