Group Members

Professor Ginger Shultz (She/Her)

Ginger’s interest in education began when she was an undergraduate at the Evergreen State College, where the progressive curriculum shaped her early views on learning. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry at the University of Oregon, where she also taught hands-on science to elementary school children through an NSF GK-12 fellowship. After graduate school, she transitioned to education-focused research through a teaching postdoc in Chemistry at the University of Michigan. In 2013 she was named a UM Presidential Fellow and began pursuing educational research full-time. Ginger joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry in 2016. She is an Arthur Thurnau F. Professor.

Email: [email protected]

GRADUATE STUDENTS 

Daisy Haas (They/She)

Daisy Haas graduated from Chapman University with a BS in  Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Rhetoric and Writing. Daisy’s research interests include exploring intersections between writing, justice, and chemistry, supporting graduate teaching assistants to enact commitments for equity in the classroom, and creating transformative educational experiences for undergraduates. As a queer person, their research and teaching often focus on creating spaces in science where students can safely, authentically, and critically explore their interests in community. They have served as a GSI for organic labs, biochemistry writing discussion sections, a graduate student professional development course, and a self-designed English class as an instructor of record. Outside of research, Daisy enjoys cooking, reading, walking, and playing with their cat, Ivy.

Email: [email protected]

Book Recommendation: Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg and Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Archer Harrold (He/Him)

Archer graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May 2022 with a B.S in Chemistry. He got his start in the CER community in undergrad working in Dr. Alena Moon’s group from 2018-2022 analyzing students’ understanding of various light-matter interactions. Currently he is working on two projects 1) Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning in General Chemistry and 2) Culturally Responsive Teaching with RELATE (NSF). His dissertation research will focus on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy  and how teachers develop and operationalize this framework in their classrooms in local contexts. Outside of school, Archer enjoys playing teamfight tactics, reading romance novels, and cooking food from TikTok recipes. 

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/archer-h-a79ba1b5/

Book Recommendation: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo & The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer Armentrout

Safron Milne (She/Her)

Safron (Saf) graduated from the University of Minnesota, Morris in 2022 with a BA in Chemistry. She is a McNair Scholar, a Rackham Merit Fellow, a Master’s student in the Post-Secondary Science Education Program, and a PhD Candidate in the Chemistry PhD Program. Her early graduate research explored how teachers in Alaska meaningfully connect and build relationships within Indigenous communities to inform their culturally relevant teaching. Currently, she is working on projects that support chemistry graduate student instructors with equity-focused teaching practices through teaching training and professional development. Her work in graduate school has deeply influenced her growth as an Iñupiaq (Alaska Native) person and informs her intentions to support the experiences and identities of her future students. In her free time, Saf crochets, watches Survivor, enjoys books by Indigenous authors, and hangs out with her cat, Stan.

Book Recommendations: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, and Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green.

Email: [email protected]

Dani Losinski (She/They) 

Dani graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Chemistry where she began her work in CER with Dr. Melanie Cooper’s group from 2022-2024 examining student learning and understanding of both biochemistry and organic chemistry concepts through the use of mechanistic reasoning. Dani’s current research interests include exploring equity in the classroom and creating more equitable teaching practices in STEM undergraduate courses. Currently they are working on two projects, one on examining how the peer review and revision process impacts student learning, and the other on teacher noticing for equity in the classroom. Outside of school and research, Dani enjoys reading, cooking, painting, being active and outdoors, and chilling with her two cats, Cricket and Lila.

Email: [email protected]

Book Recommendations: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid & Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami

Megan Gibas (She/Her)

Megan graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a B.A. in chemistry and chemical biology. Previously, she conducted research investigating faculty perceptions and implementations of alternative grading in general and organic chemistry classrooms at North Dakota State University. Megan’s current research interests include epistemic messaging and alternative grading. She is currently working on projects on writing to learn, epistemic messaging, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Outside of research, Megan loves running, spending time outdoors, socializing, going to the gym, and playing the flute.

Email: [email protected]

Book Recommendations: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Eryn Stern (She/Her)

My name is Eryn Stern and I am from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I am a sophomore and I hope to attend medical school after graduation. I am interested in researching topics related to education and STEM courses, such as the benefits of peer-review and writing assignments in STEM classes, and beneficial teaching methods in science courses. Outside of school, I enjoy playing and watching tennis, reading, working out, and being outside. I also love to volunteer. Student Organizations/Volunteer Clubs I’m in: Helping Hands (tutor K-12 students for free), Dance Marathon at U-M (DMUM, an organization helping to raise money and prove therapies for kids at U-M C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital), Adaptive Sports volunteer (help out with wheelchair tennis), Best Buddies (work with and hang out with people with disabilities), K-Grams (write pen pals to elementary school aged students)

Email: [email protected]

Jocelyn Chen (She/Her)

Jocelyn is an undergraduate student at UM from Charlotte, North Carolina majoring in Biochemistry with a teaching certificate in Chemistry and minoring in Statistics. After graduating, Jocelyn plans on teaching for a few years before going to graduate school and ultimately pursuing a career in academia. She is working with Daisy on analyzing how graduate student instructors conceptualize and enact their commitments for equity in the chemistry classroom. When Jocelyn isn’t working on school-related projects, she enjoys going on runs, hanging out with friends, and playing the piano and violin.

