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At many research-intensive universities in North America, there is a disproportionate loss of minoritized undergraduate students from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors. Efforts to confront this diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenge, such as faculty adoption of evidenced-based instructional approaches that promote student success, have been slow. Instructional and pedagogical change efforts at the academic department level have been demonstrated to be effective at enacting reform. One potential strategy is to embed change agent individuals within STEM departments that can drive change efforts. This study seeks to assess whether tenure-track, teaching-focused faculty housed in STEM departments are perceived as influential on the instructional and pedagogical domains of their colleagues. To answer this, individuals across five STEM departments at large, research-intensive campuses identified faculty who were influential upon six domains of their instruction and pedagogy. Social network analysis of individuals in these departments revealed heterogeneity across the instructional domains. Some, like the teaching strategies network, are highly connected and involve the majority of the department; while others, like the DEI influence network, comprise a significantly smaller population of faculty. Importantly, we demonstrate that tenure-track, teaching-focused faculty are influential across all domains of instruction, but are disproportionately so in the sparsely populated DEI influence networks.

Studies indicate that racial disparities in STEM achievement or equity grade gaps are associated with faculty fixed mindset beliefs; however, whether specific instructional beliefs are linked to student academic achievement remains unclear. We surveyed 216 STEM faculty to assess their mindset and instructional beliefs and linked these to detailed student transcript data (n = 31,361). Results reveal that faculty with fixed mindset beliefs also endorsed more traditional instructional beliefs regarding assessment, grading, and diversity. Further, the endorsement of these beliefs was associated with larger equity grade gaps. Analysis of faculty characteristics indicate that male faculty, full professors, and instructors in Physical Sciences tended to hold instructional beliefs that are linked to larger equity grade gaps.

Mentorship has been widely recognized as an effective means to promote student learning and engagement in undergraduate research experiences. However, little work exists for understanding different mentors' perceived approaches to mentorship, including mentorship of students from backgrounds and educational trajectories not well represented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Transfer students, in particular, face unique trajectories in their pursuit of research opportunities, yet few studies investigate how mentors describe their approaches to supporting these students. Using semistructured interviews, this study examines how mentors approach mentoring students from diverse backgrounds as research trainees, with an emphasis on transfer students. First, using phenomenography as an analytical approach, we identified four categories describing variations in how mentors reflected upon or accounted for the transfer student identity in their approaches. We find that research mentors vary in their understanding and exposure to the transfer student identity and may have preconceived notions of the transfer student experience. Second, we present vignettes to illustrate how mentors' approaches to the transfer student identity may relate or diverge from their general approaches to mentoring students from different backgrounds and identities. The emerging findings have implications for developing effective mentorship strategies and training mentors to support transfer students.

Existing research has investigated student problem-solving strategies across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; however, there is limited work in undergraduate biology education on how various aspects that influence learning combine to generate holistic approaches to problem solving. Through the lens of situated cognition, we consider problem solving as a learning phenomenon that involves the interactions between internal cognition of the learner and the external learning environment. Using phenomenography as a methodology, we investigated undergraduate student approaches to problem solving in biology through interviews. We identified five aspects of problem solving (including knowledge, strategy, intention, metacognition, and mindset) that define three qualitatively different approaches to problem solving; each approach is distinguishable by variations across the aspects. Variations in the knowledge and strategy aspects largely aligned with previous work on how the use or avoidance of biological knowledge informed both concept-based and nonconcept-based strategies. Variations in the other aspects revealed intentions spanning complete disengagement to deep interest with the course material, different degrees of metacognitive reflections, and a continuum of fixed to growth mindsets. We discuss implications for how these characterizations can improve instruction and efforts to support development of problem-solving skills.

