History of BioTAP
The NSF-funded BioTAP Scholars program ran from 2015-2021 and worked with faculty, staff, and graduate students to develop and implement research projects related to graduate student instruction and TPD practices.
In Summer 2022, BioTAP began its transition from a grant-funded program to an independent non-profit professional society. Current network members should stay tuned for updates on the next chapter of BioTAP, and to find out how to get involved!
Background
BioTAP was initially funded by the NSF via a Research Coordination Network - Undergraduate Biology Education grant. Funding last from 2013-2021 through two phases of funding.
Principal investigator: Dr. Elisabeth Schussler, Associate Professor, University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Co-PIs, Grant Gardner (MTSU), Gili Marbach-Ad (Maryland), Kris Miller (Georgia), and Judy Ridgway (Ohio State)
The grant had a goal to build capacity within the network for research on biology graduate teaching assistant (GTA) teaching professional development (TPD). By helping practitioners assess their own programs, and work with others to compare assessments across institutions, the network can build the empirical data necessary to make data-driven decisions about programmatic practices.
The project that was funded from 2015-2021 had three objectives:
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Expand and support collaborations with all biology GTA TPD stakeholders (researchers, educators, administrators, graduate students)
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Create and implement Research Development Sessions and Virtual Learning Communities to foster collaborative research on biology GTA TPD
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Synthesize, disseminate, and advocate for research to identify empirically based best practices in biology GTA TPD
The Outcomes Report gives a more detailed picture of the accomplishments of the network as it relates to these three objectives.
The following steering committee was responsible for the 2015-2021 NSF-funded project:
PI, Elisabeth Schussler University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Co-PI, Grant Gardner Middle Tennessee State University
Co-PI, Gili Marbach-Ad University of Maryland
Co-PI, Kristen Miller University of Georgia
Co-PI, Judy Ridgway Ohio State University
Adam Chouinard Oregon State University
Ryan Coker Florida State University
Sarah Dalrymple Boise State University
Miriam Ferzli North Carolina State University
Stephanie Gutzler Georgia State University
Dan Johnson Wake Forest University
Lori Kayes Oregon State University
Star Lee University of California, Irvine
Andrew Lybbert Ohio State University
Kelly McDonald California State University, Sacramento
Judy Milton University of Georgia
Carol Pollock Emeritus, University of British Columbia
Todd Reeves Northern Illinois University
Josh Reid Middle Tennessee State University
E. William Wischusen Louisiana State University