Mei Ibarra

Background

Mei Ibarra is on the faculty of the Department of Biology and holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University. Before Porter, Mei did research in a university microbiology lab.

Mei's research focuses on science education, with related work in cell and molecular biology; undergraduates are involved in the lab most terms.

Areas of expertise

• Science education
• Cell and molecular biology
• Undergraduate research and project mentoring

Teaching

Mei regularly teaches courses in Biology. Specific sections and syllabi are listed in the class schedule each term.

Courses lean on current problems from the field: students read recent work, reproduce a result or method, and then extend it. Mei builds in low-stakes practice before graded work and gives written feedback on drafts.

Advising and office hours

Mei advises students in the Biology programs and holds weekly office hours during the fall and spring terms, posted on the office door and in the course pages. Prospective students are welcome to email to arrange a visit or a call.

Advising conversations usually cover course sequencing, whether to add a minor or a concentration, and how classroom work connects to internships, research, or graduate study. Students who are undecided are welcome; part of the job is helping them narrow things down.

Recent and representative work

Mei's recent activity is a mix of peer-reviewed work, conference talks, and student-involved projects in science education and cell and molecular biology. Representative items:

• A peer-reviewed article on science education in a disciplinary journal.
• A conference paper on cell and molecular biology, co-authored with an undergraduate researcher.
• An internally funded project applying science education to a regional partner's problem.

Titles and venues here are illustrative. UW–Porter Falls is fictional; Mei has no real publication record.

Get in touch

The fastest way to reach Mei is email (mibarra@uwporterfalls.edu); messages during the fall and spring terms are usually answered within two business days. Prospective students and families can ask the Biology department office to set up a call, a class visit, or a meeting during an admitted-student day.