Abstract: Background: An instructor’s conceptions of teaching and learning contribute to the establishment of learning environments that may benefit or hinder student learning. Previous studies have defined the continuum of teaching and learning conceptions, ranging from limited to complete, as well as the instructional practices that they help to inform (instructor-centered to student-centered), and the corresponding learning environments that these conceptions and practices establish, ranging from traditional to student-centered. Using the case of one STEM department at a research-intensive, minority serving institution, we explored faculty’s conceptions of teaching and learning and their resulting instructional practices, as well as uncovered their perspectives on the intradepartmental faculty interactions related to teaching. The study participants were drawn from both teaching-focused (called Professors of Teaching, PoTs) and traditional research (whom we call Research Professors, RPs) tenure-track faculty lines to identify whether differences existed amongst these two populations. We used interviews to explore faculty conceptions and analyzed syllabi to unveil how these conceptions shape instructional environments. Results: Overall, PoTs exhibited complete conceptions of teaching and learning that emphasized student ownership of learning, whereas RPs possessed intermediate conceptions that focused more on transmitting knowledge and helping students prepare for subsequent courses. While both PoTs and RPs self-reported the use of active learning pedagogies, RPs were more likely to also highlight the importance of traditional lecture. The syllabi analysis revealed that PoTs enacted more student-centered practices in their classrooms compared to RPs. PoTs appeared to be more intentionally available to support students outside of class and encouraged student collaboration, while RPs focused more on the timeliness of assessments and enforcing more instructor-centered approaches in their courses. Finally, the data indicated that RPs recognized PoTs as individuals who were influential on their own teaching conceptions and practices. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that departments should consider leveraging instructional experts who also possess a disciplinary background (PoTs) to improve their educational programs, both due to their student-centered impacts on the classroom environment and positive influence on their colleagues (RPs). This work also highlights the need for higher education institutions to offer appropriate professional development resources to enable faculty to reflect on their teaching and learning conceptions, aid in their pedagogical evolution, and guide the implementation of these conceptions into practice.

Abstract: Background: Teaching-focused faculty positions have grown in popularity in higher education and provide novel opportunities to transform undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The University of California (UC) system employs a unique teaching-focused faculty position, officially called the Lecturer with Potential Security of Employment (L(P)SOE), with the working title called Professor of Teaching (PoT). The UC PoT position is a tenure-track position with teaching as the primary tenure expectation. We present findings from interviews with stakeholder faculty in STEM departments at three UC campuses to identify reasons for hiring PoT, capture accomplishments of PoT in their departments and disciplinary fields, and identify potential barriers to PoT success. Results: Overall, this study highlights stakeholder’s perspectives on the value of teaching-focused faculty in research-intensive universities. Stakeholders described the goals for hiring Professors of Teaching, which included easing the burden of teaching responsibilities of the departments and adding consistency of instruction. While the stakeholders expressed that PoT were meeting the goals for being hired, they also identified many barriers for PoT being fully integrated and successful. The stakeholders expressed concern about unclear and unfair expectations related to tenure and promotion. Conclusions: The findings point to a general undervaluing and underappreciation of teaching-focused faculty and suggest that in order for PoT to have a positive impact on STEM higher education, they need more support and inclusion from their colleagues and institutions.

The majority of academic institutions were underprepared for a global pandemic, leading to spikes in instructor anxiety and drops in student engagement with STEM courses. With many STEM professors teaching online for the first time, they independently sought out training in distance education and inclusive teaching practices. Had institutions been proactive in providing such professional development prior to the pandemic, the negative impacts of transitioning to online education would have been reduced. While recent events are still fresh in people's minds, we advocate for increased or maintained professional development opportunities for STEM instructors in order to protect this critical pedagogical support from budget cuts.

Academic conferences are integral to the dissemination of novel research findings and discussion of pioneering ideas across all postsecondary disciplines. For some participants, these environments are spaces to develop new collaborations, research projects, and social bonds; however, for others, conferences can be a place of marginalization and outright hostility. To assess how diverse individuals experience conference spaces, we interpreted results from a conference climate survey filled out by 198 of 482 registrants of the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) West 2021 conference. Analysis of the survey data was conducted by six biology education researchers, who in addition to raising conference participant voices, provide insights, and next steps whose implementation can promote greater participant equity, representation, and engagement in future science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education conferences specifically and potentially all academic conference spaces more broadly.

Abstract Determination of body composition (the relative distribution of fat, muscle, and bone) has been used effectively to assess the risk of progression and overall clinical outcomes in different malignancies. Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) is especially associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer. However, estimation of muscle mass through CT scan has been a cumbersome, manually intensive process requiring accurate contouring through dedicated personnel hours. Recently, fully automated technologies that can determine body composition in minutes have been developed and shown to be highly accurate in determining muscle, bone, and fat mass. We employed a fully automated technology, and analyzed images from a publicly available cancer imaging archive dataset (TCIA) and a tertiary academic center. The results show that adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) have relatively sarcopenia compared to benign adrenal lesions. In addition, functional ACCs have accelerated sarcopenia compared to non-functional ACCs. Further longitudinal research might shed further light on the relationship between body component distribution and ACC prognosis, which will help us incorporate more nutritional strategies in cancer therapy.

