Educational Webinar Series

In this free webinar series FAES faculty expand on topics they teach in their FAES courses.

Upcoming Webinar(s)

Our next educational webinar is in development. Check back for details.

Past Webinars

Leveraging AI in Education: Utilizing AI to Streamline Content Creation and Enhance Course Design
December 4, 2024 from 12 to 12:30PM ET

Speaker: Morgan Merriman is the Senior Instructional Designer at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES)

This webinar will introduce educators of all levels and backgrounds to practical ways AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can simplify course development and improve the learning experience. FAES utilizes cutting edge technology to enhance the pedagogical abilities of our faculty and support our faculty at every step in the course design process. Participants will explore real use cases for AI in education, including generating quiz questions, creating assignments, organizing lesson plans, and enhancing grading efficiency through creating rubrics for feedback. Attendees will gain insights into how AI can be used to improve the teaching and learning process, leaving the webinar with new ideas to enrich their own educational practices. Opportunities for discussion and reflection will help participants consider how to best implement AI in their unique contexts.

Morgan Merriman's work focuses on enhancing faculty development, optimizing course design, and creating innovative, high-quality learning experiences. Morgan holds a Master’s Degree in Neuroscience from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and brings a wealth of teaching experience at both the high school and college levels. Passionate about accessible STEM education, she is committed to designing creative learning solutions that make STEM subjects more inclusive and engaging for all learners.

Webinar Recording

Brain Myths vs. Molecules: Debunking Society’s Biggest Misconceptions about Addiction
February 20, 2025 from 12 to 12:30PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Ruby Holland (NEUR 325, NEUR 355)

This webinar will introduce learners of all levels to addiction - one of society’s most misunderstood conditions. Through interactive discussions and compelling scientific evidence, participants will discover how addiction physically rewires the brain's circuitry and why understanding these neural changes is crucial for effective treatment. This webinar bridges the gap between common misconceptions and scientific reality, revealing how modern neuroscience is revolutionizing our approach to addiction treatment and recovery. While the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction will serve as the focus of this webinar, learners will also explore how social determinants of health, systemic inequities, and psychosocial factors interact with brain chemistry to shape both vulnerability to addiction and access to treatment. Students who are interested in learning more about this fascinating topic are encouraged to enroll in the FAES course titled Neurobiology of Addiction (NEUR 355).

Ruby A. Holland, MD, PhD is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and will be transitioning to anesthesiology residency later this year. Her research in the Ross Laboratory focuses on brainstem neurocircuitry underlying chronic pain and opioid addiction. Her long-term goal is to apply her research towards the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat pain effectively while minimizing opioid side effects. Outside of the lab, Ruby is passionate about education, advocacy, and mentorship. She has served as an FAES instructor for three years, teaching both Introduction to Human Neuroscience (NEUR 325) as well as Neurobiology of Addiction (NEUR 355).

Where Genomes Meet Computers: Explore the World of Computational Genomics
May 22, 2025 from 12 to 12:30PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Amanda Kowalczyk (BIOF 450, STAT 101, STAT 515)

It took over $3 billion and 13 years to sequence the first human genome. Today, we can sequence a genome in a single day for less than $1,000. That incredible technological advancement has led to the generation of petabases of genomic data every year, equivalent to sequencing millions of human genomes annually. Computational genomics, the process of analyzing these massive datasets, is the essential link that transforms the flood of raw information into usable insights to address human health challenges, agricultural inefficiencies, wildlife conservation, and more. In this webinar, we will discuss the breadth of topics under the computational genomics umbrella and how they connect to real-world innovations. Those interested in learning more should enroll in the course BIOF450 I Concepts and Methods in Computational Genomics running in our summer term from June 11 - July 29, 2025.

Dr. Amanda Kowalczyk holds a PhD in computational biology with a focus in genomics. She currently operates a statistics consulting firm and is the CEO and co-founder of a genetic engineering biotechnology start-up. Previously, she led a computational biology team performing genomics analyses focused on de-extincting the woolly mammoth. Prior to her work in industry, Amanda was a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, where she used evolutionary genomics to study the genetic underpinnings of mammalian traits relevant to human health. Her work has been published in journals including Science, eLife, Molecular Biology and Evolution, and Bioinformatics and has been cited over 1,300 times. Dr. Kowalczyk is passionate about engaging with and supporting the FAES learners who take the bioinformatics and statistics courses she teaches, BIOF 450, STAT 101, STAT 515.

Webinar Recording