Special Session: Wednesday, Oct. 18

Conducting Our Work in Challenging Times

Many SABER members work in states that have recently passed legislative restrictions on DEI offices and social justice efforts. How does this impact the work we do as Biology Education researchers and educators? How can we support each other as we navigate these new realities? Share your perspectives and needs, or just learn more about impacts on our disciplinary colleagues.  


Join the conversation 


Wednesday, October 18, 2023 

12:30p PT/ 1:30p MT/ 2:30p CT/ 3:30p ET 

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88098560240?pwd=H9LXYzK8Q8NCg9g57B4sUIj12JWpw4.1 

This event will not be recorded and is open to current SABER members. 

Contact emilywgrunspan@saberbio.org with questions. 

2024 Annual Meeting Announcement

SABER is excited to announce a partnership with the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning at the University of Minnesota for the 2024 Annual Meeting. 

The summer of 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning. It was created in July 2014 as a partnership between the College of Biological Sciences and the College of Education and Human Development, with a mission to discover, apply and share educational strategies to transform biology education at the undergraduate and graduate level. BTL’s founding was due in large part to the rapid expansion of the DBER field, as evidenced by the founding and growth of SABER itself. As a component of their 10th anniversary celebration, BTL wants to recognize and support the field that led to its birth.  

To that end, during the SABER Summer 2024 Annual Meeting, BTL will host programming that highlights the history of Biology Education Research and discusses ideas for its future. In order to directly support the future of the field, BTL also will sponsor annual membership fees and conference registration scholarships for students (at any level) who wish to join SABER and attend the Annual Meeting. More details will be announced in the near future.

Important dates:

Abstract submission will be open between February 8-23, 2024

Regional Meeting Updates

SABER West

Registration is now open! The University of California Irvine welcomes STEM educators and education researchers from 2- and 4-year colleges and universities to the 8th annual SABER West conference, January 13-14, 2024. Our conference format provides attendees with the opportunity to hear cutting edge research, take part in hands-on teaching and education research-focused workshops, and network with old and new colleagues. Information regarding registration, travel/lodging, and the agenda can all be found at the conference website. For more information, please feel free to reach out to Brian Sato (bsato@uci.edu).


SABER East

The inaugural SABER East conference will be held at the Rochester Institute of Technology from May 29th to 31st, 2024. The goal of this inaugural new regional SABER meeting, is to bring discipline-based education research, scholarship of teaching & learning, and evidence-based practices to current and future practitioners. An eastern regional meeting will help build a community of practice in a much more accessible format .

We will be welcoming Professor James Hewlett (Executive Director CCURI, Finger Lakes Community College) as our keynote speaker to present his work on engaging community college students in authentic research experiences. 

Important Dates:

  • Abstract submission opens soon - November 1, 2023

  • Abstracts submission closes December 1, 2023

  • Early registration opens February 1, 2024

  • Regular registration begins April 1, 2024

  • Registration closes May 15, 2024

Please pass this meeting information to any interested colleagues and feel free to reach out to the Organizing Committee (saber.east@gmail.com) with questions!

Committee Updates

Executive Committee members attended the LED-BIO Think Tank and Town Hall in Woods Hole, MA. The mission of the think tank is to develop a set of community standards and training tools to empower scientific societies to make positive change with respect to:

  1. Collecting membership demographics data (as a mechanism for societies to know who they serve and how their efforts at increasing inclusion are working)

  2. Societies being inclusive of scientists experiencing career transitions (at all stages, not just early career stages)

  3. Ensuring diversity in society leadership ranks

Pictured: Kelsey Metzger, President; Miriam Segura, President-Elect; and Marcos Garcia-Ojeda, Past-President at a LED-BIO Think Tank event. 

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

As a SABER member, you have access to special interest groups. These are communities for people with similar interests which provide opportunities to learn, collaborate, exchange ideas, and network.

Joining a SIG is easy; simply email the SIG chair/leader. Find a full list of SIGs and contact information on the SABER website

NEW SIGs joining SABER this fall: 

K-12 Education

The K-12 SABER SIG is for those interested in how K-12 education informs biology education research at the postsecondary level. It was formed as a result of many SABER members sharing their experiences with K-12 education and how it informed their current research in biology education. The purpose of this SIG is to create a community of practice for collaboration and support. We welcome all SABER members who are interested in K-12 education and wish to gain insight into how K-12 research can inform their understanding of biology education research at the undergraduate level, in particular, the transition from high school into undergraduate studies. Follow the links on our flyer for more information. We look forward to working together.


Methodology

We are excited to announce a new SABER special interest group (SIG) that will focus on methodology used in biology education research. Specifically, we will dive into the epistemological underpinnings of research design and methodology through guest speakers, journal clubs, and collaborative writing projects. Our hope is that this SIG will offer a space for SABER community members to have open discussion about methodological decisions that often happen behind closed office doors. If you are interested in joining the SIG, please fill out this form. We look forward to starting this conversation with you all!

Sincerely,

Brock Couch, Erika Offerdahl, and Stanley Lo

SIG Updates

Biology Through Art

July 15, 2023: Received a three-year funding award, NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (award #2315749).

Upcoming student art exhibition:

December 16, 2023
10:00 am
Bonita Historical Society
4355 Bonita Road
Bonita, CA 91902

See the Biology Through Art website for past and future events. 

SABER Celebrations

The SABER homepage features members who have won national and regional awards and other honors related to undergraduate biology education. Members can anonymously nominate someone. We want to highlight SABER members in all career stages, institution types, etc. Given the broad membership of SABER, we do not highlight local, university-level awards and honors. 


Click here to view past celebrations.


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