Assistant Professor Dr. Russo-Tait's lab engages in interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects to explore teaching and learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. Research projects involve examining the experiences and perspectives of college students in biology and STEM learning environments, and the role of faculty's teaching philosophies and practices in student learning–– and faculty professional development in evidence based practices that support student learning and success in STEM. Before pursuing her Ph.D. in STEM Education at University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Russo-Tait was a program director at the Center for Science and Math Education and instructional faculty in the College of Science and Engineering at San Francisco State University. She taught undergraduate courses in biology and health, co-developed biology and society curricula, and led professional development workshops on student-centered teaching practices in STEM. Her lived experiences as a biology student, and her subsequent work with students in STEM motivated her to pursue scholarship in the field so that she could contribute to the larger body of knowledge and national conversation on using asset and evidence based approaches to best support STEM students and prepare scientists and science educators. Dr. Russo-Tait is also part of the core faculty at the Scientists Engaged in Education Research (SEER) Center, and Affiliate Faculty at the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, The Institute for Women's Studies, and The Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies Program at UGA. Education Education: Ph.D. in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education, 2022 University of Texas at Austin M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology, 2011 San Francisco State Univeristy B.A. in Biology with a concetration in Cell and Molecular Biology, 2008 University of Hawai'i at Hilo Research Programs: Biological Education Research Selected Publications Russo-Tait., T. (2025). Using composite narratives to reflect on teaching beliefs and practices. Course Source. Barsoum, M. J., Braun, D. C., Brownell, S. E., Morton, T. R., Russo-Tait, T., Sharp, S. M., Schinske, J. & Tanner, K. (2024). An Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 23(4), ed1. Sherard, M.K.& Russo-Tait, T (2024). Exploring the Unstated: Using Critical Discourse Analysis to Examine Faculty Statements. Research in Higher Education (in press). Coffman, C.R., Price, R.M., Russo-Tait, T., & Frantz, K. (2024). Annotations of Life Sciences Education Research: Enhancing Accessibility and Promoting High Quality Biology Education Research. CBE: Life Sciences Education. Morton, T., Agee, W.,[…] Russo-Tait, T […] & Williams, M. (2023). Re-envisioning the culture of undergraduate biology education: A clarion call. CBE- Life Sciences Education. Nguyen, U., Russo-Tait, T., Riegle-Crumb, C., & Doerr, K.T (2022). Changing the gendered status quo in engineering? The encouraging and discouraging experiences of young women with engineering aspirations. Science Education 106(6), 1442-1468. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21748 Harrison, C.D. […] T. Russo-Tait […] Domingo, C.R., & Tanner, K.D. (2019). Investigating instructor talk in novel contexts: Widespread use, unexpected categories, and emergent sampling strategies. CBE: Life Sciences Education 18(3): ar30-mr3. Owens, M.T., Trujillo, G., Seidel, S.B., Harrison, C.D. […] T. Russo-Tait […] Domingo, C.R., & Tanner, K.D. (2018). Collectively improving our teaching: Attempting biology department-wide professional development in scientific teaching. CBE: Life Sciences Education 17(1): ar2. Owens, M.T., Seidel, S.B., Wong, M.[…] Russo-Tait, T […] Domingo, C.D., Schinske, & J.N., Tanner, K.D. (2017). Classroom sound can be used to classify teaching practices in college science courses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(12), 3085-3090. Mogul R., Vaishampayan P., Bashir, M., […] T. Russo-Tait, Weigel, B., & Wilhelm, M.B. (2017). Microbial community and biochemical dynamics of biological soil crusts across a gradient of surface coverage in the central Mojave Desert. Frontiers in Microbiology 8 (1974), 1-19. Momčilović, O., Liu, Q., Swistowski, A., Russo-Tait, T., Zhao, Y., Rao, M.S., Zeng, X. (2014). Genome wide profiling of dopaminergic neurons derived from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells and Development 23, 406–20. Price, D. K., S. Souder, and T. Russo-Tait (2013). Sexual selection, epistasis, and species boundaries in sympatric Hawaiian picture-winged drosophila. Journal of Insect Behavior 27, 27–40. Other Information Of Note: 2023-2025 UGA Lilly Teaching Fellow 2023-2024 Mixture-Modeling for Discipline-Based Education Researchers Fellow 2023-2024 Evolving the Culture of Biology Scholar 2021 Association American Colleges and Universities K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Awardee Other Affiliations: SEER Center Core Faculty
