Biography

 Personal Statement

Biography

 Dr. Gregory Jeff Barord is a marine biologist and educator who was fascinated by cephalopods at an early age. Dr. Barord received his B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston and completed his M.Phil. and Ph.D. at City University of New York – Graduate Center. Currently, he is the Marine Biology Instructor at Central Campus, a Conservation Biologist for the Save the Nautilus, and holds a Research Associate affiliation at the American Museum of Natural History. In the classroom, he emphasizes the connection between scientific understanding and environmental stewardship, encouraging students to apply critical thinking to real-world ecological challenges. Much of Dr. Barord’s research has taken him throughout the Indo-Pacific, conducting deep sea surveys of nautilus populations and their habitat leading to positive conservation outcomes. These experiences have shaped his perspective on science, so much so, that now he brings dozens of his current high school students on field research expeditions to Fiji. Dr. Barord serves in several leadership roles, including as an Instructional Leadership Team Member at his school, as a Scientific Adviser for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group, and on the international level as a Writing Team Member for the recent United Nations World Ocean Assessment. Outside of formal research and teaching, he is dedicated to sharing science with broader audiences. Whether through public talks, collaborations, or outreach efforts, he strives to make marine biology accessible and inspiring for everyone.

 Personal Statement

While the foundations of science are vital, I challenge each of my students to bring their own personalities and interests to marine biology topics and dialogue in our classroom. When discussing current and future environmental problems, we are only going to come up with effective solutions if they are driven by diverse stakeholders sharing unique ideas. I prioritize connecting critical thought to curiosity, so they develop the ability to analyze complex biological systems and conservation issues from different perspectives. By combining engagement, inquiry, and conservation-focused learning, my students are prepared for multiple career paths, whether in the sciences or not, as well as becoming informed and collaborative citizens.

Biography

Blake Touchet is an educator, researcher, and national leader in science education whose work has advanced evolution education in K–12 classrooms across the United States. A former high school biology teacher in Louisiana, Touchet spent more than a decade teaching science while developing innovative approaches to helping students understand evolution as the unifying framework of biology. His classroom instruction emphasized connecting evolutionary concepts to real-world issues, including human health, biodiversity, genetics, and scientific literacy.

Touchet expanded his impact beyond the classroom through leadership roles with the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), where he served as Science Education Specialist. In this position, he worked directly with teachers nationwide, providing professional development, curriculum resources, and instructional support designed to strengthen evolution and climate change education. He also collaborated with educators through the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science and NCSE’s Teacher Ambassador programs, helping teachers confidently address challenging scientific topics in diverse communities.

A respected communicator of science, Touchet has addressed common misconceptions about evolution through workshops, publications, conference presentations, and podcast appearances. His work has focused on helping educators explain the nature of scientific theories, counter misinformation, and engage students in evidence-based reasoning. He has also contributed to the development of instructional materials that use storytelling, scientific literacy, and culturally responsive teaching practices to improve student understanding of evolution.

Through his teaching, scholarship, and national outreach efforts, Blake Touchet has become a prominent advocate for effective evolution education and scientific literacy, empowering both educators and students to engage thoughtfully with the evidence that explains the diversity and interconnectedness of life on Earth.

Personal Statment

My goal as a biology teacher is to help students appreciate the world through the lens of scientific inquiry. I believe that developing scientific literacy so that people can evaluate claims, interpret evidence, and make informed decisions for themselves and their communities is the most critical work that we do as science educators.

Biography

Cissy Ballen is an associate professor in Biological Sciences at Auburn University, where she studies teaching and learning in undergraduate biology. Originally trained as an evolutionary biologist, Dr. Ballen brings together biology and education sciences to understand how teaching practices, learning environments, and efforts to humanize science shape students’ experiences in undergraduate classrooms. Dr. Ballen earned her Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from University of Sydney, Australia. Prior to starting at Auburn, she held postdoctoral research positions at Cornell University and the University of Minnesota, studying the effects of high-stakes assessments and teaching methods on student performance and persistence in undergraduate biology.

