Susan M. Merkel

Department of Microbiology
Cornell University
111 Wing Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-5701

Phone: (607) 254-2767
Fax: (607) 255-3904
E-Mail: smm3@cornell.edu

As a senior lecturer in Microbiology, my current professional focus is on incorporating student-centered learning into our many different classroom environments.   I am currently coordinator of the General Microbiology Lab (BioMi 291), where we are working to incorporate more investigative learning into the lab course so that every activity starts with a question that students answer through experimentation.  In the BioMi 290 General Microbiology Lecture course, I developed a series of web-based case studies in molecular microscopy, as well as a number of animations on microbial processes (see URL’s below).  I encourage anyone interested in more curricular activities in microbiology to go to the American Society for Microbiology’s MicrobeLibrary (http://www.microbelibrary.org).
                                       

In addition, I teach a graduate level teaching course called “Current Topics in Microbiology Teaching” (BioMi 796). In this class, graduate students learn how to develop, grade and evaluate teaching materials that we use in the lab and lecture classes.

I teach a new course for freshman called “The Weird and Wonderful World of Microbes” which introduced students to microbiology through discussions, exploring the primary research and experimentation.

Recent Publications

Educational

Merkel, SM, M Dispensa, WC Ghiorse. 2006. An Evaluation of Web-Based Case Studies in Microscopy. Microbiology Education (7(1) 12-19.

Silberman, RG, C. Trautman, and SM Merkel. 2004. Chemistry at a Science Museum.  Journal of Chemistry Education (81) 51.

Merkel, SM.,  L.B. Walman^, and J.S. Leventhal. 2000.   An Evaluation of Computer Based Instruction in Microbiology.  Microbiology Education. (1) 14-19.

Nicholls, C., SM Merkel and ML Cordts. 1996.  The Effect of Computer Animation on Students' Understanding of Microbiology.  Journal of Research on Computing Education. 28(3): 359-371.

 

Curricular

Breakwell, D.  SM Merkel, J Haggart, S Pfiffner. 2006. An In-class Growth Curve Critical-Thinking Active-Learning Activity. . In: The MicrobeLibrary, Curriculum Collection. American Society for Microbiology.

Merkel, SM, WC Ghiorse, M Dispensa. 2005. Case Studies in Microscopy. In: The MicrobeLibrary American Society for Microbiology.

Merkel. SM  2004.  Selected animations of microbial processes. Merlot.

Merkel, S.M.  A Collection of In-class Activities in Microbiology. 2003. In: The MicrobeLibrary American Society for Microbiology.

Merkel, S.M.  Bacterial Cell Envelopes and Antibiotics: A Classroom Activity.  2001. . In: The MicrobeLibrary American Society for Microbiology.

Research

Harvell CD, Jordan-Dahlgren E, Merkel S, Rosenberg E, Raymundo L, Smith G, Weil E, Willis B. 2007. Coral Disease, Environmental Drivers and the Balance Between Coral and Microbial Associates.  Oceanography 20:58-81.

Basiliko, N., PM Dees, SM Merkel, JB Yavitt. 2003. Methane biogeochemstry and molecular analysis of methanogens in two peatlands, New York State. Geomicrobiology Journal.

K.Kim, C.D.Harvell, P.D.Kim, G.W.Smith and S.M. Merkel. 2000.  Fungal disease and resistance of Caribbean sea fan corals (Gorgonia spp)."  Marine Biology 136: 259-267.