Bio285 Cell and Molecular Biology Undergraduate Teaching Assistant F25

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (uTAs) for Bio285 develop their teaching and leadership skills and deepen their understanding of cell and molecular biology by attending class meetings, holding help sessions, leading review sessions, proctoring exams, providing feedback on student work, and meeting weekly with me and other TAs.

UTAs will attend class (MWF 11:15am-12:05pm), hold help sessions, review sessions, help grade formative and summative assessments, and help proctor exams. UTAs will earn course credit (3 credits of BIO 398A, graded P/F).  Preference will be given to those that have uTA'd before for my courses and/or taken my version of this course.

Name of research group, project, or lab
Bio285 uTA (Francis)
Why participate in this opportunity?

Undergraduate TAs have the opportunity to solidify their understanding of course concepts, develop skills in teaching and communication, and to provide important near-peer mentoring to undergraduates.  This is also an opportunity to be a part of a community of like-minded students.

Logistics Information:
Subject Category
Biology
Cellular Biology
Molecular Biology
Student ranks applicable
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

Successful completion of Bio285. Availability during class meeting time is preferred (MWF 11:15am-12:05pm, although not required if you've uTA'd for this course before. You should be able to explain complex topics in ways that are engaging and understandable, be thoughtful about how to engage appropriately in near-peer mentoring interactions, and have good teamwork and communication skills.

For your application to be complete, you must also fill out this application form to provide additional information.

Time commitment
8-10 h/wk
Position Types and Compensation
Teaching - Ind. Study Credit
Number of openings
9
Techniques learned

Through this work, you will develop your abilities to explain complex biological concepts, provide thoughtful feedback, facilitate student learning, and answer questions about cell and molecular biology at a level appropriate for a 200-level Biology course.

Project start
Beginning of Fall 2025 semester
Contact Information:
Mentor
Laura Francis
lifranci@umass.edu
Faculty (instructor)
Name of project director or principal investigator
Laura Francis
Email address of project director or principal investigator
lifranci@umass.edu
9 sp. | 35 appl.
Hours
8-10 h/wk
Project categories
Molecular Biology (+2)
BiologyCellular BiologyMolecular Biology