On Tuesday, October 15th, UConn Early College Experience hosted a professional development workshop for certified ECE Biology teachers, under the guidance of Professor Thomas Abbott, our ECE Faculty Coordinator for Biology. Instructors convened on the UConn Storrs Campus and enjoyed an invigorating field walk through campus, and the surrounding forests.
Thank you to all who joined us for an enriching experience!
UConn Biology Courses offered through Early College Experience.
On Tuesday, April 30th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Biology, Dr. Tom Abbott met with a group of 34 UConn ECE certified Biology Instructors for their annual professional development workshop.
After opening remarks the teachers embarked on a campus trail walk led by Dr. Abbott. The theme for the day was “In the “Heat” of the Moment, Forests Move Center Stage” and the group took a campus field walk through small forest stands. After the walk, teachers reconvened for lunch and additional conversation about their UConn BIOL 1107 and 1108 courses with Dr. Abbott.
UConn Biology courses offered through ECE
On Thursday, May 4th Early College Experience Biology Instructors visited the Storrs campus for a professional development workshop. Instructors worked with UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Tom Abbot, Dr. Chris Malinoski, and Rebecca Newcomer on a laboratory exercise where Instructors received hands on experience. Instructors performed a colorimetric assay allowing them to observe the activity of the mechanism that yeast use to import maltose.
UConn Biology courses offered through Early College Experience.
On Thursday, April 7th, UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator for Biological Sciences, Dr. Tom Abbott, and Lab Coordinator Dr. Chris Malinoski, met with certified BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology I and BIOL 1108 Principles of Biology II Instructors for their annual professional development conference.
The group shared how they are teaching the courses in their high schools this year and covered general ECE business discussing texts, labs exercises, exams, and grading. Later special guest, Dr. Morty Ortega, from UConn’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment shared his research on “Socioecology and evolution of the South American camelids" in an interactive presentation with teachers.
UConn Biological Sciences courses offered through ECE.
On Tuesday, April 6th, UConn Early College Experience and UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator for Biology, Dr. Tom Abbott and colleagues Jean Laughman and Dr. Christopher Malinoski met with ECE Biology Instructors for their annual professional development conference.
The group met to discuss future curriculum directions and pedagogy in our classrooms. Later, Dr. Abbott showed Instructors how to use computational techniques in the 3D Modeling of Proteins, and its use in the addressing of complex health problems and its possible implementation in ECE Biology classrooms.
The figure below and its description were taken from a public protein database and can be visualized and analyzed using a computer-modeling program called PyMol.
“Spike glycoprotein, a class I fusion protein harboring the surface of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2S), plays a seminal role in the viral infection starting from recognition of the host cell surface receptor, attachment to the fusion of the viral envelope with the host cells”
The morning ended with a discussion on the merits of molecular modeling skill development and its implementation in our classrooms. Dr. Abbott and Dr. Malinoski also shared a scientific animation project with the instructors.
UConn Biology courses offered through Early College Experience.
