Dr. Sabel is the Director of the Center for Life Sciences Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at The Ohio State University. Prior to Ohio State, Dr. Sabel was an Assistant and then Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis. Dr. Sabel earned a B.A. in Biology (with a minor in English) from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa; an M.S. Interdisciplinary Studies (Genetics) from the University of Iowa; and a PhD in Educational Studies (Science Education) from the University of Nebraska.

Dr. Sabel began her research career as a developmental geneticist examining genes involved in early embryonic development. She worked as a Research Assistant the in the lab of Dr. John Dagle and then as a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Robert Cornell, both at the University of Iowa. She transitioned to science education research for her PhD where she worked with Dr. Cory Forbes, first at the University of Iowa and then at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Current Graduate Students

Kendra Wright, PhD Student

Kendra joined the lab as an undergraduate student at the University of Memphis where she also earned a B.S. in Biology in 2019. She joined the PhD program in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis in 2020.

Kendra was awarded a grant from the Cell Biology Education Consortium, won 1st place in the graduate student poster competition at the 2022 National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference, and was selected as a SKAIDS Fellow to attend the Sandra K. Abell Institute for Doctoral Students.

Elizabeth Schriner, PhD Student

Elizabeth joined the lab as a PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis in 2022. She earned a BS from Belmont University in Nashville, TN; and both an MSPAS and an MBA from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN. She is a licensed Physician Assistant and has worked in this capacity in both clinic and hospital settings. She has also worked as faculty in the Christian Brothers University Physician Assistant Studies Program. In addition to being a PhD student, Elizabeth is also Instructional Faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Physician Assistant Program.

Elizabeth won 3rd place in the graduate student poster competition at the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference.

Summer Jasper, PhD Student

Summer joined the lab as an undergraduate student at the University of Memphis where she also earned a B.S. in Biology in 20xx. Also at the University of Memphis, she earned an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching and then joined the PhD program in the Department of Biological Sciences in 2023. In addition to being a PhD student, Summer is a Science Instructional Specialist in the STEMM Education and Outreach Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Skyelar Brooks, PhD Student

Skyelar joined the lab as a PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis in 2024. She earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN and then worked as a high school teacher focusing on AP Biology and chemistry at multiple levels.

Former PhD Students

Kathryn Parsley, Ph.D.

Dr. Kathryn Parsley graduated from the PhD program in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis in 2021. Her dissertation was titled Exploring New Approaches to the Problem of Plant Awareness Disparity in Undergraduate Students. As a part of her work on this project, she also redefined the field formerly known as Plant Blindness – now called Plant Awareness Disparity.

Parsley, K.M. (2021). Plant Awareness Disparity: Looking to the Past to Inform the Future. Plant Science Bulletin, 67(2) 2021, 94-99.

Parsley, K.M.* (2020). Plant awareness disparity: A case for renaming plant blindness. Plants, People, Planet. 00: 1–4. DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.10153.

Kathryn earned a BSc in Biology at Cameron University in Lawton, OK and an MS in Biology at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX.

While in the lab, Kathryn was awarded two grants from the University of Memphis Center for Biodiversity, won 2nd place in the graduate student poster competition at the 2019 National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference, and was selected a Plantae Fellow through the American Society of Plant Biologist (ASPB). Kathryn was an author on multiple publications in the lab (see Publications page).

After earning the PhD, Kathryn went on to work as a Postdoctoral Researcher and then as a Consultant for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO. She is currently working as a Research Development Associate at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Em Micer

Em graduated with a BS in Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry and a minor in Chemistry from the University of Memphis in 2021. They completed an Honors Thesis titled Exploring Undergraduate Chemistry and Biology Students’ Understanding of Enzymes.

While in the lab, Em received a University of Memphis Honors Summer Fellowship to conduct research on chemistry and biology student understanding won 1st place in the undergraduate Education category of the 2021 University of Memphis Student Research Forum, and received the 2021 Biological Sciences Faculty award which recognizes the undergraduate biology major who made the most significant contribution to the department during the academic year.

Em presented research at multiple local, regional, and national conferences and was first author on a publication (see Publications page).

Alixandria Kirkendol

Alix graduated with a BS in Biology and minors in Chemistry, Psychology, and Healthcare & Society from the University of Memphis in 2023. She completed an Honors Thesis titled Exploring How Undergraduate Biology Students Engage in Metacognition.

While in the lab, Alix received the University of Memphis Honors Summer Fellowship to conduct research on metacognition and student understanding, received the University of Memphis Experiential Learning Fellowship award for research, won 1st place in the undergraduate Education category of the 2022 University of Memphis Works in Progress symposium and 1st place in the undergraduate Education category of the 2023 University of Memphis Student Research Forum, and received the 2023 Biological Sciences Faculty Award which recognizes the undergraduate biology major who made the most significant contribution to the department during the academic year.

Alix presented research at multiple local, regional, and national conferences and is an author on a manuscript still in progress.

Sedra Sous

Sedra graduated with a BS in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Memphis in 2023. She completed an Honors Thesis titled Understanding the Experiences of Black/African American Students in a Biology Major.

While in the lab, Sedra won 1st place in the undergraduate Education category of the 2022 University of Memphis Works in Progress Symposium and 2nd place in the undergraduate Education category of the 2022 University of Memphis Student Research Forum. She also received the University of Memphis Honors Summer Fellowship to conduct research on why Black or African American students remain in, or leave, a biology major.

Sedra presented research at multiple local, regional, and national conferences. She is an author on a publication (see Publications page) and on a manuscript still in progress.

Kristi Brownlee

Kristi graduated with a BS in Biology from the University of Memphis is 2019. While in the lab, she won 1st place in the undergraduate student poster competition at the 2019 National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference. She also shared first authorship on a publication with Kathryn Parsley (see Publications page).