Future Undergraduate Science Educators Program

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Learn more about the FUSE program

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Preparing the Next Generation of Biology Educators 

The Future Undergraduate Science Educators (FUSE) program is a graduate unit certificate offered at UC Davis. Co-directed by Dr. Marina Ellefson and Dr. Mona Monfared, FUSE provides graduate students with structured training in evidence-based pedagogy, inclusive teaching, and instructional design. Since its launch in 2021, the program has served 69 graduate students across the life sciences. 

 

  • FSE 310 — Effective Teaching of College Biology  (offered every Fall)
  • FSE 305 — Building a Teaching Portfolio  (offered every Spring)
  • FSE 391 — Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Seminar  
  • FSE 301 — Developing Teaching Resources 
  • FSE 392 — Teaching Practicum in the Sciences  

Current Fuse Scholars

NameGraduate GroupFUSE Cohort
Connor TumeltyPlant Biology2024
Evan HaleyNeuroscience2024
Izzy KierAnimal Behavior2024
Francesca WhiteheadAnimal Behavior2024
Mohammadreza NarimaniBiological and Agricultural Engineering2025
Marco AlarconNeuroscience2026
Matthew SartiNeuroscience2026
Gabriana LaIntegrative Genetics & Genomics2026
Melissa TeuberNutritional Biology2026
Madison McCartinAnthropology2026
Laureline LequintBMCDB2026
Daniel NovoaIntegrative Genetics & Genomics2026
Tasneem MukarramaIntegrative Genetics & Genomics2026
Cuauhtem GonzalezBMCDB2026
Donna LiAnimal Biology 2026
Sam De RiseisPlant Biology 2026
Marissa SandovalPopulation Biology2026
Siobhan CalhounAnimal Behavior2026
Chris Preston RubioHorticulture and Agronomy2026
Aly RasmussenMicrobiology2026