Welcome to the Community College–Focused Biology Education Special Interest Group!

This SIG brings together biology educators working at community colleges, as well as anyone interested in supporting biology education in two-year institutions. Our mission is to highlight the unique strengths, needs, and innovations of community college faculty and students within the biology education research (BER) community.

Our Purpose

• Foster meaningful connections through panels, workshops, and collaborative opportunities.

• Share classroom-based research and adaptable teaching strategies to enhance learning.

• Expand access to professional development and scholarly opportunities.

• Spotlight community college perspectives at each SABER annual meeting.

Who Should Join? 

• Community college faculty and instructors teaching biology, life sciences, or related subjects.

• Educators interested in biology education research (BER) at two-year institutions.

• Faculty aiming to turn classroom practices into scholarly inquiry, such as metacognitive prompts, undergraduate research experiences (UREs), and inclusive teaching.

• Those facing barriers to research infrastructure (limited IRB/grant access) and seeking collaboration.

• Scholars from four-year institutions are interested in partnering with community colleges.

• Anyone passionate about equitable access to biology education and teaching scholarship.

Our Goals

• Support faculty-led classroom research by clarifying BER processes (like IRB navigation and study design).

• Build a national network of community college biology educators involved in scholarly teaching and research.

• Develop research infrastructure by mapping IRB and grant resources across institutions.

• Foster professional development tailored to two-year colleges.

• Encourage publication and dissemination of community college innovations in teaching and learning.

• Advance equity and inclusion by uplifting the voices of open-access institution faculty and students.

• Facilitate cross-institutional partnerships for wider collaborative teaching and research impact.

Ongoing Activities & Projects:

• Host regular SIG sessions at SABER and virtual events throughout the year.

• Create a communication hub (like a Google Group) for resource sharing, job postings, and collaborations.

• Develop a directory of community colleges with IRBs and Grants/Contracts offices to enable support and collaboration.

• Organize targeted workshops and mentoring groups on BER skills, publishing, and funding navigation.

• Co-develop a framework for two-year/four-year research partnerships rooted in shared values.

• Pursue grant-funded initiatives to sustain and grow professional development for CC educators as biology education researchers.

To join, please contact: 

Sheela Vemu, svemu@waubonsee.edu, Secretary, SABER 2025-2026.
Melanie Melendrez-Vallard, melanie.melendrez-vallard@anokaramsey.edu
Kristyn VanderWaalMills, Kristyn.VanderWaalMills@saintpaul.edu