Introduction and methodsThrough years of conversations, three discipline-based education researchers used a duoethnographic process to interrogate their own discipline-based education research (DBER) identities. We present a description of how these individuals navigate being a “both,” gathered through reflections, discussions, and deeper research to explore perspectives of our professional identities and what we perceive those identities look like to our peers, supervisors, and trainees.ResultsOur own definitions and eventually realized identities as a “both” emerged through this research process. We envision that science faculty have multiple roles, demands, and identities; at the most basic level, they are “both” an educator and a researcher. In the unique case of discipline-based education research (i.e., scholars studying the teaching and learning of science often in science departments), some faculty find an overlap between complementary yet sometimes competing research agendas (i.e., biology research (BR) and discipline-based education research (DBER)), of which they do “both.”DiscussionThis article has two key contributions. First, it articulates this side-glancing process of our navigation of being a DBER “both,” leveraging each of our unique perspectives and the literature. Second, it represents how such an exploration may be useful to other interdisciplinary researchers in understanding and embracing all parts of their identities.

Summary: CREB-regulated transcription co-activator (CRTC) is activated by Calcineurin (CaN) to regulate gluconeogenic genes. CaN also has roles in cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we explore a cardiac-autonomous role for CRTC in cardiac hypertrophy. In Drosophila, CRTC mutants exhibit severe cardiac restriction, myofibrillar disorganization, fibrosis, and tachycardia. Cardiac-specific CRTC knockdown (KD) phenocopies mutants, and cardiac overexpression causes hypertrophy. CaN-induced hypertrophy in Drosophila is reduced in CRTC mutants, suggesting that CRTC mediates the effects. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of CRTC-KD and -overexpressing hearts reveals contraregulation of metabolic genes. Genes with conserved CREB sites include the fly ortholog of Sarcalumenin, a Ca2+-binding protein. Cardiac manipulation of this gene recapitulates the CRTC-KD and -overexpression phenotypes. CRTC KD in zebrafish also causes cardiac restriction, and CRTC KD in human induced cardiomyocytes causes a reduction in Srl expression and increased action potential duration. Our data from three model systems suggest that CaN-CRTC-Sarcalumenin signaling represents an alternate, conserved pathway underlying cardiac function and hypertrophy.

Bloom's taxonomy is a classification of learning objectives originally developed for general educational purposes. The taxonomy was revised to expand beyond cognitive processes and to include knowledge types as an orthogonal dimension. As Bloom's taxonomy is a tool widely used in biology education by researchers and instructors, it is important to examine the underlying assumptions embedded within how people may implicitly understand and use the taxonomy. In this paper, we empirically examine two major assumptions: the independence of the knowledge-type and cognitive-process dimensions and the use of action verbs as proxies for different cognitive processes. Contingency analysis on 940 assessment items revealed that the knowledge-type and cognitive-process dimensions are related and not independent. Subsequent correspondence analysis identified two principle axes in how the two dimensions are related, with three clusters of knowledge types and cognitive processes. Using the Shannon evenness index, we did not find a clear relationship between question prompt words (including action verbs) and cognitive processes in the assessment items. Based on these results, we suggest that both dimensions of the revised Bloom's taxonomy should be used and that question prompt words or action verbs alone are not sufficient in classifying the embedded learning objectives within assessment items.

