Day 4 Morning Session

The HHMI, a prominent independent science philanthropy, is committed to advancing science and science education for the benefit of humanity. In line with this mission, HHMI BioInteractive stands at the forefront of engaging students with authentic science by ensuring universal access to compelling, narrative-driven educational resources and by providing professional development opportunities to high school and college life science instructors across a diverse range of educational settings. The core of HHMI BioInteractive's work lies in its evidence-based approach to science teaching, with a focus on creating classroom environments that prioritize belonging and relevance for today's students.  Dr. Bonetta's academic journey includes graduate studies at the University of Toronto in Canada, followed by postdoctoral research at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK) in London. She transitioned from laboratory research to embark on a career as a science writer and editor. Dr. Bonetta has contributed her expertise to numerous influential science journals and public facing publications and websites. Her career has been shaped by her belief in the transformative power of accessible science communication and education to enhance people’s lives.

Her research explores protein-structure function related to amyloid functionality and cytotoxicity, amyloid-membrane interactions, and computer aided drug discovery (CADD) related to improved methods for drug repurposing and derivatization. She recently was awarded an NSF CAREER award for her work on simulating amyloid structures. Dr. Brown additionally pursues pedagogical research focused on improving student experiential learning and data science skills. She has created student personas related to the topics of computational biochemistry, data science, and bioinformatics, as well as frameworks to scale and enhance student workforce development in undergraduate research. She continually seeks to integrate both durable and technical data science skills in the courses she teaches and in undergraduate research experiences. She participates in numerous outreach events each year, including hosting a Legacy International TechGirls cohort in the course she developed, Experiences in Molecular Modeling (EMMI).

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The IUSE program supports over 700 active awards focused on identifying what works, for whom, and in what contexts to improve STEM education for all undergraduate students. In addition to her work on the IUSE program, Dr. Carpenter has helped to develop and manage the STEM Education Postdoctoral Fellowship program, the Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education program, the Hispanic-Serving Institutions program, the Integrative Strategies in Neural and Cognitive Sciences program, and the Understanding the Rules of Life NSF Big Idea. Prior to joining the NSF, Dr. Carpenter was Professor of Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine and chair of the Neuroscience Undergraduate Interdepartmental Program at UCLA. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Dartmouth College, her doctoral degree in Neurobiology from the University of Chicago, and completed postdoctoral training in Human Genetics at the University of Utah.

After earning a Ph.D. in molecular biology and genetics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she transitioned to bioinformatics during her postdoctoral fellowship. In the Stanley Neurovirology Laboratory at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Dr. Darby studied the interactions between genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the development of psychiatric disease. One focus of her research was the discovery of novel RNA transcripts and unannotated gene isoforms that are expressed in the human brain. Her current research extends this work by developing computational models and analysis workflows to identify additional unannotated RNAs and assess their potential to have a functional impact on cellular biology. Dr. Darby teaches courses on the biological interpretation of bioinformatics assays such as high throughput sequencing of DNA, RNA and proteins; research methodology and experimental design; the use of publicly available bioinformatics tools and databases; customized analyses of gene expression and microbial ecology; and leadership.

Dr. Heller is a HHMI microbiologist and geneticist working with the HHMI Science Education Alliance to embed authentic scientific research in undergraduate courses nationwide. Danielle earned her PhD in Genetics and Genomics from Harvard University and completed post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School. At HHMI, Danielle leads the Gene-function Exploration by a Network of Emerging Scientists, or SEA-GENES project, which engages students and faculty in an exploration of bacteriophage genetics.