This month, DBER-SiT is continuing our "Humans of DBER" series with a feature of Jackie DaSilva, an MSc student at the University of British Columbia!Hi, I’m Jackie, a Master’s student in Zoology at the University of British Columbia conducting Biology Education Research. My path to DBER wasn’t planned. As an undergraduate, I knew I wanted to gain research experience but wasn’t sure in what area. Around the same time, I was reflecting on my own experiences in science courses—periods where my sense of belonging and confidence fluctuated—and noticing through conversations with classmates that we could share a classroom yet experience it very differently. While searching for research opportunities, I came across a DBER research assistant position at York University almost by accident. Working with Dr. Tamara Kelly and biology teaching faculty introduced me to a field that examines how instructional practices shape students’ learning, engagement, and sense of belonging. That experience ultimately led me west to UBC, where I now study instructor discourse in active-learning classrooms and how it shapes students’ learning experiences and affective outcomes under the supervision of Drs. Jackie Stewart and Blaire Steinwand.

Pursuing DBER within a traditional biology department has required persistence, collaboration, and creative navigation of existing institutional frameworks, particularly as the field is still emerging in Canada and lacks many established structures and funding pathways. Navigating these challenges has strengthened my ability to advocate for the value of DBER and to translate its relevance to diverse academic audiences. Along the way, I’ve found unexpected joy not only in my research, but in fostering community: facilitating professional development workshops, supporting teaching assistants through UBC’s Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, and connecting with students as a teaching assistant myself. My advice to aspiring biology education researchers is to seek collaborators beyond your discipline, remain adaptable in emerging spaces, and be willing to help build the pathways you hope to follow.