Patty Wood, two-time kidney transplant recipient and member of the WABR Speakers' bureau, visited Lisoskie's class. Wood explained that Lisoskie has listened and learned to educate herself about the difference between animal rights and animal welfare, and is now asking her students to explore the same challenging topic. Inviting Wood provided a forum for students to share their thoughts on the issue of research on animals that benefits humans with someone who appreciates that benefit every moment of every day. Lisoskie has been asking her students to address questions for which there are no clear answers for her entire 36-year teaching career. She believes that students must learn to think about complex bioethical topics because they will inevitably face similar issues in their public, private and voting life.
Students also learn to respect the opinions of other students.
Indeed, respect is a central component in her classroom . Lisoskie prepares her students for animal dissection by explaining the privilege such experiments provide. The students respond by working with a better appreciation of the contribution these animals make to their education as well as to medical research. December is National AIDS Awareness Month. February is National Heart Awareness Month.