Email: [email protected]

Book Recommendation: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Yacine Lo (She/Her)

Yacine Lo is an undergraduate student at UM from Kalamazoo, MI majoring in Biology, Health and Society on a Pre-Med track. After graduating, she hopes to attend medical school to continue on the path to a future career in Emergency Medicine. She is working with Daisy on analyzing how graduate student instructors conceptualize and enact their commitments for equity in the chemistry classroom. When Yacine isn’t working on school-related projects, she enjoys watching shows (both on television and at local theaters!). 

Book Recommendation: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Email: [email protected]

Elena Havard (She/Her)

Elena is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan and is from Seattle, Washington. She is majoring in Interdisciplinary Physics with a cognate in Science Writing. After graduation she hopes to attend law school to pursue space or patent law. She is working with the RELATE project team focusing on culturally responsive teaching in Alaska. In her free time she enjoys ballet, hiking, and watching new movies.

Email: [email protected]

Britta Pingree (she/her)

Britta is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Biomolecular Science and French horn performance. After graduating, she hopes to pursue graduate studies and ultimately have a career in science development/policy within the public sphere. She is currently researching equitable teaching methods for graduate student instructors with Safron and Daisy. Britta is also very involved in the student organizations Turn Up Turnout and UMich Votes, as she is very passionate about and dedicated to civically engaging other students on campus and making sure everybody’s voices are heard. When she is not playing the French horn, doing chemistry, or completing political/policy work, Britta can be found taking long walks, trying as many local coffee shops as possible, or playing Animal Crossing New Horizons on her Nintendo Switch.

Email: [email protected] 

Jaanvi is an undergraduate student from Novi, MI majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN) with a prospective minor in Sociology of Health & Medicine. On the pre-med track, she plans to pursue psychiatry and is passionate about becoming a culturally humble healthcare provider. Her research interests at the Shultz Group center on graduate student instructors’ perceptions of equity-centered pedagogy. In her free time, she enjoys singing, exploring Ann Arbor’s food scene, and hanging out with friends. 

Yuxin Yang (He/Him)

Yuxin is an undergraduate student at U-M from Saginaw, Michigan, studying Biochemistry and Data Science. He is currently working with Megan on her project about epistemic messaging. After graduating, he hopes to either attend graduate school and ultimately pursue a career as a professor in academia, or attend medical school and become a physician. In his free time, Yuxin enjoys reading, playing all kinds of racket sports, playing the guitar, and spending time with his family, friends, and his cat, Jack.

Email: [email protected]

Book Recommendations: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, any story by Haruki Murakami or Osamu Dazai, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

GROUP ALUMNI

POSTDOC and RESEARCH STAFF ALUMNI

Dr. Solaire Finkenstaedt-Quinn, Time 02/2016 – 04/2025, Current: Assessment and Evaluation Specialist, Student Success Initiative, University of Michigan

Dr. Amber Dood, Time: 05/2020 – 05/2024, Current: Faculty Success Manager at Catalyst Education

Dr. Katy Hosbein, Time: 07/2021 – 08/2022, Current: Faculty at Middle Tennessee State University

Dr. Naish Lalloo, Time: 01/2022 – 07/2022, Current: Faculty at North Carolina State University

Dr. Blair Winograd, Time: 01/2020 – 05/2021, Current: Ford Motor Company

Dr. Raymond Pugh, Time: 02/2016 – 02/2017, Current: Faculty at University of Wisconsin – Platteville

Dr. Alena Moon, Time: 05/2016 – 06/2018, Current: Faculty at University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Dr. Jordan Boothe, Time: 05/2017 – 08/2018, Current: Faculty at University of Pittsburgh – Greensburg

Dr. Jennifer Schmidt-McCormack, Time: 08/2017 – 07/2019, Current: Faculty and Coordinator of Success Programs at St. Ambrose University

GRADUATE ALUMNI

Dr. Danielle Maxwell, Time: 09/2019 – 07/2024, Current: Faculty at University of Detroit Mercy

Dr. Rebecca Fantone, Time: 09/2019 – 05/2024, Current: Faculty at University of Michigan

Dr. Ina Zaimi, Time: 09/2019 – 04/2024, Current: Instructional Consultant at University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching

Dr. Field Watts, Time: 09/2018 – 12/2022, Current: Research Associate at ETS

Dr. Jeff Spencer, Time: 09/2017 – 11/2022, Current: K12 Science Instructional Coach/Education Consultant, State of Illinois Regional Office of Education #17

Dr. Eleni Zotos, Time: 09/2017 – 06/2022, Current: Faculty at University of Detroit Mercy

Dr. Megan Connor, Time: 09/2016 – 05/2021, Current: Faculty at Samford University

Nick Garza, Time: 09/2019 – 05/2021, Current: Program Officer at ACS Office of Higher Education

Josh Kenney, Time: 09/2017 – 06/2018, Current: Science Teacher at EMU Early College Alliance

UNDERGRADUATE ALUMNI