Abstract The P53-destabilizing TBC1D15-NOTCH protein interaction promotes self-renewal of tumor-initiating stem-like cells (TICs); however, the mechanisms governing the regulation of this pathway have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that TBC1D15 stabilizes NOTCH and c-JUN through blockade of E3 ligase and CDK8 recruitment to phosphodegron sequences. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) analysis was performed to determine whether TBC1D15-dependent NOTCH1 binding occurs in TICs or non-TICs. The TIC population was isolated to evaluate TBC1D15-dependent NOTCH1 stabilization mechanisms. The tumor incidence in hepatocyte-specific triple knockout (Alb::CreERT2;Tbc1d15 Flox/Flox ;Notch1 Flox/Flox ;Notch2 Flox/Flox ;HCV-NS5A) Transgenic (Tg) mice and wild-type mice was compared after being fed an alcohol-containing Western diet (WD) for 12 months. The NOTCH1-TBC1D15-FIS1 interaction resulted in recruitment of mitochondria to the perinuclear region. TBC1D15 bound to full-length NUMB and to NUMB isoform 5, which lacks three Ser phosphorylation sites, and relocalized NUMB5 to mitochondria. TBC1D15 binding to NOTCH1 blocked CDK8- and CDK19-mediated phosphorylation of the NOTCH1 PEST phosphodegron to block FBW7 recruitment to Thr-2512 of NOTCH1. ChIP-seq analysis revealed that TBC1D15 and NOTCH1 regulated the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism-related pathways required for the maintenance of TICs. TBC1D15 inhibited CDK8-mediated phosphorylation to stabilize NOTCH1 and protect it from degradation The NUMB-binding oncoprotein TBC1D15 rescued NOTCH1 from NUMB-mediated ubiquitin-dependent degradation and recruited NOTCH1 to the mitochondrial outer membrane for the generation and expansion of liver TICs. A NOTCH-TBC1D15 inhibitor was found to inhibit NOTCH-dependent pathways and exhibited potent therapeutic effects in PDX mouse models. This unique targeting of the NOTCH-TBC1D15 interaction not only normalized the perinuclear localization of mitochondria but also promoted potent cytotoxic effects against TICs to eradicate patient-derived xenografts through NOTCH-dependent pathways.

As the primary innate immune cells of the brain, microglia play a key role in various homeostatic and disease-related processes. To carry out their numerous functions, microglia adopt a wide range of phenotypic states. The proteomic landscape represents a more accurate molecular representation of these phenotypes; however, microglia present unique challenges for proteomic analysis. This study implemented a streamlined liquid- and gas-phase fractionation method with data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and parallel accumulation–serial fragmentation (PASEF) analysis on a TIMS-TOF instrument to compile a comprehensive protein library obtained from adult-derived, immortalized mouse microglia with low starting material (10 µg). The empirical library consisted of 9140 microglial proteins and was utilized to identify an average of 7264 proteins/run from single-shot, data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based analysis microglial cell lysate digest (200 ng). Additionally, a predicted library facilitated the identification of 7519 average proteins/run from the same DIA data, revealing complementary coverage compared with the empirical library and collectively increasing coverage to approximately 8000 proteins. Importantly, several microglia-relevant pathways were uniquely identified with the empirical library approach. Overall, we report a simplified, reproducible approach to address the proteome complexity of microglia using low sample input and show the importance of library optimization for this phenotypically diverse cell type.

Undergraduate education represents an important transitional stage in which students make career decisions, and undergraduate research experiences (UREs) play a critical role in training the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics researchers. Extensive studies have identified the different ways in which researchers and graduate students understand their profession, but little work has focused on undergraduate students. To contribute to this gap in literature, this study examines how undergraduate students conceptualize successful researchers. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with transfer students at a research-intensive university, in which participants articulated how they perceive a successful researcher and how their conception had changed based on their undergraduate experiences. Using phenomenography as the research approach, three conceptions of successful researchers were identified based on variations within the following aspects: process of research, interactions with other researchers, and scope of contribution. Retrospective conceptions were more simplistic, with little appreciation for the complex methodological processes and collaborations needed to meaningfully contribute to the research community. After UREs, participants reported conceptions with more nuanced understanding that successful researchers demonstrate proactive engagement, collaboration, and contribution. These findings can be applied to facilitate meaningful research experiences and target undergraduates' professional development as they are enculturated into the research community.

Problem-based learning encourages students to deepen their understanding of a concept by working through a real-world example of course content. Case studies represent a form of problem-based learning that engages students in realistic scenarios to achieve a deeper understanding of concepts. Case studies have been shown to facilitate the learning of challenging subject matter. We hypothesized that the use of a case study would help students better learn the topic of genomic imprinting, an abstract phenomenon in molecular biology and genetics. We wrote an interrupted case study that focused on genomic imprinting. The case study consists of three short popular news articles that relate to genomic imprinting. Each article is followed by a set of two to four questions. Students read each article and discuss its associated questions in small groups and then with the entire class before moving on to the next article. We deployed the case study in an intermediate-level molecular biology course at a small, liberal arts university. We assessed student learning and attitudes toward the case study (50 pre/postmatched pairs). In four true/false assessment questions, our results showed that the students' performance on the assessment after the case study was significantly higher than their performance before the case study. Students also self-reported increased knowledge of concepts related to genomic imprinting. Finally, students were likely to agree that the case study was beneficial to their learning and was an enjoyable classroom activity. We conclude that the case study is an effective way to instruct students about the topic of genomic imprinting.

