Faculty Profile - University of Houston
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Faculty Profile

Donna L. PattisonDonna L. Pattison

Instructional Professor and NSM Assistant Dean for Student Success
Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Office: Science Teaching Laboratory Building, 108C
Contact: dpattison@uh.edu - 713-743-2642

Education: Ph.D., Rice University

Google Scholar Profile

Dr. Pattison is an Instructional Professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston. She also serves as Assistant Dean for Student Success in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematic (NSM). Dr. Pattison’s primary research interest is in the development of student success programs to improve undergraduate retention and graduation rates. She is particularly interested in development of interactive and engaging instructional methods and experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate programs, including the integration of real-world research experiences into academic coursework. She currently leads the CRISPR in the Classroom Network for Undergraduate Biology Educators (NSF Award #2120417) to assist instructors introduce CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology into their lab courses.

She has coordinated faculty development workshops for STEM professors, postdocs, and graduate students to improve teaching across the University as well as developed training for peer facilitators that is utilized in the Comprehensive Student Success Program and Scholar Enrichment Programs which provide peer-led, group-based problem solving supplementary instruction sessions for students in STEM courses.

Dr. Pattison has also overseen the development and launch of the NSM Career Center which serves 5,000+ students across the college, providing professional development workshops for undergraduate and graduate students and assistance with internship and job searches.

Honors & Awards

  • Faculty Senate Lifetime Achievement Senator Service Award (2022)
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (Faculty inductee, 2021)
  • University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award: Provost Core Award (2019)
  • University of Houston Group Teaching Excellence Award for teamwork on transforming the Introductory Biology Curriculum (2017)
  • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Recognition of Excellence for the Comprehensive Student Success Program (awarded to the University for the work of the CSSP team). (July 24, 2014)
  • University of Houston Women’s Resource Center Spotlight (September 2013) http://www.uh.edu/wrc/spotlight/archives/d-pattison/
  • University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award for Instructional Faculty (2012)
  • Integrated Graduate Education Research Training Grant from National Science Foundation (October 2001-August 2002)
  • Keystone Symposia Travel Award (January 2002)
  • Graduate Student Travel Award for 12th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (Spring 2001)

Faculty Advisor to Student Organizations

  • Horticulture Society at UH (2008–present)
  • Global Dental Brigades at UH (2020–December 2022)
  • Volunteer Around the World Global Health Alliance at the University of Houston Dental Chapter (Spring 2023–present)

Professional Memberships

  • American Society for the Advancement of Science (April 2007–present)
  • National Science Teachers Association (April 2007–present)
  • Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) (2009–present)
    • Member-at-Large (2019–2023)
      • Major Workshops Committee (2019–2023)
      • Chair: Grants-in-Aid Committee (2022–2023)
      • Chair: Nominations Committee (2021–2022; acting chair 2022–2023)
    • Co-1st Vice President (2016–2017) and Conference Host
    • Co-2nd Vice President (2015–2016)
    • Steering Committee: ViABLE Conference (online): Summer 2022
  • BCHS 3201: Biochemistry Laboratory 1
  • BCHS 3304: Biochemistry 1
  • BCHS 4311: Biochemistry Laboratory 2
  • BIOL 1162: Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory 2
  • BIOL 3345: Plant Physiology
  • BIOL 3396/4396: Senior Research Project
  • BIOL 3399/4399: Senior Honors Thesis
  • BIOL 4272: Cell and Developmental Biology Laboratory
  • BIOL 4320: Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 4340-CHEM4340/PHYS4340 TeachHouston Research Methods
  • BIOL 4398: Special Topics in Cell and Developmental Biology