CORE GROUP The core of the Master Education Group is composed of several remarkable individuals who have spent large quatities of time and effort to spearhead the Education Group projects.

Graham Walker is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and American Cancer Society Research Professor at the Massachusetts Instite of Technology. Throughout his career,Graham has balanced on a tightrope between devoting time to his research career and his efforts in undergraduate education. Along with creating and directing the group (a full-time occupation for most), Graham has focused his efforts on reviatlizing his large lecture classes through innovations such as Powerpoint enhancements to his blackboard lectures. Graham Walker's HHMI Professor Website Graham Walker's Laboratory Homepage

Julia Khodor is a research associate in the MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory. She was a postodoctoral associate for curriculum development with the HHMI Education Group and was the second official member of the group. She focused her Education Group work on the creation of a Biology Concept Framework, personalized problem sets, and designing and teaching a voluntary laboratory component for 7.01 the Introductory Biology class. Julia was an MIT undergraduate double major in biology and math and received her PhD in computer science from MIT in June 2002 having made DNA count to three.

Melissa Kosinski-Collins is an assistant professor of biology at Brandeis University actively engaged in undergraduate biology curriculum design and development. She was a postdoctoral associate in the HHMI education group. Melissa joined the group in the fall of 2004 and her main educational focus was on developing a protein structure viewing module that may be used on the high school or college level. She is also actively involved in the National Biology Olympiad. Melissa received her PhD from MIT in September of 2004. Her research focused on protein aggregation and misfolding in human cataract formation.

Robyn Tanny will be joining the group as a full-time post doc in the fall of 2006. She will complete her Ph.D. in the laboratory of Steve Bell in the department of biology at MIT this summer. Robyn has served as an instructor for the Introduction to Experimental Biology class at MIT and will be involved in undergraduate instruction and curriculm reform.

Richard Losick is a professor in the Harvard University Department of biology. He received an HHMI professorship in 2002. Since receiving the award, Professor Losick has used the funds provided to improve pedagogy for the teaching of introductory molecular biology; create an Undergraduate Experimental Biology Program in which teams of students tackle research tied to faculty; and introduce freshmen from disadvantaged backgrounds to sustained, inquiry-based research.

Catherine Drennan is a professor in the MIT department of Chemistry. She recently received a 2006 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professorship for improving undergraduate education. Her research group studies the structure and function of enzymes important in environmental remediation using crystallography. Cathy Drennan's Chemistry Listing Cathy Drennan's Laboratory Homepage

EXTENDED GROUP In addition to the core education group, numerous talented individuals ranging from faculty members to undergraduates have participated in our activities at various levels. Postdoctoral Fellows: Melanie Barker Berkmen Instructors/Teachers: Eli Meir Megan Rokop Kate Bacon Schneider Kathy Vandiver (Middle School Science Teacher) Professors: Shoumita Dasgupta (Boston University) Helen Donis-Keller (Olin College) Judith Fischer (Lesley College) Vernon Ingram Jonathan King Eric Klopfer Boris Magasanik MIT Community Members: Rudy Mitchell More information about members of the extended Education Group

Michelle Mischke is an instructor for the Introductory Biology Laboratory course at MIT. In the past, she has taught undergraduate genetics and introductory biology. Her insights gleaned from years of teaching and listening to students as they learn the basics of modern molecular biology has been an invaluable asset to the Education Group. Michelle received her PhD from Rutgers University.

Mandana Sassanfar received her B.S. and M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Cornell University. She has extensive research experience in both academia and industry, where she spent four years working on the discovery of novel antimicrobial targets. She has also extensive experience in teaching undergraduates and working with high school science teachers to develop new laboratory exercises and curriculum materials for classroom use.

Dina Gould Halme is an advisor to the Dean at the University of California, San Francisco. She was a postodoctoral associate for curriculum development with the HHMI Education Group. She was the first official member of the group, joining a few months before the grant was actually announced. She has focused her Education Group work on the creation of a Biology Concept Framework, developing in-class demonstrations, and designing and teaching a voluntary laboratory component for 7.01 the Introductory Biology class. Dina received her PhD from MIT in June 2002 having performed research on the development and function of CD8 T cells in the murine immune system.

Brian White is a professor at UMass Boston where he teaches introductory biology. His research is in biology education; it focuses on the development and evaluation of curricula. He has developed a large number of wet- and computer-based laboratory exercises as well as a detailed curriculum for their use. Before moving to UMass, Brian was an instructor for Introductory Biology at MIT. He was on sabbatical with the HHMI Education group for the spring and fall of 2004.