Designing a podcast project to enhance student’s science communication skills - Traditional summative assessments in freshman introductory labs typically focus on evaluating students' ability to communicate science to other scientists. We also want students to learn how to communicate science to a general audience. Our podcast science communication project is designed to complement scientific posters in our lab curriculum in integrated biology and chemistry by introducing students to the significance and skills required to communicate science to the general public. In our podcast project, students are introduced to the fundamentals of science communication through a partnership with the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Students then research a topic or problem of interest adjacent to their inquiry-based lab project, and script a podcast segment that presents the current science to a general audience. We are currently exploring how this project influences perceived student ability in science communication, and assessing how student ability in scientific communication improves as a result of this assignment.

Implementation of Peer Mentors in Integrated Introductory Biology and Chemistry - Peer mentors are undergraduates who assist students in learning and group work in class. The use of peer mentors increases the capacity for active learning activities in large classes. We are currently working on expanding the use of peer mentors, and training them in pedagogy in order to better serve our students during class.