Alex Paine, PhD

EDUCATION

PhD, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
BS, Biology, Buena Vista University

COURSES TAUGHT

Undergraduate Biology Courses

BIO 1305 Modern Concepts in Biosciences I

BIO 1306 Modern Concepts in Biosciences II

BIO 2306 Genetics

BIO 1V9R Research

BIOGRAPHY

Alex Paine earned her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a focus on Biology Education Research at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she studied the role of situated learning and peer-assisted instruction in undergraduate science education. Her interest in improving student success in introductory biology led to a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Irvine, where she researched the motivations of undergraduate Learning Assistants and the skills they develop through participation in the Learning Assistant program. Now at Baylor University, Dr. Paine focuses on implementing evidence-based pedagogy, active learning, and inclusive teaching practices to promote student engagement and success.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Introductory biology courses serve as critical gateways into STEM fields, yet students often encounter barriers related to course structure, assessment practices, and alignment of learning goals. Dr. Paine’s research examines how faculty can coordinate learning outcomes, implement evidence-based pedagogy, and leverage peer-mentoring programs like Learning Assistants to improve student performance and retention. Current projects include a department-wide initiative to align learning outcomes in introductory biology using national standards, the development of professional learning communities to support faculty in outcome-based teaching, and the use of assessments to track student conceptual growth over time.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Solanki, S., Paine, A.R., & Sato, B. (2023). Enhancing STEM Pathways for Diverse Student Success: Insights from the 2022 STEM Transfer Pathways Conference (Report No. 23-1) Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation, University of California – Irvine. 

Paine, A.R. & Knight, J. K. (2020). Student behaviors and interactions influence group discussions in an introductory biology lab setting. CBE – Life Science Education, 19(4). DOI:10.1187/cbe.20-03-0054

Durham, M.F., Knight, J. K., Bremers, E., Defreece, J., Paine, A.R., Couch, B.A. (2018). Student, instructor, and observer agreement regarding frequencies of scientific teaching practices using the Measurement Instrument for Scientific Teaching – Observable (MISTO). International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). DOI:10.1186/s40594-018-0128-1

Paine, A. R., Sato, B. & Arimond, J., (2026) “Driven to assist: Analyzing motivations and skill growth in undergraduate learning assistants at a minority-serving institution”, To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development 45(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.3998/tia.7151

Paine AR, Wilton M, Solanki SM, Ellefson M, Ferguson JE, Lo SM, et al. (2025) Reimagining the role of teaching-focused faculty in research-intensive universities: The evolution of scholarly expectations and departmental influence. PLoS One 20(10): e0334895. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0334895