Looking to join an inclusive organization focusing on pedagogical literature regarding students in STEM? Join the Natural Science Faculty Reading Group.

The Natural Science Faculty Reading Group is a faculty learning community focused on pedagogical literature regarding success and engagement of students in STEM fields, focusing particularly on issues related to inclusion. The idea is to read literature regarding both problems and potential solutions. The larger goal is to raise faculty awareness of these issues/solutions, and to do so in a research-based, data-driven manner, which appeals to scientists and mathematicians! Thanks to funding from the Center for Innovative Pedagogy (CIP), and Kenyon’s HHMI Inclusive Excellence Grant, meetings are accompanied by fantastic catered lunches.

To join the group, simply complete the Google form sent with the invitation prior to each session. Please direct questions to any of the current coordinators of the Natural Science Faculty Reading Group:

  • Karen Hicks, Professor of Biology
  • Aaron Reinhard, Associate Professor of Physics
  • Kerry Rouhier, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Schedule for Spring 2024

The schedule and reading list for spring 2024 is as follows (the dates can be found on the Nat Sci Google calendar):

  • Thursday, Feb. 15, 12 - 1 p.m. FSH103 Connell et al. (2023) "Forming Groups in a Large-Enrollment Biology Class: Group Permanence Matters More than Group Size," CBE Life Sci Educ. 2023 Dec;22(4):ar37. doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-08-0172
  • Tuesday, March 19, 12 - 1 p.m. FSH103 Guo and Lee (2023) "Leveraging ChatGPT for Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills," Journal of Chemical Education 100:4876-4883 doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00505
  • Wednesday, April 17, 12 - 1 p.m. FSH103 Lim and Javadpour (2021) "Into the Unknown: Uncertainty and Procrastination in Students From a Life History Perspective," Front Psychol. 12:717380. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717380

Literature Archive

Visit the group's archive to view literature discussed in previous semesters.