Stephanie Young, Ph.D.

Teaching Interests

• Principles of Biology (BIOL 115)
• Principles of Biology Honors Add-On (BIOL 298)
• Introduction to Physiology (BIOL 117)
• Molecular Biology of Cancer (BIOL 426)

Dr. Young’s goal in each of her courses is to encourage students to actively engage in subject matter, while facilitating the development of scientific and critical thinking skills that will be of benefit in future problem solving and career applications.  Dr. Young’s teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in developing students’ confidence in their scientific knowledge and creative thought processes to be used towards contemporary scientific problem resolution.

As an advisor for Biology majors within the Honors College, Dr. Young appreciates the opportunity to assist students in reaching their future goals by helping them to personalize their college experience to their future goals.

Outreach Interests

Past and present outreach activities are those that further public interest in the sciences.  Dr. Young has worked with numerous organizations to promote the biological sciences to all ages by working with local community organizations such as the Girl Scouts of America, Osher Life Long Learning Institute, Upward Bound, and WVU’s Chapter of National Collegiate Scholars March to College events, as well as global organizations such as the International Science and Engineering fair.

Dr. Young serves as the Faculty Advisor for the following Student Organizations at WVU:

• Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA)
• Students Optimistic for Curing Kids (S.O.C.K - IT)
• EMT Club
• Red Cross Club

Research Interests

Current research interests include the use of Active Learning and Problem-Based, Team-Based Learning (PTBL) at the collegiate level, as well as techniques used to assess the effectiveness of educational practices and interventions at the departmental level.

In her early career, Dr. Young’s doctoral research involved the use of modern techniques from molecular biology and nanotechnology to solve problems that faced the field of forensic science. Most notable projects include measuring RNA degradation from porcine tooth pulp to estimate postmortem interval and using molecular beacon probes designed to detect tissue-specific RNAs as a means of confirming the presence of biological fluids at a crime scene.