Melanie Peffer

Dr. Melanie Peffer has a BS and PhD in molecular biology from the University of Pittsburgh and completed a postdoctoral appointment in learning sciences from Georgia State University. She holds a faculty appointment at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Peffer combines her expertise in molecular biology and the learning sciences to study how people learn, understand, and engage with biology content. In particular, she’s interested in how we can use educational technology like simulations and serious games to assess what people know and believe about the nature of science knowledge. Melanie recently published Biology Everywhere: How the Science of Life Matters to Everyday Life, which focuses on where we see applications of biology as part of our everyday experience.

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Modes of Science Communication (Coursera)

Apr 1st 2024
Modes of Science Communication (Coursera)
Course Auditing
Categories
Effort
Languages
In this course, you will explore different modalities of science communication, including oral presentations, written forms of communication, technology, and artistic media, including best practices for each.

The Softer Side of Science Communication (Coursera)

Apr 1st 2024
The Softer Side of Science Communication (Coursera)
Course Auditing
Categories
Effort
Languages
In this course, you will continue to explore how to develop and implement evidence-based methods for science communication. Here we’ll be looking at the softer but no less important side of science communication. We’ll cover the basics of human emotion, building connection with your audience through empathy and authenticity, [...]

The Harder Side of Science Communication (Coursera)

Apr 1st 2024
The Harder Side of Science Communication (Coursera)
Course Auditing
Categories
Effort
Languages
In this course, you will explore how to develop and implement evidence-based methods for science communication. We’ll discuss major theories of human learning, cognitive phenomena like bias and motivated reasoning that can undermine even the best activities, and the science behind why mis/disinformation spreads so quickly. We’ll end with [...]

Specialty Topics: Biology Across Disciplines (Coursera)

In this course, we will explore the applicability and relationship of biology to the arts, business, and psychology. First, we’ll discuss art as a foundational practice to biology and how biology as a science can explain how we interact with the arts, in particular, our experiences making and listening [...]

The Big Stuff: Evolution and Ecology (Coursera)

In this course, we will explore how evolution works to generate new species, the wide variety of life on earth. We will also touch on the importance of biodiversity for the overall health of our planet, and for our well being as humans. Then we will discuss ecology and [...]

The Little Stuff: Energy, Cells, and Genetics (Coursera)

In this course, we will explore the smaller side of biology: molecular biology. We’ll cover basic topics including cell biology and how cells can go “rogue” and turn into cancer, how energy from the sun is transferred to fuel our bodies, basics of genetics and inheritance, and genetic technologies. [...]

Biology Everywhere Foundations (Coursera)

In this course, we will explore the nature of science and biology. We will discuss what the “biology everywhere” philosophy means and the history of the “biology everywhere” project. We will also discuss what science (and biology) are as a discipline of inquiry and how chemistry is foundational to [...]

Designing Effective Science Communication (Coursera)

Although many would prefer to leave science in the past and no longer engage with it once completing compulsory science classes in school, the reality is that engaging with science is an integral part of our daily lives. Moreover, for the safety and wellness of human society, it is [...]