The Ballen lab at Auburn University seeks a PhD student to develop projects centered around Biology Education Research (the start date would be Fall of 2025). The position would be partially supported by an NSF-funded study on scientist role models in biology.

Qualifications 

We are specifically looking for students who have a Biology Undergraduate/M.S. degree and are interested in applying their knowledge of biology to improve undergraduate biology education.

While students are encouraged to pursue their own specific research interests, current work in the lab can be split into two broad avenues of inquiry: (1) The impacts of promoting counter-stereotypical role models on student outcomes and (2) The impacts of contextualizing societal and ethical considerations into biology curricula. Through large-scale collaboration across many institutions, work in the lab advances understanding of effective and inclusive teaching through integrating research and education in STEM. Check us out here! Ballenlab.com

The Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) hosts a Recruitment Weekend Event in mid-January and I would be happy to bring folks out who are interested in joining the lab Fall 2025. The deadline to apply for the graduate program is February 1. Email me for more details!