Lindsay Wheeler

A native Virginian, Lindsay graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S. in chemistry and a B.S. in forensic science. Lindsay received her M.A. in chemistry and M.A. in teaching from the University of Virginia. She taught high school chemistry before returning to the University of Virginia to obtain her Ph.D. in science education.

Lindsay’s primary work in the CTE aims to support evidence-based decision making about teaching and learning at the individual faculty level, department-level, and institutional level. She works with STEM faculty through the STEM Teaching and Learning Community (STEM-TLC) to support effective integration of evidence-based practices into their teaching. Lindsay’s departmental and institutional data work seeks to create systems and structures that can promote access to and understanding of teaching and learning-related data through cross-unit collaborations and a focus on data accuracy and ethical data use. As part of her data work, Lindsay also provides support for CTE programmatic and center-wide assessment to understand what works, for whom, and in what contexts.

Lindsay’s research includes both broad educational development and higher education research as well as more focused research on STEM education. Her research interests include better understanding the role of faculty teaching and SoTL professional development on instructors and their practices, exploring student perceptions of courses, and identifying the impact of various instructional approaches on diverse student populations. Published accounts of Lindsay’s work can be found in educational development, teaching and learning, and disciplinary STEM education journals such as:

• International Journal of Academic Development
• International Journal of STEM Education
• International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Journal of Chemical Education
• Journal of Research in Science Teaching
• Science
• To Improve the Academy

• 2024 New & Noteworthy – American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Chemical Education Research (CER), with Amanda Gonczi: "Finding the variables that react: Relationships between ability beliefs and student achievement in an inquiry‐based introductory chemistry laboratory course"
• 2022 International Journal of Academic Development Article of the Year Award, with Laura Cruz, Elizabeth Dickens, and Anna L. Bostwick Flaming: "Embracing complexity: an inclusive framework for the scholarship of educational development"
• 2021 International Journal of Academic Development Article of the Year Award, with Dorothe Bach: "Understanding the impact of educational development interventions on classroom instruction and student success"
• 2018 Robert J. Menges Honorable Mention for Outstanding Research in Educational Development, with Dorothe Bach: "Making Assessment Matter"
• 2015 Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research in Educational Development, with Michael Palmer and Itiya Aneece: "Not Your Granddaddy’s Syllabus: Investigating Student Perceptions of Course Syllabi"

• Board member, POD Network Core Committee (2025-2028)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Research on Science Teaching (2025-2029)
• Board member, To Improve the Academy (2021-2027)
• Editor-in-Chief, To Improve the Academy (2021-2024)

• Streifer, A., Wheeler, L. B., & Gravett, E. (Accepted). Student perceptions of faculty: A case of race and gender. To Improve the Academy.
• Lemons, M., Dewsbury, B.M., Wheeler, L., & Cavanagh, S. (2026). Assessment, Feedback and Grading Practices and Philosophies of Introductory Biology Instructors. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00261-25.
• Kalman, E., Wright, M. C. & Wheeler, L. B. (2026). Why Faculty Lead: Motivations and Benefits for Informal Pedagogical Leadership. International Journal of Academic Development. DOI: 10.1080/1360144X.2026.2655924
• McAlister, A., Garibay, J., Wheeler, L., & McDermott, J. (2025). Black and Latinx Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Perspectives on The Intersection of Engineering Identity, Social Identity, and Identification with Social Justice. Journal of Engineering Education, 115 (1). DOI: 10.1002/jee.70045
• Yik, B.J., Morkowchuk, L., Wheeler, L.B., Roksa, J., Machost, H., & Stains, M. (2025). Balancing Equity in General Chemistry: The Complex Impact of Specifications Grading on Student Success and Opportunity Gaps. JACS Au, 5(6), 2593–2605. DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.5c00210 
• Taggart, J., & Wheeler, L. B. (2025). Collaborative learning as constructivist practice: A qualitative descriptive study of faculty approaches to student group work. Active Learning in Higher Education, 26(1), 59-76. DOI: 10.1177/14697874231193938
• Lukes, L.A., Abbot, S.A., Henry, D.A., Wells, M., Baum, L., Case, K. Brantmeier E.J., & Wheeler, L. (2024) Impact of a regional community of practice for academic developers engaged in institution-level support for SoTL, International Journal for Academic Development, 29, 393-405, DOI: 10.1080/1360144X.2022.2135005
• Byon, H. D., Park, S., Quatrara, B. A., Taggart, J., & Wheeler, L. (2024). Examining the evidence on the statistics prerequisite for admission to DNP programs: A retrospective cohort study. Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal. DOI: 10.2196/57187
• Li, M., Pisano, S., Felder Marley J., Fernando, A.M., & Wheeler, L. (June, 2024). Integrating Precalculus into Calculus II and Its Outcomes. In 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. 
• Lukes, L., Abbot, S., Wheeler, L., Henry, D., Case, K., Wells, M., & Brantmeier, E. (2024). Strategic Planning Tools for Educational Developers Supporting SoTL Cultures and Programs at their Institutions. To Improve the Academy, 43, 1. DOI: 10.3998/tia.3492 
• Abbot, S., Lukes, L., Henry, D. & Wheeler, L. (2024). Presenting a theory of change for cultivating institutional-level SoTL cultures through a cross-institutional community of practice. New Directions in Teaching & Learning, 124, 91-102. DOI: 10.1002/tl.20581
• Taggart, J., Wheeler, L.B., & Dela Cruz, K. (2024). Getting started with SoTL: Supporting faculty with SoTL through a multi-faceted SoTL Scholars program. New Directions in Teaching & Learning, 124, 23-34. DOI: 10.1002/tl.20576

