Weber State鈥檚 first postdocs get a start in (and out) of the classroom
Postdoctoral fellows at Weber State are gaining teaching experience while pursuing their research.
The Postdoctoral Research Opportunities for Greater Retention, Engagement, Scholarship and Success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (PROGRESS in STEM) Education Postdoctoral Fellowship has hired three fellows since its inception.
One of them, Collette Wilfong, taught undergraduate students about historical geology during the spring 2025 semester. She took students to locations like Antelope Island to study Utah’s geology. Since her research is focused on self-efficacy in the field, she simultaneously examined the impact of field research on her students’ academic self-esteem.
“I’m looking at how those kinds of experiences make students either believe they can achieve or whether it hinders them because they struggle in the field,” Wilfong said. “It’s about making these experiences positive, building self-efficacy and overcoming barriers.”
The other postdocs also taught courses in their fields of expertise: Kaitlyn Horisk led Principles of Environmental Science, and Kimberly Beck instructed Algebra from a Teaching Perspective.
PROGRESS in STEM aims to create a group of successful educators with research experience and is funded by a $1.24 million National Science Foundation grant.
Kristin Rabosky, an associate professor of physics and astronomy and one of four professors who helped secure the grant, said fellows in the program collaborate in the local community to broaden the university’s reach, run monthly journal clubs and conduct research with students.
“I love teaching,” Wilfong said. “I taught field geology when I was a grad student, and having 19-year-olds in the field … they have so much energy and are just really excited to learn. It’s a great space.”