FACULTY SPOTLIGHT ON: Jackie McLaughlin, associate professor of biology, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Jackie McLaughlin is well known as the developer of the CHANCE (Connecting Humans And Nature through Conservation Experiences) program, which brings together scientists and students to study conservation issues. She's also a past winner of Penn State's Atherton teaching award. We caught up with her to talk about teaching and ways to motivate students.
Jackie says that combining research with teaching is crucial to reaching students. Her undergraduate mentor, John B. Morrill, had a knack for making students fall in love with cell biology. And he got his students involved in field research in the mangrove ecosystems in Florida. McLaughlin says, "I'd be collecting samples when the tide came in and I'd have to climb a tree!"
