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Angela Beye

Additional Research Information:
While I have stepped away from my own research program and wet lab to focus on education and educational research, the classroom is my laboratory now. I enjoy investigating ways to enhance the learning process, particularly at the early undergraduate level.

Why Science?

I started to love science and academia in my third year of undergraduate studies when I was able to take courses that I enjoyed. During that time, I took courses such as physiology (PHYS 3120), pharmacology (Pharm 3620), histology, and anatomy. That is when I realized that I loved science. Then I went on and completed a 4^th-year thesis research project and I enjoyed the lab environment. I guess I caught “the research bug”. I thought it was a lot of fun to explore new things, and I saw how my research could make a difference in patient’s lives. The environment in our lab was very supportive and fun, and it challenged me as a person to grow a lot. After the completion of the thesis project, my supervisor, Dr. Jim Lewis, asked about my interests in a Master’s degree to continue my research in acute lung injury. A M.Sc. or Ph.D. was not originally on my radar, but I decided to pursue graduate studies. It was a wonderful experience; I learned a lot of research skills, critical thinking, and continued to grow.

As for teaching, I had a chance to be a TA in my first year of graduate school in the course that is now Phys/Pharm 3000E. The next year I was asked to be a TA for a second-year physiology course (Phys 2130), and when I started the job, I caught myself thinking that this is what I wanted to do forever. I was teaching students during tutorials where sometimes the room would exceed capacity. Even then, students would sit on the floor and still be engaged in learning. Moments like that made me believe that I could do it. After my Ph.D., a teaching position came up at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia; I took it and ended up staying there for 8 years. However, one day a friend and colleague from Western contacted me to let me know that there is a position available at Western University and encouraged me to apply for it. My family was in southwestern Ontario, and I also knew that Western University has an emphasis on teaching excellence. I was excited to be working alongside like-minded people who also have a passion for teaching, so I applied and ended up in this amazing department for years now.

Teaching Goals
My teaching goals are to always make the learning process fun and thought-provoking. Moreover, I try to create a really good story around the content; this way students do not see it as a lecture full of facts, but rather, they can apply it to their own lives. I like interacting with my students and having a chance to mentor them. I love being in front of the classroom and giving lectures, and I like to think about ways to makes content engaging. But it is one-on-one meetings with students that remind me how rewarding teaching is for me. I always try to learn who my students are, what they struggle with, what they enjoy, and that excites me.