Candidate for President-Elect:
Sue Karcher

Department of Biological Sciences
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907
phone 765-494-8083

karcher@purdue.edu

Education

B. A. (Biochemistry), University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
M. Sc. (Chemistry), University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Ph. D. (Chemistry), University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Postdoctoral work (Genetics), University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Postdoctoral work (Biological Sciences and Botany), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Past Positions

Present Academic Position

Assistant Professor with Tenure, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Academic Interests

Teaching Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology Techniques; Molecular Genetics; Human Genetics; Plant-Microbe Interactions

ABLE Activities/Service

• Presenter, 4 major workshops
  • 1990, Non-radioactive DNA hybridization experiments for the undergraduate laboratory: the Southern blot analysis
  • 1995, Expression vectors used in project-oriented teaching laboratories; and (given by S. Gelvin) Reporter genes and transgenic plants to study response to environmental signals
  • 2001, Blue plants: transgenic plants with the GUS reporter gene
  • 2002, (with Anna Wilson), Forensic Biochemistry: DNA Testing of Plant Material
• Presenter, 4 mini workshops
  • 1992, Isolation of DNA from gels
  • 1999, Student Reviews of Scientific Literature: Opportunities to Improve Students’ Scientific Literacy and Writing Skills
  • 2002, Allelic or Non-Allelic? Complementation Studies with Bacteriophage T4 rII Mutations
  • 2004, (with Darla French) A Lesson in Prairie Conservation: An Example of Collaborative Science Outreach to Local Community Schools through Cooperation between Local Industry and Undergraduate Students at a Local University
• Chair Workshop Selection Committee 1991-1996; co-chair (with Anne Cordon) 2002-2005
• Editor of ABLE Proceedings, Volumes 19-22, 1997-2001.
• Host of ABLE conference at Purdue, 1995
• Co-host with Anna Wilson of ABLE conference at Purdue, 2006

When I first came to an ABLE meeting in 1990, I found a group of people who were welcoming, open and willing to share their experiences and considerable expertise with others. Each year I leave the annual ABLE meeting with a renewed sense of excitement about teaching and with many new ideas to try in my classes because of my interactions with ABLE members.

ABLE has been successful in carrying out its mission of disseminating excellent laboratory exercises. ABLE has also addressed other topics, such as TA training. I look forward to the new directions ABLE will take while continuing to excel at publicizing excellent exercises. For example, ABLE will play an important part in helping to define the role of bioinformatics in the undergraduate biology laboratory experience. If ABLE is to continue to be an important resource for the next generation of biology laboratory educators, we must find ways to reach those who are now undergraduates or graduate students. Undoubtedly, there are other issues that the ABLE membership feels ABLE should pursue.

I would look forward to the opportunity to serve ABLE as president.