Dr. Michael E. Held, a visiting professor of biology at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, presented a paper at a meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists held in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Held is in residence in Magnolia for the spring semester and was representing the Center for Teaching Excellence in Mathematics and Science located on the University campus.
He presented “Case Studies and the Non-major Science Course,” where he gave examples of providing case studies of scientific progress, ethics in science, genetics, evolution, and biotechnology built around the major concepts normally found in an introductory collegiate science course.
Finding that most non-science students are both interested in and fearful of science, Held has integrated examples of the above topics in ways that are related to their present and past experiences.
Held is a professor at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, N.J. He is working with Dr. Joe Winstead, dean of the College of Science and Technology at SAU, on several forest ecology projects while he in on a sabbatical leave. In addition, he is teaching a section of the general biology course for non-majors.
A native of Kentucky, Held received his B.S. from Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky., his M.S. in biology from Western Kentucky University, and his Ph.D. from Ohio University. Held also presided over the annual business meeting of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society, an affiliate of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, as the outgoing president of that scientific organization.
