Cheston+Saunders

=Meet Me, Cheston Saunders!=
 * [[image:idt744/Cheston_Saunders.jpg width="360" height="270" align="center"]] || Hi, I’m a newcomer to Morgantown, WV and couldn’t be happier. I’m a first year doctoral student here a WVU, pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Biology. Don’t worry, a “traditional” laboratory scientist hasn’t infiltrated the College of Human Resources & Education, I work in the lab of Dr. Michelle Withers where we study teaching and learning in college biology classrooms. I hailed from Southeastern North Carolina, Delco to be exact, then went to the University of NC Wilmington for my B.A. in Biology, where I stayed on to pursue graduate coursework in science education. I always joke that I traded in my micropipette for a school bell.

In terms of research, I have a strong interest in improving student performance and retention in those dreaded introductory biology courses which are taught in huge lecture halls. Also, I would like to see more technology being integrated into the biology courses, and once I complete my Ph.D., offer hybrid and/or online biology courses; therefore, I believe this course will be of critical importance to me as both an educator and a researcher. I currently teach two laboratory sections of BIOL 115: Principles of Biology, and wish more technology was integrated into the course design. ||
 * //Relaxing in Central Park Before the Symphony // ||  ||
 * [[image:idt744/science_fair.jpg width="364" height="272" align="center"]] || In addition to my interest in college biology education, I also entertain a strong interest in K-12 outreach and teacher professional development. I love judging science fairs, as you can see on the left...watching kids get excited about science just makes my day. As a hobby of mine, I toy around with developing curriculum for 9-12 science teachers to use in their classrooms. One of my activties which uses Google Earth to teach students about watershed pollution is currently under peer review, *fingers crossed* ||
 * //I'm in the orange :)// ||  ||
 * || Feel free to visit me on Facebook or send an email my way at cheston.saunders@gmail.com ||
 * || Feel free to visit me on Facebook or send an email my way at cheston.saunders@gmail.com ||
 * || Feel free to visit me on Facebook or send an email my way at cheston.saunders@gmail.com ||