• Wheeler, L., Mandeltort, L., Nikseresht, F., Bredder, E., & Roksa, J. (April, 2026). Disciplinary Beliefs, Perceptions, and Performance: A Within-Student Comparison of Introductory Chemistry and Physics. A paper presentation for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) annual conference, Seattle, WA.
•  Garibay, J. & Wheeler, L. (April, 2026). Justice-Centered STEM Pedagogy and STEM Identity: Exploring Links Across Intersectional Identities in Higher Education. A paper presentation for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) annual conference, Seattle, WA.
• Wheeler, L. & Garibay, J. (November, 2025). Transformational STEM Consciousness: Conceptualization and Scale Validation. A research presentation for the POD Network annual conference, San Diego, CA.
• Wheeler, L.B., Cavanah, S. R., Lemons, M., & Dewsbury, B. (November, 2025). Every Future Begins in Conversation: 7 Asset-Based Pedagogical Feedback Strategies. A workshop for the POD Network annual conference, San Diego, CA.
• Kalman, E., Wright, M. C. & Wheeler, L.B. (November, 2025). Why Faculty Lead: Motivations and Benefits for Informal Pedagogical Leadership. A workshop for the POD Network annual conference, San Diego, CA.
• Cruz, L., Flaming, A., Wheeler, L., & Dickens, E. (June, 2024). The Scholarship of Educational Development (SoED) as Complex System. A presentation for the annual International Consortium of Education Development (ICED) biennial conference, Nairobi, Kenya.
•  Cavanagh, C.R., Dewsbury, B., Lemons, M., Wheeler, L. (April, 2024). Cultivating an Ecosystem of Asset-based Feedback in Introductory Courses: A Test Case from Biology. A workshop for the AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success (CLASS), San Juan, PR.
•  Garibay, J. & Wheeler, L. (April, 2024). Towards a Transformational STEM Consciousness: A Mixed Methods Study on a Liberatory STEM Outcome. A paper presentation for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) annual conference, Washington, D.C..
•  Wheeler L. & Dawdy, J. (February, 2024). Leveraging Generative AI as a Partner in Confident Interdisciplinary Teaching. A presentation for the annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy (CHEP). Delivered asynchronously.
•  Wheeler L. & Taggart, J. (February, 2024). Fostering Curiosity and Advancing Equity in the Higher Education Classroom. A presentation for the annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy (CHEP). Delivered asynchronously.
•  Wheeler, L. & Garibay, J. (February, 2024). What Does it Mean to Belong? Studying Sense of Belonging in Social Justice-oriented STEM courses. A research presentation for the SoTL Commons annual conference, Savannah, GA.

• Cavanagh, S., Dewsbury, B., Lemons, M., & Wheeler, L. (April, 2025). Amplifying Student Success in Introductory and Gateway Courses by Cultivating an Ecosystem of Asset-based Feedback. A pre-conference workshop for the Conference on Learning and Student Success (CLASS), San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Palmer, M., Wheeler, L., & Ellis, D. (November, 2024). Discovering Your Story: A Structured, Collaborative CTL External Review Process. A pre-conference workshop for the POD Network annual conference, Chicago, IL.

• Active Learning in Biology. James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Biology. James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
• Myths about SoTL. Tulane University, Online.
• From Curiosity to Contribution: Exploring the Power and Possibility of SoTL. Gardner-Webb university, Boiling, NC.
•  Publishing SoTL. Generative AI Teaching as Research (GAITAR) Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University, Online.
• Weaving SoTL into the Academic Fabric: Myths, Methods, and Mastery. Annual SoTL Commons Conference. Savannah, GA.

• Chemistry, cooking, and culture (CHEM 1330) - offered every other fall semester
• Research on Teaching & Learning in Higher Education (EDLF 7134) - no longer offered
• Teaching Science in Higher Education (APMA 3501/6548, CHEM 2559/BIOL 2900, CHEM 7011/BIOL 7110/PHYS 9030) - no longer offered
• Introduction to College Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 1411/1421) -no longer instructor
• Foundations of Chemical Principles (CHEM 1400) - no longer offered