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Lisa McDonnell's research in biology education focuses on the impact of teaching practices on student learning and the development of scientific thinking skills. Her work emphasizes the importance of data analysis, evaluation, and forming scientific arguments. By collaborating with colleagues at UCSD, including Dr. Stanley Lo, McDonnell explores how structured teaching methods can enhance students’ writing abilities and scientific argumentation. Current projects investigate the effects of peer review on the quality of constructed arguments and seek to integrate opportunities for students to engage with academic integrity within biology contexts. McDonnell holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, where her research utilized cell and molecular biology tools to study gene roles in cellulose production. She was previously a post-doctoral fellow at the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative and has been part of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at UCSD since 2015.
Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).