In this paper, we briefly introduce three theoretical frameworks for mathematical identity and why they matter to practitioners teaching undergraduate mathematics courses. These frameworks are narrative identities, communities of practice, and figured worlds. After briefly describing each theory, we provide examples of how each framework can be used to interpret or inform classroom discourses by applying the framework to a selected transcript from a student-centered mathematics project called the Catwalk problem. We summarize how an awareness of students' forming mathematical identities can be used positively in the undergraduate classroom to help educators support students to form productive mathematical identities.

Bloom's taxonomy is a classification of learning objectives originally developed for general educational purposes. The taxonomy was revised to expand beyond cognitive processes and to include knowledge types as an orthogonal dimension. As Bloom's taxonomy is a tool widely used in biology education by researchers and instructors, it is important to examine the underlying assumptions embedded within how people may implicitly understand and use the taxonomy. In this paper, we empirically examine two major assumptions: the independence of the knowledge-type and cognitive-process dimensions and the use of action verbs as proxies for different cognitive processes. Contingency analysis on 940 assessment items revealed that the knowledge-type and cognitive-process dimensions are related and not independent. Subsequent correspondence analysis identified two principle axes in how the two dimensions are related, with three clusters of knowledge types and cognitive processes. Using the Shannon evenness index, we did not find a clear relationship between question prompt words (including action verbs) and cognitive processes in the assessment items. Based on these results, we suggest that both dimensions of the revised Bloom's taxonomy should be used and that question prompt words or action verbs alone are not sufficient in classifying the embedded learning objectives within assessment items.

BackgroundThe University of California system has a novel tenure-track education-focused faculty position called Lecturer with Security of Employment (working titles: Teaching Professor or Professor of Teaching). We focus on the potential difference in implementation of active-learning strategies by faculty type, including tenure-track education-focused faculty, tenure-track research-focused faculty, and non-tenure-track lecturers. In addition, we consider other instructor characteristics (faculty rank, years of teaching, and gender) and classroom characteristics (campus, discipline, and class size). We use a robust clustering algorithm to determine the number of clusters, identify instructors using active learning, and to understand the instructor and classroom characteristics in relation to the adoption of active-learning strategies.ResultsWe observed 125 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate courses at three University of California campuses using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM to examine active-learning strategies implemented in the classroom. Tenure-track education-focused faculty are more likely to teach with active-learning strategies compared to tenure-track research-focused faculty. Instructor and classroom characteristics that are also related to active learning include campus, discipline, and class size. The campus with initiatives and programs to support undergraduate STEM education is more likely to have instructors who adopt active-learning strategies. There is no difference in instructors in the Biological Sciences, Engineering, or Information and Computer Sciences disciplines who teach actively. However, instructors in the Physical Sciences are less likely to teach actively. Smaller class sizes also tend to have instructors who teach more actively.ConclusionsThe novel tenure-track education-focused faculty position within the University of California system represents a formal structure that results in higher adoption of active-learning strategies in undergraduate STEM education. Campus context and evolving expectations of the position (faculty rank) contribute to the symbols related to learning and teaching that correlate with differential implementation of active learning.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40594-022-00365-9.

Undergraduate education represents an important transitional stage in which students make career decisions, and undergraduate research experiences (UREs) play a critical role in training the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics researchers. Extensive studies have identified the different ways in which researchers and graduate students understand their profession, but little work has focused on undergraduate students. To contribute to this gap in literature, this study examines how undergraduate students conceptualize successful researchers. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with transfer students at a research-intensive university, in which participants articulated how they perceive a successful researcher and how their conception had changed based on their undergraduate experiences. Using phenomenography as the research approach, three conceptions of successful researchers were identified based on variations within the following aspects: process of research, interactions with other researchers, and scope of contribution. Retrospective conceptions were more simplistic, with little appreciation for the complex methodological processes and collaborations needed to meaningfully contribute to the research community. After UREs, participants reported conceptions with more nuanced understanding that successful researchers demonstrate proactive engagement, collaboration, and contribution. These findings can be applied to facilitate meaningful research experiences and target undergraduates' professional development as they are enculturated into the research community.

