About Conversations in STEM Education presented by SEIRI
Conversations in STEM Education is a monthly series featuring Faculty Associates at the STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute (SEIRI). During the conversations, SEIRI Faculty Associates discuss their STEM education scholarship and how it has contributed to their own growth and advancement of the field.
s03e02: From Classroom to Administration: Evidence, Innovation, and the Journey of a Science Educator Featuring John DiTusa
In this conversation, Dean John DiTusa will reflect on his evolution as a science educator, from early encounters with conceptual physics instruction and evidence-based teaching methods to his current role leading the School of Science. He will discuss how mentorship, retreats, and emergent tools transformed his classroom practice during his years as a physics instructor. He will also explore how his move into administration shifted his focus toward data, faculty development, and building pro...
29 Apr 2026
s03e03: Lessons Learned from a Non-Traditional Career Featuring Pratibha Varma-Nelson
In this conversation, Pratibha Varma-Nelson will discuss her early years as a chemistry instructor and how her persistent drive to improve her teaching led to her becoming a national leader in Peer-Led Team Learning. She will reflect on her academic journey and how she was shaped as a scholar. She will also discuss her time as a program director at NSF, which led to her becoming executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and then the founding executive director of the STEM Ed...
29 Apr 2026
s03e01: Transforming Teaching Through Evidence: Integrating Discipline-Based Education Research and Collaborative Faculty Development Featuring Anusha S. Rao
In this conversation, Anusha S. Rao, assistant director at the Center for Teaching and Learning, will discuss her experiences assisting instructors with evidence-based, discipline-centered, and course-specific teaching practices. She will describe how she uses discipline-based education research and the scholarship of teaching and learning to transform evidence into classroom practice. She will also examine her collaborative work in program design and development, specifically her scholarly a...
4 Feb 2026
s02e04: Instructing Students in Climate Science and the Nature of Geoscience: Stories from Ghana and the U.S. Featuring Samuel Nyarko
In this conversation, Dr. Samuel Nyarko will discuss his experiences in geoscience, education, and research. He will describe his formative years, his early research projects in Ghana, and his current research on the teaching of the nature of geoscience. As he walks the audience through his scholarship, Dr. Nyarko will examine the complex ways that students engage in climate science education, as well as how they benefit from a deeper understanding of the nature of science and the role of tea...
In this conversation, Dr. Lyniesha Ward will discuss her experiences as a discipline-based education researcher in Chemistry. She will first explore how her experiences have led to her interest in questioning how students make connections across chemistry topics and across disciplines and what challenges might hinder such conceptual border-crossing. She will also share insights from her scholarship on the integration of augmented reality and artificial intelligence in chemistry.
4 Feb 2026
s02e02: Identity Safety and Belonging: Attracting and Retaining Minoritized Students Featuring India Johnson
In this conversation, Dr. India Johnson will discuss her experiences as an intergroup relations researcher at the intersection of Psychology and STEM education research. She will describe her research on identity-safety and belonging among minoritized individuals within organizations, such as institutions of higher education. This conversation will close with an exploration of how faculty and staff can convey allyship and thereby contribute to attracting and retaining minoritized students...
4 Feb 2026
s02e08: "The first step in a voyage of 1000 miles:” Ten Lessons-Learned from Two-Decades of Peer-Led Team Learning Featuring David Malik
In this conversation, David Malik will discuss his experiences as a learner, scholar, and educator in STEM education. He will reflect on the power of active learning, asking questions, teaching to learn, and other topics through the lens of two decades of implementing Peer-Led Team Learning. The conversation will explore how and why instructors should embrace curiosity and adventurousness as educators and benefit from their students’ successes.
4 Feb 2026
s02e03: Stand Up for Science: Communicating STEM through Comedy, Media, and Outreach Events Featuring Amy Pearce
In this conversation, Dr. Amy Pearce will discuss her experiences as a practitioner and researcher in STEM education outreach contexts, where science communication skills are performed and developed. She will describe several novel programs she has been involved in through the years, how those programs were evaluated, and the outcomes associated with those programs. This conversation will close with an exploration of how faculty and staff might enhance their science communication to attract o...
4 Feb 2026
s02e07: Sound and Vision: Building Student Agency, Communication Skills, and Technical and Aesthetic Fluency Through Peer-Led Experiential Learning Featuring Daniel Walzer
Join Daniel Walzer for a conversation on music technology education and research, with a focus on his scholarship at the intersection of both fields. He will share insights from his informal STEAM learning outreach and research projects, highlighting his work with IU Indianapolis’s Music Technology Academy (MTA). The discussion will also explore his mixed-methods research on the outcomes associated with MTA and similar interventions. Through these topics, the event will examine the benefits o...
