Auburn University is recruiting NSF GRFP Honorable Mentions for fully funded PhD opportunities in Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER).
If your background is in biology—or another STEM discipline—and you are curious about how students learn science, how people develop into scientists, or how we can make STEM education more effective for all, this could be an opportunity to build a unique research career. You do not need prior education research experience.
What is the opportunity?
The Auburn University Center for Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) is recruiting a cohort of nine STEM PhD students through the NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program. Fellows will gain a unique multidisciplinary research experience through Auburn’s College of Science and Mathematics (COSAM) and College of Engineering, where established DBER faculty across Biological Sciences, Engineering, Geosciences, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics collaborate to address challenges in STEM teaching and learning. Fellows will earn PhDs in their home disciplinary departments while joining a collaborative cohort that integrates disciplinary STEM expertise with rigorous education research. They will receive mentorship, training, and professional development to prepare them for careers advancing STEM education, research, and innovation.
Fellows pursuing Biology Education Research will participate in research exploring how students learn biology and how evidence-based teaching practices can improve STEM education across varied learning environments. Our research group has broad interests, and fellows may investigate topics such as social models in STEM education, effective instructional practices, quantitative literacy, and the intersection of biology and society. Research approaches may include experimental and quasi-experimental designs, survey development and validation, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches, and analysis of large-scale quantitative data. Research will address grand challenges in undergraduate biology education, drawing on knowledge from disciplinary biology and learning sciences, to develop evidence-based recommendations with applications across all undergraduate classrooms.
Where could a PhD in Biology Education take you?
- biology/DBER faculty
- science education faculty
- STEM education researcher
- educational research/evaluation
- science curriculum and assessment
- informal science education
- educational organizations/nonprofits
- research positions in higher education
- STEM workforce/education policy
- faculty positions that combine disciplinary and education research
- Importantly, you will graduate as a scientist who can also conduct rigorous education research.
Preferred qualifications:
- BS or MS in biology, evolutionary biology, computational biology, or related field
- Interest in broad questions in biology education (e.g., social models in STEM education, effective instructional practices, quantitative literacy, and the intersection of biology and society)
- Experience or strong interest to learn quantitative and qualitative analysis
- Collaborative, team player, independent, and highly motivated
- No prior education research experience required. We are especially interested in scientists who are curious about how people learn science and want to develop expertise in both disciplinary science and rigorous education research!
NSF-specific qualifications (see submission portal for additional requirements):
- Named a GRFP Honorable Mention no more than three calendar years prior to this application (e.g., for 2027, applicants must have been named a GRFP Honorable Mention no earlier than Spring 2024).
- U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident.
- Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in an Auburn University PhD program at the start of the fellowship.
Funding and Program:
Two PhD positions will be fully supported (stipend, health care, tuition waiver). If selected as an NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellow, you will receive:
$37,000 annual stipend
$16,000 annual cost-of-education allowance
3 years of fellowship support
Up to 5 years to use the fellowship support
Before applying to the program, I encourage potential students to contact Dr. Cissy Ballen at mjb0100@auburn.edu. In this email, please include:
- ~3–5 sentences on what research you are curious about
- a CV with college GPA
The application deadline for the EGFP program at Auburn University is May 15, 2027.