Across several recent NSF-funded projects, Dr. Ballen and her collaborators examine how representations of scientists influence students’ engagement and how these insights can be used to design learning environments that help students envision themselves as participants in science. Her work has contributed to actionable classroom resources, including Data Nuggets/DataVersify, free activities that support data literacy and bring authentic scientific data into biology classrooms. Dr. Ballen’s research group is highly collaborative and multidisciplinary, bringing together learning scientists, psychologists, data scientists, and disciplinary faculty across science fields and institution types. These collaborations enable the development of tools and ideas that address questions that could not be answered from within a single classroom, institution, or discipline

 Biography

I became an educator to be a change agent for STEM and science education, but I fell in love with teaching because of my students.  As a NCSU Teaching Fellow, I earned my BS in Secondary Science Education-Biology and discovered a passion for molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics.  Collaborative university and community partnerships unlocked my creative potential for curriculum development, so I earned my MS and EdS in Curriculum and Instruction from Missouri Baptist University.  Determined to advocate for STEM integration in the life sciences throughout my career, I received grants to equip my classroom with biotechnology to immerse my students in genetics applications in all the life science courses I taught.  I am a 2025 Georgia Finalist for the PAEMST, the 2024 OBTA for Georgia, a finalist for 2025 Georgia TOTY, and the 2024 GSTA Science TOTY.  I serve on the GSTA Board as the High School Science Representative and the Advocacy Committee Co-Chair.  To provide relevance and context for students’ learning, I advocate for STEM literacy through phenomena/case-based instruction and storylines.  For my Master's thesis, I conducted action research on the impact of case-based instruction on student engagement and achievement which eventually led me to write and publish three different case studies on various genetic conditions.  I am a Vernier Trendsetter, a CDC Ambassador Fellow, a Scaling Up for STEM Alumnus and a GaDOE Teacher Policy Fellow.  I aim to unlock the creative potential of students to help them connect our classroom to community, careers and citizenship.

Personal Statement

A number of my students share with me how after one of my classes they see the world through a different lens because we focus on making sense of the natural world around us.  Providing opportunities that encourage students to be curious and to utilize their own creative potential is my passion.  The publication of The Framework put into words a teaching philosophy that allows me to create a learning environment that promotes collaboration, fosters critical thinking, and provides students the opportunity to experience how scientists think and what scientists do to better understand our natural world and our role in it.  Integrating STEM through biotechnology and genetics helps to put this philosophy into practice.  Through modeling, scientific investigation, and more, my students start to understand how knowledge of DNA and heredity has led to innovations in biotechnology which enable us to design solutions for medicine, agriculture, pharmacogenomics, and many other industries.  Currently, I am developing an AP with WE Service program with the Georgia Cancer Center centered on public health with a focus on Sickle Cell Anemia and cancer biology, particularly HER2 and BRCA2 mutations.  In July 2025, I will attend a computational materials engineering teacher institute at MIT as part of the Materials Genome Initiative to further develop a Protein Innovation Project I created so students can see how knowledge of DNA, proteins and gene expression can generate ideas for innovations for new materials that can solve all kinds of problems.  Enhancing these experiences with career exploration and community partnerships helps me to cultivate the next generation of innovators through genetics education.  

 Biography

Dr. Joanne Jezequel has been a dynamic science educator at Kennesaw Mountain High School for over 20 years. She created and leads the school’s unique “Triple Play” course—an integrated curriculum combining Honors Anatomy & Physiology, AP Biology, and Post-AP Advanced DNA/Genetics. She also teaches AP Psychology and has served as an AP Reader for over a decade. A member of the school’s Guiding Coalition, she has received multiple instructional grants, been recognized by students as the teacher “most likely to teach you a life lesson,” and coaches tennis.

Originally a post-graduate level clinical sciences professor, Dr. Jezequel recently taught Anatomy lecture and lab courses at Kennesaw State University, while concurrently fulfilling her role at KMHS. Her vast teaching experience spans a wide range of science and health-related subjects showcasing her versatility and expertise. Beyond the classroom, she wrote and edited the script for an award-winning animated biology video on the cell, an example of her passion for making complex content accessible and engaging.

Dr. Jezequel holds a BA in American Studies—where she was likely the only liberal arts major selecting Genetics as an elective—an MA in Secondary Science/Biology Education, an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching. Years ago, she also earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. This eclectic academic background informs her holistic and captivating teaching style.

Dr. Jezequel continues to inspire students and colleagues through her innovative curriculum design, interdisciplinary approach, and dedication to excellence in science education.

