The ABE Program Office is excited to announce the fifth cohort of the ABE Master Teacher Fellowship. It was a highly competitive field of applicants from ABE sites globally. The Fellowship is designed to support the development of teachers who have a passion for ABE and biotechnology.
Each Fellow receives a stipend and targeted support for their own personal professional development. Fellows meet monthly to collaborate and brainstorm on ABE pedagogy and experiences for their students.
Fellows have access to experts from STEM-focused organizations around the world and will set and reflect on their own goals for leadership. After the intensive 1-year program, Fellows will share their expertise and projects or programs they develop as part of the Fellowship with the ABE international community. Fellows will provide peer advice and guidance on how to teach ABE while engaging students and connecting them with real-world, real-time applications for ABE content and skills.
This year’s Fellows represent a wide variety of ABE program sites: Canada, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Türkiye, United Kingdom, Central Ohio, Greater Los Angeles, Kentucky, and San Francisco Bay. Meet our new Fellows below.
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| Alison Ackroid, from ABE United Kingdom, works in the post-16 further education sector and teaches technical science at MidKent College. She has designed and delivered professional development and teaching resources for post-16 educators and serves on several national committees that advise and support science teachers and curriculum developers across the UK. Alison regularly speaks at national conferences on technical education and skills in science. Passionate about fostering inclusivity, resilience and science capital among both students and educators, she is dedicated to shaping a more equitable and impactful landscape for science education in the UK. |
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| Jessica Anderson, from ABE Greater Los Angeles, is an accomplished science educator with expertise in biology, ecology, and biotechnology, holding both a Master of Science in Biology and a Master of Arts in Education. She is a community college professor (biotech/microbiology) and a high school science teacher, recognized for developing a UC-approved Ecological Course that integrates authentic scientific skills, leading student volunteer trips for habitat restoration and provides students connections with career paths. |
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| Janette Buckley, from ABE Canada, is a high school teacher at St. John Paul II where she loves finding meaningful and enriching lab experiences for her students. There's nothing quite like turning theory into practice and seeing the pride in students as they master new skills. She thinks this is especially important for students who don't have these opportunities elsewhere. |
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| Sarcan Coban, from ABE Türkiye, is a biology teacher with 28 years of experience with a master’s degree in Plant Systematics. For the past 5 years, she has served as an ABE Türkiye teacher, engaging students in hands-on biotechnology activities. Inspired by the ABE program’s commitment to equity, accessibility, and inclusivity, she collaborates with colleagues across disciplines to implement projects that reach diverse student populations. Her goal is to expand ABE opportunities in underserved schools, provide biotechnology experiences to students without lab access, and support fellow teachers in leveraging this program to its fullest. |
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| Patrick Heintz, from ABE Kentucky, has over 25 years of experience in both classroom teaching and school leadership. He is deeply committed to expanding hands-on biotechnology and research opportunities for students. Through initiatives such as integrating molecular biology labs, leading field research in Costa Rica, and promoting inquiry-based learning, Patrick has been instrumental in shaping the STEM program at Trinity High School in Louisville. He is excited to collaborate with a global cohort and contribute to the continued growth and impact of the ABE program. |
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| Patricia Hess, from ABE United Kingdom (Hertfordshire), is a biology teacher at St. George’s School with 14 years of experience and a strong academic background that includes a PhD and postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School. For the past 12 years, she has integrated the ABE program into her teaching, using hands-on molecular biology experiences to inspire and challenge her students. Patricia is passionate about bringing fresh, creative ideas into the classroom and nurturing the next generation of scientists through practical inquiry and high-quality scientific practice. |
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| Rosella Lupo, from ABE Italy, is coordinator of the ABE Distribution Center in Bari. She teaches natural sciences at the high school level. With a background in molecular biology and plant protection, she is passionate about inspiring curiosity for the natural world and fostering a more humane, equitable, and sustainable society through science education. |
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| Brooke Kelly, from ABE Central Ohio, is a high school biology and biotechnology teacher at Olentangy STEM Academy. She earned an undergraduate degree in Environmental Biology and worked as a conservation biologist prior to becoming a teacher. She helps to create cross-curricular learning experiences for students. She is passionate about connecting biotechnology content to real-world experiences for her students and introducing them to the vast array of STEM careers available. |
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| Lisanne van Muiden, from ABE The Netherlands, is an enthusiastic biology teacher working in the urban area of Rotterdam. She has an MSc in Biology focusing on immunology and an MA in Education. But teaching is mainly learned by doing, so for the past 10 years, she has refined her teaching skills and mainly focused on didactics to address complex topics such as similation/dissimilation, immunology, or kidney physiology. She enjoys watching her students have fun in her subject! |
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| Isabel Reynoso, from ABE San Francisco Bay, is a high school biology teacher with 20+ years of classroom teaching experience. She currently works at Blair High School in the Pasadena Unified School District. She is excited and nervous for this new Fellowship adventure and looks forward to developing teaching and learning resources to help support all her students and to positively engage them in all things science. |
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| Sabine Vignand, from ABE France, has been working as a biotechnology teacher for 27 years. She works in the eastern suburbs of Paris at Emily Brontë High School. She also teaches as part of an associate degree program in biotechnology (2 years after graduation) where students work in a research laboratory or a pharmaceutical production laboratory. She joined ABE France in 2017 and is actively trying to introduce biotechnology to younger students (primary school and middle school) with various social backgrounds through this program. She is eager to exchange ideas and share her experiences with other ABE program participants. |
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| Sam Ward, from ABE United Kingdom, spent 16 years working as a research scientist at Institute of Neurology, University College London, where she gained her PhD investigating the genetic alterations in pediatric gliomas. In 2014, she started work as a science technician at a local secondary school before moving to the Thomas Alleyne Academy in 2016. She introduced ABE to her school in 2017, where it soon became an integral part of the A level Biology induction program. Since 2021, she has been providing outreach for the Hertfordshire ABE program office, delivering workshops at teacher and technician conferences. Sam has a passion for molecular biology and is keen to expose students to real-world experiences and the many career opportunities available in this exciting field. |
Congratulations again to this year's cohort.