Digging D.B.E.R.
How can teaching be both an art and a science? How do we know if the way we teach is truly helping students learn? With each episode, Zack and Ming speak with leaders in Discipline Based Education Research (DBER, “dee-ber”) who are exploring the science of teaching and learning.
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Episodes

Oct 1, 2025
Oct 1, 2025
29 min
Dr. Vedham Karpakakunjaram, a Professor of Biology at Montgomery College, shares the importance of integrating quantitative skills into biology courses and the challenges faculty face in doing so. We discuss the role of professional networks like the Quantitative Biology at Community Colleges (QB&CC) network in supporting faculty to collaboratively address these challenges.

Aug 3, 2025
Aug 3, 2025
41 min
Dr. Tatiane Russo-Tait, an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, shares her research about how college STEM faculty make sense of the continued underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx students in STEM.

Jun 1, 2025
Jun 1, 2025
34 min
Dr. Natasha Holmes, an Associate Professor of Physics at Cornell University, discusses her research on designing inquiry-based physics laboratory courses to maximize equity and authenticity.

May 1, 2025
May 1, 2025
29 min
Dr. Julie Stanton, an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Georgia, discusses her research on metacognition - how students reflect on and regulate their learning. Stanton emphasizes the importance of collaboration skills and the need for instructors to provide examples and practice in metacognitive behaviors.

Mar 2, 2025
Mar 2, 2025
34 min
Zack and Ming, hosts of the "Digging DBER" podcast, interview Dr. Sheela Vemu, an associate professor of biology at Waubonsee Community College. Dr. Vemu discusses her work in community college education, emphasizing the importance of centering community college experiences in DBER research. Dr. Vemu also highlights the need for a community college network and communities of practice to support and amplify community college voices in DBER research.


