DBER-SiT is starting a new project called "Humans of DBER"! The goal of our project is to create a way for SABER members to get to know one another, foster collaborations, and increase access to role models in our community. Our first feature as part of this series is Noah A. Courtney, a PhD student at Texas Tech Univeristy.My academic story didn’t start with science– it almost didn’t include science at all. Ten years ago, I failed out of college and enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. I joined the Coast Guard to have a direct and daily impact on people’s lives, and when I was medically retired, I deeply craved a civilian career that was grounded in the same sentiment of service. However, I didn’t think I would go back to school. The phrase “I never have to go college again” put a smile on my face; I never imagined that one day, I would look back during the first year of my Ph.D. and say that I love learning. Admittedly, I was skeptical when I enrolled in introductory biology at Harford Community College, but I was shocked at what I discovered. I found myself looking in a mirror: my passion for advocacy and service was reflected in my professors’ teaching and mentorship. I felt alone as the only non-traditional student-veteran in my classes, but my professors never let any of my questions about science careers go unanswered. While student-veterans may be rare in college STEM spaces, I was inspired by those instructors who assured me that I could be a scientist, and that my previous failure didn’t define the new career that I wanted to build.

Today, I am a biology education researcher because of great instructors– I want every student to experience how my community college instructors made me feel. During my first semester after transferring to a large university, I noticed a culture shift: I witnessed some of my classmates hesitate while asking questions in class and feel pressure to fuel their GPA rather than their curiosity about science. This tension led me to find the biology education research lab on campus, where mentors like Dr. Michelle Smith and Dr. David Esparza provided me with the tools to follow my passion for supporting and investigating the community college STEM contexts that built the foundation of my passion for science. Through my undergraduate career, I published my first paper and found a home in the SABER community, where I became connected with my current Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Lisa Limeri. Since 2023, I have attended three "big" SABER meetings and one SABER East meeting, where this community has only continued to provide me with role models and colleagues who share and reflect my passion for students and science. My favorite part of being a Ph.D. student is mentoring undergraduate students and giving them tools to explore and articulate their curiosity. Few things have felt as rewarding as supporting my undergraduate colleagues as they cultivate their own scientific ideas, sharpen their writing, and build quantitative analysis and science communication skills. If I could offer advice to aspiring biology education researchers, it would be this: Surround yourself with role models who make you better, let your curiosity drive your reading of the literature, and allow your passion to guide you through the frustrating moments of the research process.

If you have a colleague in DBER that you'd like to nominate to be the next Human of DBER, please submit your nomination here! Nominations are welcome for members of the SABER and biology education research community, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, staff, educators, and community partners who contribute to biology education, research, or inclusive STEM initiatives.