Each year, the Grove Center hosts lectures that provide enrichment and networking opportunities for faculty. The series features prominent voices in education and science education.

Spring 2026

AI in Education: Present and Future

February 19, 2026, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 117 Osmond Laboratory.

Greg Kestin, lecturer on physics and associate director of science education, Harvard University.

Greg Kestin is associate director of science education and a lecturer on physics at Harvard University, where he earned a doctoral degree in theoretical particle physics and quantum field theory. Over the course of his career, he has conducted research in nuclear physics, particle physics, fusion energy, and gravitational-wave physics. His recent work focuses on researching and developing artificial intelligence-powered technology for education.

He also spent nearly a decade at NOVA | PBS as a digital producer, where he developed award-winning documentaries, created the original video series "What the Physics?!," and developed interactive educational technology.

Join the Grove Center for a conversation about science, teaching, artificial intelligence, and communication.

Spring 2025

Collectively Improving Our Science Teaching: Department-Wide Efforts in Scientific Teaching

March 26, 2025, 3:35 p.m. to 4:35 p.m., 102 Thomas Building.

Kimberly Tanner, professor of biology, San Francisco State University.

Many efforts to improve science teaching in higher education focus on a small number of faculty members at a time, with limited published evidence on approaches that engage faculty across an entire department. This lecture highlighted Biology Faculty Explorations in Scientific Teaching (Biology FEST), a long-term, departmentwide collaborative professional development program.

Over three years of Biology FEST, 89 percent of the department's faculty completed a weeklong scientific teaching institute, and 83 percent of eligible instructors participated in additional semester-long follow-up programs. A semester after completing the institute, most Biology FEST participants reported adding active learning to their courses. Classroom audio analysis and student surveys supported those self-reports.

Three years after the program began, faculty participants reported positive effects on their teaching. Many also reported stronger relationships with departmental colleagues and a greater sense of belonging in the department. Overall, the findings suggest that departmentwide collaborative efforts to develop scientific teaching can engage large numbers of faculty members, support changes in teaching practice, and strengthen departmental relationships.

Fall 2024

Exciting Growth in the Math Learning Assistant Program

The Grove Center fall lecture, "The Growth and Impact of the Math LA Program at Penn State," was held on November 14, 2024. The lecture highlighted the growth of the Department of Mathematics Learning Assistant Program.

During the past six years, the program expanded from five faculty members and 15 learning assistants supporting 675 students to 54 faculty members and 126 learning assistants across 11 courses, reaching nearly 7,000 students. Read more about the program's expansion, student success, and future research plans in the Center for Teaching and Learning article.

Program Growth

Since its launch in fall 2018, the Math LA Program has grown in several ways:

• Faculty involvement increased from five to 54 faculty members.
• The number of learning assistants increased from 15 to 126.
• The number of supported courses increased from two to 11, including foundational courses such as MATH 22 and advanced courses such as MATH 231.
• The number of students with access to learning assistants increased from 675 to nearly 7,000.

Evening Learning Assistant Sessions

A new model for evening learning assistant sessions was introduced in fall 2023, with multiple sessions each week for each course. Average weekly attendance increased from 1,026 in fall 2023 to 2,030 in fall 2024.

Pedagogy Course Redesign

SC 220, the pedagogy course for new Math LAs, was redesigned to foster community and strengthen teaching effectiveness. The course addresses active learning, productive struggle, and metacognition, and it is co-taught by Math LA Program coordinators.

Future Research

The next phase of the Math LA Program includes research on its impact on student learning and success. This work will provide insight into the program's effectiveness and guide future improvements.

Earlier CESE-Supported Seminars

These seminars were supported by the Center for Excellence in Science Education.

• "Using Instructor Collaboration to Enhance Student Experiences Aligned with Vision and Change," Michelle Smith, Cornell University.
• "Yes You Can: Strategies for Implementing PBL and Cases in a Large Class (and Small Ones Too)," Pat Marsteller, October 5, 2018.
• "Replicating Peer-Led Team Learning in Cyberspace: Research, Opportunities, and Challenges," Pratibha Varma-Nelson, April 4, 2018.
• "Get Students to Focus on Learning Instead of Grades: Metacognition Is Key!," Saundra McGuire, February 12, 2018.
• "Creation of Academic Social Networks for Effective Online eLearning in General Chemistry," Darrin York, November 18, 2016.
• "Active Learning of Undergraduate Science," Tom Cech, April 7, 2016.
• "Investigative Science Learning Environment: Turning Our Students into Collaborative Participants in the Practice of Physics," Eugenia Etkina, March 24, 2016.
• "Most Important Higher Ed Story of 2015," Chris Pagliarulo, January 21, 2016.
• "Inquiry-Based Learning in College Mathematics," Patrick Rault, October 8, 2015.
• "From Grassroots to Institutionalization: RIT's CASTLE," Scott Franklin, February 23, 2015.
• "Improving Undergraduate STEM Education," Susan Singer, September 15, 2014.
• "First Steps Toward Engaging in Discipline-Based Education Research," Timothy Slater, April 22, 2014.
• "Taking a Scientific Approach to Science Education," Carl Wieman, February 11, 2014.
• "National Trends in the Transformation of STEM Education," Jo Handelsman, March 11, 2013.
• "Exploring Research-Based Principles of Learning and Their Connection to Teaching," Susan Ambrose, January 26, 2012.
• "A Conversation on Teaching," Noah Finkelstein, December 8, 2011.