Dr. Kimberly (Linenberger) Cortes
Chemistry Education Researcher
Alumni of the Research Group
Graduate Students
Ellen Humphreys
B.S. Agnes Scott College
MSCB Kennesaw State University May 2015
Member Nov 2013-May 2015
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Currently: Lab Coordinator Agnes Scott College
Kim Kammerdiener
B.S. Kennesaw State University
MSCB Kennesaw State University May 2018
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Member Oct 2016 - May 2018
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Currently: Chemistry Instructor KSU
Ellen used the Enzyme-Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory to develop a POGIL activities to correct students’ ideas and address misconceptions in biochemistry. This activity was field tested in biochemistry courses across the country and incorporating cooperative learning in order to foster discussion about difficult topics among students. The results of this study provide biochemistry professors at undergraduate institutions an new way to teach enzyme-substrate interactions and help students to better understand enzyme-substrate interactions.
Ellen also conducted a review of available science concept inventories at the undergraduate level. As part of this project she evaluated the inventories for content and quality of the instruments. The instruments collected are included and inventoried in the concept inventory database that is currently under development.
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Kim investigated how biochemistry students and experts read and cognitively process metabolic pathway images using biometrics (eye tracking and EEG) technology. A copy of her thesis can be found here.
In addition, she is investigated the representations that are used within one-semester biochemistry textbooks. She compared the types of representations used in text versus those used in assessment questions and what visual literacy skill is necessary to complete the assessment.
A copy of her thesis can be found here.
Dr. Sarah Holcomb
B.S. Kennesaw State University
MAT Kennesaw State University
EdS Kennesaw State University
EdD Secondary Chemistry KSU May 2019
Currently Teaching @ Harrison HS
Member August 2015 - May 2019
Sarah investigated how television presents chemistry and how this impacts student perceptions of chemistry and the scientific practices coming into a chemistry classroom.
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A copy of her dissertation can be found here.
Dr. Edwin Estime
B.S. Kennesaw State University
MAT Kennesaw State University
EdS Kennesaw State University
EdD Secondary Chemistry KSU May 2019
Currently Teaching @ McEachern HS
Member August 2014 - May 2019
Edwin investigated biology pre-service biology teachers' chemical understanding of the cycling of matter and conservation of energy in the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
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A copy of his dissertation can be found here.
Jenifer Calvert
B.S. Western Illinois University, Biology
MSCS Kennesaw State University July 2019
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Currently Teaching @ HS
Member October 2017 - July 2019
Robert Bice
B.S. Berry College
MAT Western Governors University
EdS Kennesaw State University
EdD Secondary Chemistry KSU Dec 2020
Currently Teaching @ Floyd County Schools
Member August 2017 - December 2020
Jenifer investigated how chemistry students use and cognitively process organic models during a chirality modeling activity using biometrics (eye tracking and EEG) technology. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
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A copy of her thesis can be found here.
Robert's dissertation research focused on determining GA rural high school chemistry teachers' views on inquiry instruction as it pertains to the chemistry standards directly related to the scientific practice of "planning and carrying out an investigation." He also looked at the barriers that were in place for these teachers to fully address these standards as written. His work was highlighted in the KSU Office of Research's Magazine "The Investigator" found here.
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A copy of his dissertation can be found here.
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As part of Robert's GRA he investigated how how a year-long protein modeling experience impacts undergraduate biochemistry students' content knowledge, scientific identity, and since of belonging in a community of practice centered around modeling biomolecules. This work was part of an NSF I-USE grant with Milwaukee School of Engineering and American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Undergraduate Students
Kobina Amoah
CBSURE Fellow
Currently at Georgia Perimeter College
Member: Summer 2015
Kobina will be 1 of 4 students selected for the 10-week Chemistry & Biochemistry Summer Research Experience (CBSURE) at KSU. His project will involve interviewing general chemistry students to determine what they understand of mathematical equations and graphical representations of pH, buffers, and rate laws. In addition, he will be investigating students' abilities in using these 2 types of representation to support one another.
Nyssa McCoy
B.S. Kennesaw State University
(expected graduation May 2018)
Major: Psychology
Member: Spring 2016
Nyssa will be investigating general chemistry students' perceptions of concept difficulty using a revised version of the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory (ASCIv2).
Zachary Farley
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduated December 2016
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Computer Science
Member: November 2013 - Fall 2015
Zachary will be investigating the impact of changing the orientation of the lowest priority group and the relative size of a molecule on students ability to assign R or S configuration. Representational efficiency will be measured for each representation. In addition students will also be assessed on their mental rotation ability and field dependence in order to see any correlations between these abilities and performance.
Zachary is also using his computer science minor in his research by developing an online database of science concept inventories. He has developed the database from scratch and will be conducting a usability study of the database with university instructors in the upcoming semester.