Personal Statement

As the world hurtles into the future, society will inevitably face countless decisions requiring thoughtful regulations and guidelines—decisions best made by a population grounded in scientific understanding. An authentic grasp of the life sciences must be a cornerstone of this global conversation. I see my legacy as equipping my students with a deep sense of personal responsibility to be vital, contributing members of society—armed with the shield of scientific literacy, committed to lifelong learning, and dedicated to making the world a better place for having been here.

Biography

 Lia Kim is a dedicated early-career biology teacher at James Logan High School in Union City, California. She was raised in Seoul, South Korea, and Hau‘ula, Hawai‘i, and her multicultural background has influenced her commitment to bridging rigorous scientific inquiry with inclusive, culturally responsive teaching practices. Coming from generations of educators, Lia was especially influenced by her grandmother, Sook-Ja Kwon, a lifelong Korean studies teacher who taught her that genuine care and joy can profoundly shape students’ lives. Lia earned her B.S. in Earth Systems with a concentration in Sustainable Food and Agriculture and completed her M.A. in Education at Stanford University.

Passionate about ecological research, Lia has led projects ranging from studying tripartite symbiosis in Bishop Pine forests to investigating the environmental impacts of genetically engineered microorganisms as a BioRETS INSPIRE Teacher Fellow at Stanford. These experiences have deepened her understanding of complex ecological systems and inspired her to integrate cutting-edge research into hands-on learning experiences for students.

In the classroom, Lia strives to reimagine biology education by honoring land-based practices and intergenerational knowledge that have guided communities for centuries. She designs inquiry-driven lessons grounded in real-world phenomena and students’ curiosities, utilizes Virtual Reality headsets to provide first-person embodied experiences, and engages students in music, art, and community-based projects that reflect her commitment to creativity and care-- empowering them to see themselves and their communities as leaders in science. In recognition of her dedication, she was named James Logan High School’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

 Biography

I am a Navajo Microbiologist woman teaching science and conducting research with students who I relate to and who relate to me. I am Bitter Water Clan, and I am born for Red Running Into the Water People Clan. I grew up on my family’s ranch in Sanostee, NM, a rural part of the Navajo Reservation.

I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of New Mexico (UNM)-Valencia Campus where I started teaching in Fall of 2020. I discovered my passion for microbiology at Diné College, a community college in Shiprock, NM. To pursue my passion, I earned my B.S. and M.S in Microbiology from Arizona State University and the University of Iowa, respectively.

I am also passionate about mentoring and encouraging the next generation of Native American and Hispanic students, therefore I returned to my home state. I earned my PhD in Biology at UNM where I investigated how bacteria gathered iron from within caves at Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CCNP). Then I enhanced my teaching pedagogy as a UNM-ASERT Postdoctoral fellow where I worked with teaching mentors from local colleges.

Now, I live my passion, which is teaching Biology and Microbiology and bringing research into my courses. My students bring their own perspectives to understanding the research question, Is the overall health of an individual affected by their oral microbial diversity, and they present their findings. In my free time, I enjoy riding my horses, bike riding with my husband, Chris, and camping in the mountains.

Personal Statement

I value that I am relatable to my students and that I am honest in talking about my background. I think it’s important, because it sets the stage for a sense of trust and community at the beginning of the semester.

My teaching philosophy is rooted in knowing that my students leave my classroom trusting themselves, trusting their critical thinking process, and are proactive leaders of their own education. Through the semester, I facilitate active learning strategies that include critical thinking problems, which I believe helps students build trust in their reasoning thereby leading to building confidence in their learning.

I love teaching at the community college level because it gives me an opportunity to understand my students personally. Not only am I guiding them through the required course material, but I am also encouraging them to try their best, holding them accountable to class participation and completing assignments, and reminding them of the expectations that they have of themselves. When students are feeling overwhelmed with balancing coursework, their jobs, and raising their families, my job is to remind them to take it one step at a time and that it’s going to be okay. 

In closing, what brings the most joy to my teacher’s heart is the confidence I see in their thinking and explanation from the first time I meet them to when they are completing my microbiology course. No longer are they worried that a critically thinking problem that we are working on can have more than one answer. I trust that at the end of my courses, my students are confident learners, and they will take charge of their educational and career paths.