DEPARTMENT: Biology Dept
POSITION: Professor of Biochemistry
DEPARTMENT: Chemistry Dept
POSITION: Professor of Biochemistry
DEPARTMENT: MA in Biomedicine
POSITION: Professor of Biochemistry
LOCATION: Main Campus, Harrisonburg | SSC 026H
PHONE: (540) 432-4403
EMAIL: cessnas@emu.edu
Steve received his BA in chemistry and biochemistry in Colorado in 1991 and then taught middle school math and science in Lesotho in southern Africa. After returning to the US in 1995, getting married and moving to Indiana, Steve finished a PhD degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2000. At EMU, Steve teaches courses in chemistry, biochemistry, plant physiology and sustainable agriculture.
Dr. Cessna’s research interests include:
- STEM student retention
- Teach the nature of science
- Assessing means of teaching through course-embedded research projects in college settings
- Measuring oxidant and anti-oxidant content in plants responding to stresses
- Comparing photosynthesis, antioxidant content, and growth of various plants in different stress conditions
B.A. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder (5/1991)
Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Purdue University (8/2000)
Visiting Research Fellow in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, (8/2007-5/2008)
Peer reviewed publications in the past ten years (For a list including previous publications, see scholar.google.com):
Past ten years:
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh, Improving retention through teaching strategies and peer tutoring. A talk for the 254th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Washington D.C., August, 2017
S Cessna, L Britt, A grounded theory study of undergraduate student identity and their (mis)understanding the nature of science and chemistry. A talk for the Biennial Conference for Chemistry Education, Northern Colorado University, Greeley, CO, August, 2016
S Cessna, A qualitative assessment of student experience of an authentic research project in general chemistry. A talk for the Biennial Conference for Chemistry Education, Northern Colorado University, Greeley, CO, August, 2016
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh, Early authentic research projects and teaching the nature of science. An invited talk for the Biennial Conference for Chemistry Education, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, August 4, 2014
S Cessna, D Graber Neufeld, Promoting learning through authentic and relevant research experiences in environmental monitoring and remediation across ten chemistry and biology courses. A poster presentation to the Council for Undergraduate Research Pre-ISSOTL Symposium, October 2, 2013
S Cessna, Teaching the Nature of Science through Inquiry in Chemistry, an invited presentation for the Summer Physics and Chemistry Modeling Workshops for High School Teachers , Ohio State STEM Outreach, New Albany High School, New Albany, OH, 6/27/2013
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh. Promoting learning through authentic and relevant research experiences in environmental monitoring and remediation across ten chemistry and biology courses. Invited poster presentation to the NSF/AAAS TUES/CCLI Primary Investigators Biannual Meeting, Washington D.C. 2/2013
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh. Workshop: Authentic Research Projects in the Teaching Lab: Inception, Implementation, and Assessment for Learning, NSF/AAAS TUES/CCLI Primary Investigators Biannual Meeting , Washington D.C., 2/2013
S Cessna, L Leaman. Promoting learning through authentic and relevant research experiences in environmental monitoring and remediation across ten chemistry and biology courses. Invited oral presentation to the 244th Biannual Meeting of the American Chemical Society , Philadelphia, PA, 8/2012
T Kishbaugh, S Cessna, D Graber Neufeld. Service learning to enhance the environmental chemistry curriculum. Oral presentation to the 22nd Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education, State College, PA, 8/1/2012
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh. Tracking the development of the nature of science understanding over an undergraduate STEM career. Oral presentation to the 22nd Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education, State College, PA, 8/1/2012
S Cessna, T Kishbaugh. A report on using copper phytoremediation projects for teaching second semester general chemistry concepts and skills. Invited oral presentation to the 22nd Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education, State College, PA, 7/31/2012
T Kishbaugh, S Cessna. Implementing a ‘Research Across the Curriculum’ program in the chemistry and biology departments. Oral presentation to the 22nd Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education, State College, PA, 7/29/2012
S Cessna, T Flanagan, D Graber Neufeld, SJ Horst, T Kishbaugh, L Leaman, M Siderhurst. Promoting Learning through Authentic and Relevant Research Experiences in Environmental Monitoring and Remediation across Ten Chemistry and Biology Courses. Poster Presentation: Biennial meeting of the NSF-CCLI Primary Investigators, February, 2011.
Flanagan, Horst, Leaman, Cessna. Cross-disciplinary collaboration on rubric development. Panel Presentation: The Annual Conference of the Virginia Education Research Association, September, 2010
Leaman, Siderhurst, Cessna, Flanagan, Graber Neufeld, Horst, Kishbaugh. Collaborating for Rubrics. Panel Presentation: EMU Fall Faculty and Staff Conference; EMU, August, 2010
