We at the TLC are excited to welcome Şule Aksoy as our new Research Associate/Postdoctoral Fellow. Şule comes to the TLC from Syracuse University, where she received her PhD in Science Education. We spoke to Şule to learn more about what drives her work.

What inspired you to study science teaching?

I guess it’s a collection of things, people, places, and feelings. I was generally good at science, and I also found it challenging and cool. From a young age, my parents always steered me to work hard whatever I pursued and encouraged me to study the sciences. Also, I still remember how my middle school science teacher created opportunities to explore Newtonian mechanics in everyday contexts. Or how my college professor helped me understand complex phenomena in quantum physics class through interactive and meaningful ways. When I was in my sophomore year in college, it was there that I discovered academia, research, and science learning both in formal and informal spaces. I was also volunteering at a botanical garden in Istanbul, and I realized that the only thing I loved more than teaching was sharing that love with the public and working with science teachers. So, I’d say all these things inspired me to study science teaching. 

Can you tell us a little about your dissertation?

My dissertation focuses on understanding the link between postsecondary STEM teaching practices, organizational climate, and professional identity. Specifically, it quantitatively explores the organizational environment for instructional improvement in undergraduate STEM, the impact of departmental and institutional elements on identity development, and the mediating effect of student-centered practices on teacher identity. It also examines differences by career stage (graduate student instructor vs. faculty) and social markers such as gender and ethnic identity. Interviews showed how marginalized communities navigate the professional culture of science and how their teacher identity intersects with ethnic and gender identities. The most exciting finding was documenting the differences between senior faculty and early career instructors, including the graduate teaching assistants. My research shows that early-career instructors are underserved in STEM instructional improvement. Lack of support systems, resources, and negative experiences within academia results in devaluing teaching. Thus, I look forward to continuing research on doctoral socialization and identity development among graduate instructors. 

What’s a favorite teaching moment you’ve experienced as a student or as a teacher?

I have many favorite teaching moments. I love when my former students see me in public spaces and come up to share what they have been up to. It is always a pleasure to see your students succeed. One of my students who immigrated to the US to study told me that I have been a great role model, and she hopes to become a teacher like me. I will never forget that. It made me incredibly happy. But I’d say a more memorable and strange moment was the unexpected feedback I got from an emeritus professor from the earth science department at Syracuse University. I was teaching this introductory chemistry class in a windowless dark auditorium one semester (before the pandemic). I always keep the classroom doors open while teaching. This professor kept standing at the door and listening to my class occasionally throughout the semester. I remember he made me feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. I thought I was saying something wrong about the content or doing something wrong. One day, before I started the class, he came up to the teaching station, asked me questions about the course, complimented me on my communication with students and how I managed classroom discussion. He was surprised that I knew all my students’ names. It was a stressful experience at first, but now it’s one of my favorite teaching moments. Although I saw him after that in the building, I still think he was part of my imagination ☺ 

What will you be working on at the TLC?

I will be working on a STEM addendum to the TLC Handbook that will address the needs of STEM graduate instructors at the GC. Related to that work, I look forward to meeting STEM instructors at the GC and having conversations about their experiences. I am excited about collaborating with them and my colleagues at the TLC to develop programs for equitable and effective teaching. I also started working at the STEM Pedagogy Institute. We plan to bring together faculty members and graduate student instructors to explore and curate inclusive teaching practices. I have been thinking about research that might emerge from this work, developing curricular materials for the institute, and future funding opportunities. I am thrilled to be part of this work because of its collaborative and interdisciplinary nature and its capacity to help CUNY undergraduates pursue their STEM-related careers. 

Do you have any recommended reading/podcasts/videos etc., for someone looking for an introduction to your subfield?

Off the top of my head, I could recommend two books I really like. The first one is Another Science is Possible: A Manifesto for Slow Science by Isabelle Stangers. I think it’s a great book about how we could make science more accessible to the public. The second book is Unsettled Belonging by Thea Renda Abu El-Haj. It is not entirely related to science teaching, but it explores the sense of belonging and navigating social identities in educational spaces. Lastly, I’d recommend Dr. Lucy Avraamidou’s work on science identity to introduce my subfield. I love reading her work! Her paper on the experiences of a young, Muslim, immigrant Turkish woman doing physics inspired me to study identity. 

What’s something you’re looking forward to doing in New York City?

I am looking forward to exploring the city’s diverse natural and sociocultural history, museums, art, and gardens. I love visiting botanical gardens and exploring plant collections. I also look forward to learning from CUNY folks who are incredibly talented, equity-oriented educators. 

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