Aaron Coleman

Mailing address: Aaron Coleman
University of California, San Diego
Division of Biological Sciences
9500 Gilman Drive, mail code 0355
La Jolla, CA  92093-0355

Email: abcoleman@ucsd.edu

Phone number: 858-534-7608

Current position: LSOE

Institution: UCSD (Biological Sciences)

Years at institution:  7

Courses taught: Biochemical Techniques; protein biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory class; 70-150 students per quarter
Metabolic Biochemistry; approx. 300 students per quarter
Nutrition; biochemical basis of nutrition; approx. 300 students per quarter
Meetings: Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), Annual Meeting 2011-2013
Presentations: Poster:  “A Question-Based Laboratory Project for Examining the Role of Calcium in Sea Urchin Fertilization.” ABLE Conference, 2011
Short workshop:  “Enzyme Purifications in Introductory Biology Labs:  A Fast and Inexpensive LDH Purification that Highlights the Biology.” Regional ABLE Conference, January 2012
Poster: “Necessary vs. Sufficient Reasoning as an Instructional Tool to Improve Student Data Analysis Skills.”  ABLE Conference, 2013
Publications: Coleman, A.B., 2010 New Ideas for an Old Enzyme: A Short Question-Based Laboratory Project for the Purification and Identification of an Unknown LDH Isozyme.  Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 38:253-260.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bmb.20385/pdf

Research interests:
A. Implementing question or inquiry-based lab modules in high-enrollment biology laboratory courses.  Ideally, students should be presented with a “research-like” experience in upper division lab courses.  However, implementing the experimental procedures and bringing students up to speed on the conceptual background for an experiment are logistical challenges that require innovative solutions.
B. Teaching and assessing scientific reasoning skills
C. Inquiry-based teaching approaches to high-enrollment introductory biology lecture courses for non-majors.

Faculty Profile