The tragic murder of Mr. George Floyd brought to the head long-standing issues of racial justice and equity in the United States and beyond. This prompted many institutions of higher education, including professional organizations and societies, to engage in long-overdue conversations about the role of scientific institutions in perpetuating racism. Similar to many professional societies and organizations, the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER), a leading international professional organization for discipline-based biology education researchers, has long struggled with a lack of representation of People of Color (POC) at all levels within the organization. The events surrounding Mr. Floyd’s death prompted the members of SABER to engage in conversations to promote self-reflection and discussion on how the society could become more antiracist and inclusive. These, in turn, resulted in several initiatives that led to concrete actions to support POC, increase their representation, and amplify their voices within SABER. These initiatives included: a self-study of SABER to determine challenges and identify ways to address them, a year-long seminar series focused on issues of social justice and inclusion, a special interest group to provide networking opportunities for POC and to center their voices, and an increase in the diversity of keynote speakers and seminar topics at SABER conferences. In this article, we chronicle the journey of SABER in its efforts to become more inclusive and antiracist. We are interested in increasing POC representation within our community and seek to bring our resources and scholarship to reimagine professional societies as catalyst agents towards an equitable antiracist experience. Specifically, we describe the 12 concrete actions that SABER enacted over a period of a year and the results from these actions so far. In addition, we discuss remaining challenges and future steps to continue to build a more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable space for all biology education researchers, especially our POC members. Ultimately, we hope that the steps undertaken by SABER will enable many more professional societies to embark on their reflection journeys to further broaden scientific communities.

Abstract Background An instructor’s conceptions of teaching and learning contribute to the establishment of learning environments that may benefit or hinder student learning. Previous studies have defined the continuum of teaching and learning conceptions, ranging from limited to complete, as well as the instructional practices that they help to inform (instructor-centered to student-centered), and the corresponding learning environments that these conceptions and practices establish, ranging from traditional to student-centered. Using the case of one STEM department at a research-intensive, minority serving institution, we explored faculty’s conceptions of teaching and learning and their resulting instructional practices, as well as uncovered their perspectives on the intradepartmental faculty interactions related to teaching. The study participants were drawn from both teaching-focused (called Professors of Teaching, PoTs) and traditional research (whom we call Research Professors, RPs) tenure-track faculty lines to identify whether differences existed amongst these two populations. We used interviews to explore faculty conceptions and analyzed syllabi to unveil how these conceptions shape instructional environments. Results Overall, PoTs exhibited complete conceptions of teaching and learning that emphasized student ownership of learning, whereas RPs possessed intermediate conceptions that focused more on transmitting knowledge and helping students prepare for subsequent courses. While both PoTs and RPs self-reported the use of active learning pedagogies, RPs were more likely to also highlight the importance of traditional lecture. The syllabi analysis revealed that PoTs enacted more student-centered practices in their classrooms compared to RPs. PoTs appeared to be more intentionally available to support students outside of class and encouraged student collaboration, while RPs focused more on the timeliness of assessments and enforcing more instructor-centered approaches in their courses. Finally, the data indicated that RPs recognized PoTs as individuals who were influential on their own teaching conceptions and practices. Conclusions Our findings suggest that departments should consider leveraging instructional experts who also possess a disciplinary background (PoTs) to improve their educational programs, both due to their student-centered impacts on the classroom environment and positive influence on their colleagues (RPs). This work also highlights the need for higher education institutions to offer appropriate professional development resources to enable faculty to reflect on their teaching and learning conceptions, aid in their pedagogical evolution, and guide the implementation of these conceptions into practice.

Community colleges are a pathway in higher education for many students, including students who are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Because of the increased demand for professionals in the STEM workforce, a successful transition from community colleges to the university setting is essential for increasing the number of transfer students who complete STEM degree programs. Fostering a stabilized academic transition for transfer students requires an understanding of how different academic and sociocultural backgrounds can influence students' identity trajectories during their undergraduate education. In this study, Holland et al.'s framework of figured worlds was used to examine how transfer students pursuing STEM degrees negotiated their identities in their transition to the university. Because identity is a complex construct that can influence student experiences in STEM, this study examined areas of compatible and incompatible expectations of what constitutes success across the university, community college, and high school learning environments, and among students, families, and faculty. Inconsistent expectations across these figured worlds provide insight into the challenges associated with the community college to university transition that can affect transfer students' experiences and identity production at the university.