21 Jan 2026
s02e05: Innovations in Physics Instruction and Assessment: Introducing Computing and Transforming Labs Featuring Gautam Vemuri
In this conversation, Dr. Gautam Vemuri will discuss his experiences innovating physics instruction and assessing those innovations. He will describe how he has collaboratively introduced computational physics into the curriculum, as well as how he has pursued the transformation of physics labs. In conclusion, Dr. Vemuri will discuss his recent experiences with physics education assessment, research, and publishing.
11 Oct 2024
s02e01: experiences in Chemistry and Occupational Therapy education Featuring Dr. Tony Chase
In this conversation, Dr. Tony Chase will discuss his experiences in Chemistry and Occupational Therapy education, as well as the research he has conducted in both spaces. He will describe his research and education journey with special emphasis on interdisciplinarity, transferability, accessibility, and representation. Through these topics, the conversation will explore evidence-based ways to tear down the barriers in our programs that hinder the success of those that have been historically ...
11 Oct 2024
s01e07: STEM Education and Scholarly Activism: Adventures in Scientific Process, Failure, and Critical Reflection to Empower Student Learning Featuring Dr. Brandon Sorge
In this conversation, Dr. Brandon Sorge discusses his experiences with scholarly activism, especially how it pertains to the enhancement of STEM education opportunities to cultivate ethical, civic-minded, and equitable students. He describes his research, which aims to educate the whole person through meaningful experiential learning in engaging contexts, such as urban farms and the Indianapolis community. The conversation also examines how, through community-engaged and place-based experient...
20 May 2024
s01e05: Inclusive Excellence in STEM Education: Transforming Departments, Fostering Diversity, and Empowering Undergraduates Featuring Dr. Kathleen Marrs
Join Kathy Marrs, Professor of Biology, for a discussion of large-scale advancements in STEM education during her time at IUPUI. Dr. Marrs discusses initiatives focused on departmental transformation through best practices in STEM teaching and inclusive excellence, interdisciplinary programs to prepare secondary STEM teachers, and ongoing development of programs to foster authentic undergraduate research and leadership skills, enhancing student success in the classroom.
20 May 2024
s01e06: Innovations in STEM Education: Cultivating Student Skills in Biomedical Engineering Design, Health Equity, and Ethics Featuring Dr. Sharon Miller
In this conversation, Dr. Sharon Miller discusses her experiences in biomedical engineering research and education as well as her scholarship at the intersection of the two. She describes her research and education journey, with special emphasis on her research work in discipline-based education research and her educational innovations in BME engineering design, health equity, and ethics. Through these topics, the conversation explores ways to support student learning outcomes related to tran...
22 Apr 2024
s01e04: Designing STEM Education Futures: Exploring the Relationship Between Anthropology and STEM Education Featuring Dr. Grant Fore
In this conversation, Dr. Grant Fore discusses his experiences with interdisciplinary scholarship, particularly at the intersection of Anthropology and STEM Education Research. He describes his research in design anthropology and how his findings have inspired his approach to STEM ethics education and community engagement. The conversation also examines how STEM educators might collaborate with social scientists and humanities scholars to shape curriculum in ways that mobilize STEM knowledge ...
22 Apr 2024
s01e03: DEI in STEM Education: Negotiating Course Content and Values in a Changing World Featuring Dr. Catherine Macris
In this conversation, Dr. Catherine (Cam) Macris discusses her work around DEI in geoscience education. She describes her efforts to incorporate inclusive teaching practices into Earth Science classes and foster a sense of belonging in her department and the geosciences more broadly. Dr. Macris also explores the assessment of these efforts and introduces her approach to teaching equity in the geosciences through Geo-Equity Modules (GEMs).
8 Dec 2023
s01e02: The Long & Winding Road to Success to STEM Education Research Featuring Dr. Robert Weissbach
Success in STEM education research for faculty requires understanding the similarities and differences between technical and pedagogical research. But it also may require patience, new research partners, and research goals centered around student success. This conversation will present an almost 20-year project focusing on improving undergraduate student writing in STEM.
1 Nov 2023
s01e01: Listening to Students: Thoughts on Attentive Teaching Featuring Dr. Andy Gavrin
In this conversation, Dr. Andy Gavrin will discuss his scholarly activities in STEM education through the years. He will specifically reflect upon how, in being attentive to student desires and needs, he has been able to enhance his teaching practices and create novel approaches for supporting student learning. Dr. Gavrin will also examine strategies for practicing attentiveness with students and for assessing STEM education innovations
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