Bio Sci 2A on the Emerald Isle
Kellie Dean
Lead Instructor, University College Cork
School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Kellie Dean has been teaching at University College Cork (UCC) in the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology since 2005, but was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. As an American living in Ireland, she will offer a unique perspective to her summer abroad BIS 2A students experiencing Ireland for the first time. She completed her BS in Chemistry, with a minor in Biology, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, . She earned a PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill then moved to Germany as a post-doctoral fellow at the Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie at Universität Heidelberg. Kellie then completed a five-year post-doctoral position at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Duke University.. Her research interest has been focused on understanding RNA-protein interactions. In 2005, she and her Irish husband moved to Cork, and . she has been teaching introductory biochemistry at UCC ever since. She has also been involved with program coordination, development and postgraduate teaching. Kellie has consistently received outstanding student evaluations for her interactive approach to teaching and help offered to students.
Michelle Igo
Faculty of Record, UC Davis
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I arrived at UC Davis in 1990 and have enjoyed working with undergraduates in both a classroom and a research setting. Currently, I am a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs for the College of Biological Sciences. I received my Ph.D. from Harvard University and did my post-doctoral work at Princeton University. My scientific research has focused on understanding how microbes sense and respond to environmental cues under laboratory conditions and within a mammalian or plant host. The current focus of my research is developing tools and strategies to help instructors gain greater insight into how students are engaging with online content with the goal of improving learning. I am excited about participating in this summer’s BIS2A class in Ireland and about the opportunity to interact with a small group of students interested in studying biological processes.
A Message to Students and Parents
Bio Sci 2A is the first course in the introductory biology curriculum that covers the biochemical and molecular processes essential for life and the influence of living things on the chemistry of the Earth. Mastering the concepts covered in this course is essential for all students interested in careers in the life sciences and in professional programs, such as medicine, various health-related professions, agriculture, environmental studies and biological research. Students taking BIS 2A in Ireland will have the advantage of taking this class with a very small group of students and will receive the type of personal attention that is not possible in the big lecture format offered on the UC Davis campus. The lead instructor of the class is Dr. Kelly Dean, a lecturer at University College Cork, who has worked closely with the UC Davis BIS2A instructors to create this special BIS2A class. Dr. Michele Igo will be the Instructor of Record and is looking forward to her third time assisting Dr. Dean with the class. In addition to completing an important academic requirement for their majors, students will also receive credit for BIS198, a course that is associated with field trips for exploring the culture of Ireland, local landmarks like the Burren and Cliffs of Moher, and Dublin. I am looking forward to interacting with the students, who choose to enroll in this study abroad program, and to participating in their discovery of the wonders of Ireland."