Will Medina
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduated May 2016
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Statistics
Member: June-December 2015
Will will use his minor in statistics to analyze multiple semesters of survey data related to chemistry students' development of scientific reasoning in general education science courses and analyzing the data to determine the types of representations found in biochemistry textbooks.
Rhodelle Lewis
CBSURE Fellow
Currently at Middle Georgia State Univers
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Member: Summer 2016
Rhodelle is 1 of 7 REU students participating in the NSF funded CBSURE program at KSU. She is investigating the types of representations uses in biochemistry textbooks in text and in end of chapter questions according to the Taxonomy of Biochemistry External Representations and Visual Literacy skills.
Chloe House
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduated May 2018
Major: Chemistry Education
Member: November 2013 - Fall 2015
Chloe helped develop and administer scaffolded laboratory materials for 4 different biochemistry experiments that have been added to the Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory. The experiments cover enzyme inhibition and reaction rate, protein molecular modeling, and a DNA restriction digest.
Chloe is currently investigating the types of representations used in one-semester biochemistry textbooks and how biochemistry faculty and students categoize typical biochemistry representations.
ChiChi Uba
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation May 2018
Major: Biochemistry
Member: June 2015 - May 2017
ChiChi investigated organic faculty and students' categorization of organic chemistry reactions using a card sorting methodology.
Justin Farmer
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation December 2017
Major: Biochemistry
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Member: Fall 2017
Justin is using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in chemistry process a modeling activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
Maryann Hill
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation December 2017
Major: Chemistry
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Member: Fall 2017
Maryann is using multiple statistical analyses, including string analysis, to investigate student and instructors categorization of representations in chemistry. In addition, she will be conducting cluster analysis to investigate students understanding of acids and bases across the chemistry curriculum.
Lana Aleuy
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduated May 2018
Major: Biology
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Member: August 2017 - May 2018
Lana is using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in chemistry process a modeling activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
Rami Mansour
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation May 2019
Major: Biology
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Member Spring 2019
Rami is using EEG technology to investigate how students in biochemistry process representations of metabolic pathways to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load.
Jesse Ifarinde
B.S. Kennesaw State University
(expected graduation December 2021)
Major: Biochemistry
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Joined Group May 2019 (CBSURE participant)
Jesse is using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in biochemistry process a virtual ligand docking activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester. His research is specifically supported by an NSF-REU grant.
Aana Hampton-Ashford
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation Dec 2019
Major: Biology
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Member January 2018 - Dec 2019
Aana is using eye tracking technology to investigate how students in organic chemistry process a modeling activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
Tia Gordon
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation May 2021
Major: Biology
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2019 Birla Carbon Scholar
Member January 2018 - May 2021
Tia is using eye tracking technology to investigate how students in general chemistry process a modeling activity depicting coordinate covalent geometry to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load.
As part of her Birla Carbon research, Tia will be analyzing the eye tracking and EEG data of students completing a 3D virtual modeling activity exploring the structure of prostaglandin H2 synthase. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
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Lisa Bateganya
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation May 2020
Major: Biology
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Member January 2018 - May 2020
Lisa is using eye tracking technology to investigate how students in organic chemistry process a modeling activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. As part of her honor's project, Lisa will be specifically investigating the cognitive load of an activity exploring elimination reactions by analyzing student EEG data collected while completing the activity. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
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Sienna Freeman
B.S. Kennesaw State University
(expected graduation May 2020)
Major: Biochemistry
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Member August 2018 - December 2019
Sienna is using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in biochemistry process a modeling activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. As part of her honor's project, she will be investigating the difference in students' cognitive engagement with different iterations of the activity and models. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
Tiyana McCullough
B.S. Kennesaw State University
Graduation May 2020
Major: Biology Minor: Psychology
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Member March 2019 - May 2020
Tiyana is using eye tracking technology to investigate how students in general chemistry process a modeling activity depicting coordinate covalent geometry to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in biochemistry process a virtual ligand docking activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
Tiyana is using eye tracking technology to investigate how students in general chemistry process a modeling activity depicting coordinate covalent geometry to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. using EEG and eye tracking technology to investigate how students in biochemistry process a virtual ligand docking activity to provide information on how to decrease the amount of extraneous cognitive load. This work is part of an NSF I-USE collaborative grant with University of Minnesota Rochester.
High School Student Interns
Shreya Krishnan
Wheeler High School 2017
Currently attending Georgia Institute of Technology
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Member: Spring 2017
Shreya investigated the representations that are used within one-semester biochemistry textbooks. She compared the types of representations used in text versus those used in assessment questions and what visual literacy skill is necessary to complete the assessment.
