GROUP MEMBERS
PI - ERIN SHORTLIDGE, PHD
Associate Professor of Biology
Erin is an Associate Professor the Department of Biology at PSU. Her path to academia has been a non-linear one. She was a professional contemporary dancer for over a decade before transitioning to earning her PhD in Biology in 2014. Her PhD work focused on the ecology and physiology of mosses and moss reproductive success. Here she was lucky enough to do field work in Lassen Volcanic National Park and in the South Shetland Islands on the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
Through a postdoc at Arizona State University she transitioned to Biology Education Research (BER), and this is where she happily remains. She is excited to further explore the education ecosystem of PSU and beyond with members of the PSU BER group and collaborators across campus and the country. Erin is the PI of a NSF-funded Scholarships in STEM program (S-STEM), and is involved with a number of groups including the PSU STEM Education and Equity Institute, CUREnet, the Student Experience Project, U-FERN, PNW LSAMP, and others.
MACKENZIE GRAY
PhD Student
MacKenzie graduated from Portland State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Public Health. She joined the BER group in 2018, where she completed the Ronald E. McNair and BUILD EXITO Scholars programs, as well as her honor’s thesis. She is excited to be returning to the group as a PhD student in Fall 2020. Her research interests include understanding the factors that contribute to students’ success in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, as well as how students from different backgrounds participate and learn in the STEM fields.
JUSTIN BERL
Master's Student
Justin will be joining the BER lab in the fall of 2021 as a graduate student researcher. His previous research with the University of Colorado and University of Georgia focused on understanding and improving bio education tools and techniques. He is interested in researching strategies for teaching and classroom development that make biology education more engaging, accessible, and equitable. Justin is looking forward to working alongside other members of the BER lab to help improve the way that biology is taught and understood.
CECILIA SAHNOW
Undergraduate Researcher, LSAMP Scholar
Cecilia is an undergraduate LSAMP Scholar and is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree with a major in biology and a minor in GIS. She joined the BER group in the spring of 2023 and has been working with the BER group to understand how community college transfer students develop a sense of belonging in STEM. As a first-generation transfer student, Cecilia is passionate about learning how to bridge barriers to education and through this work hopes to promote the success of STEM students. In her free time, Cecilia can be found staring at moss, playing fetch with her cat, or digging for roly-polys with her nephew
MAKENNA STONE
Undergraduate Researcher
Makenna is currently an undergraduate student working on her BS in Biology and plans to go to graduate school for wildlife biology. She has lived in Oregon her whole life and has always been fond of the outdoors, which is what initially sparked her interest in the field of biology. Makenna joined the BER group in February of 2023 and has been an active participant in assisting with biology education research. Makenna values the importance of inclusivity in the world of STEM academia and strives to contribute toward its success.
LILIANA DIAZ
Undergraduate Researcher
Liliana is an undergraduate student double-majoring in Biology and Public Health. She is a McNair, LSAMP, and BUILD EXITO scholar. She joined the BER lab in late 2020 and is working on understanding the factors that contribute to sense of belonging in STEM. After graduation, her goals include pursuing a master's in clinical epidemiology and then applying to medical school. As an immigrant from Colombia, Liliana has a strong interest in Latino health and hopes to one day serve her community.
PATRICIA CABRERA-PEREZ
Undergraduate Researcher
Patricia is a McNair and LSAMP Scholar and is an undergraduate student who joined the BER Lab in Fall of 2021. Her experience working as a community advocate within the Reynolds School District, sparked her passion for increasing access to quality education to marginalized communities. Currently, Patricia is working towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Math with the hopes to one day become a math teacher. She believes the research in the BER Lab will allow her to develop knowledge and skills essential for teaching future generations.
GIL (SHE/HER)
Lab Mascot
Gil emerged into this world from her gelatinous egg on March 20th, 2017, as the offspring of two fecund and ambivalent (but presumably proud) PSU Biology Department axolotls. The BER lab adopted her later that summer, when she had grown approximately to the size of a small paperclip and had progressed from a diet of daphnia and brine shrimp to chopped frozen bloodworms. Under the dedicated care of BER lab members, Gil has grown to be about 8 inches long, and continues to voraciously consume frozen bloodworms and the occasional organically-sourced fresh earthworm. When not eating, Gil enjoys staring at her reflection in the glass, floating lackadaisically around her tank, and critiquing BER lab member’s practice talks.
BER GROUP MEMBERS
Who have moved on...
Former BER members not pictured:
Vivian Phan
Lindsay Lutner
Vladimir Anokhin
Analee Pham
Sophia Voronoff
Sarah Sheghwi
Megan Thran
Phoebe Huyen
Yelisey Gurzhuy
Megan Thran
Jane Cao
Justin Flaiban
Chloe Shelby
Lucas Bennington
Emily Olson
Alisia Overton
Emily Cornelius
Miles Fletcher
Greggory Dallas
Kyahn Daraee
EMMA GOODWIN, PHD
former PhD student
Emma is now a postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University.
BRIE TRIPP, PHD
former PhD student
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
University of California, Davis
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
University of California, Davis
LIZ RAIN-GRIFFITH, MS
former Master's student
Liz is now working for a consulting group.
JASMINE VILLAFLOR
former researcher
Jasmine is now in a Master's program at New York University.
JESS CARY
former researcher
Jess is now working in a research lab in Beaverton, OR
HAYLEY THERRIEN
former researcher
Hayley is now in Physical Therapy program at OSU-Cascades.
NIKKI NGUYEN
former undergraduate Researcher
Use this space to write a brief description of what this team member does. You can include relevant degrees, experience or other special qualifications they may have.
SANDHYA GUNARATHNE
former undergraduate researcher, build EXITO scholar
Sandhya is an undergraduate researcher who joined the BER lab group in Spring 2021. They are a Build EXITO scholar who is passionate about incorporating equity, mental health awareness, and social justice into the research process. Sandhya will be graduating with their Bachelor's degree in Biology in Summer 2021 with hopes of a career working with college students. In their free time, Sandhya likes to listen to podcasts, learn new languages on Duolingo, and buy too many houseplants.
DANIEL KUBES
former post-baccalaureate Researcher
Daniel is working in a dermatology clinic in Portland, OR
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