She has developed a biology course for public school teachers and has overseen the efforts of graduate fellows to take research skills and science content to regional high schools. She also has created two university courses to teach professional research skills to upper-division students in all majors and prepare them to apply for graduate school. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 1975, her master’s in 1977 and her doctorate in 1981, all from SIUC. She joined the faculty in 1996.