FAIRMONT — Fairmont State University, in conjunction with West Virginia Wesleyan College, has been awarded $4,000 in grant funding from West Virginia Science and Research to support faculty development.

The funding will allow Kristy Henson, Assistant Professor of Forensic Science at Fairmont State, and Dr. Greg Popovich, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at West Virginia Wesleyan, to attend the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society annual meeting in Portland, Oregon in May.

The professors hope to learn new, engaging ways to teach anatomical concepts in their courses, as the conference is known for highlighting ways to get students interested in learning such concepts.

After attending the conference, Henson and Popovich intend to share the practices and other information learned with faculty at their respective institutions. 

“Dr. Greg and I understand that Appalachian students learn differently and we hope to return to West Virginia with new techniques and approaches that we can integrate in our various STEM courses to help all of our students succeed,” Henson said. “We also plan on doing a nightly vlog to share what we learn with our fellow STEM colleagues.” 

Many students who major in STEM fields struggle with science courses, as do non-science majors who are required to complete a science course to fulfill graduation requirements. These educators are trying to maintain students’ interest in science and teach them the principles they need to be successful in their career fields.