Karobi Moitra is an Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at Trinity Washington University in Washington DC. She received her PhD in 2008 and has over 13 years of teaching experience. At Trinity, she teaches a variety of biology courses from introductory genetics to cell and molecular biology. In her teaching, she emphasizes storytelling to engage students and help them learn challenging scientific concepts. She incorporates multimedia, activities, and opportunities for discussion. Her research focuses on genome annotation and its application to undergraduate research projects. She also works to incorporate teaching excellence into her tenure portfolio.

1. I Teach
What’s your Super power?
Karobi Moitra, PhD
CBL Professor of Molecular Biology
Assistant Professor (Tenure-track)
Department of Biology
Trinity Washington University
Washington DC 20017

2. Trinity Washington University: DC’s
Best Kept Secret
CAS - Traditional Women’s
College
Catholic University
Trinity Washington University

3. How did I get to Trinity?
2008
1999
Fall 2012
2003
8098 miles and 13 years later…. I reached Trinity

4. Trinity Washington University: DC’s Best Kept Secret
CAS - Traditional Women’s
College
Unique demographic
Catholic University
Trinity Washington University

6. Teaching experience…..

8. Developing a Teaching Portfolio
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Teaching strategies
• Teaching evaluations
• Teaching interests
• Courses taught
• Certifications
• Teaching Excellence Awards
• Websites and links
Slideshare, You tube etc.

10. • Introduced myself
• Talked about a model syllabus
• Handed out the syllabus
• Talked about a text book
• Handed out the book
• Talked about my teaching strategies
• Teaching demo

11. My teaching demo……….

13. Teaching, Research, Service and Collegiality

14. Research
Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor
• Start-up funding from the
Henry Luce Foundation
• Lab space
• Funding to employ students
• Collaboration with PXE
International
• Collaboration with the NCI

15. • Organized a workshop
on genome annotation
• Plan to incorporate
microbial genome
annotation into
undergraduate research
projects and the
undergraduate genetics
curriculum

17. Teaching
BIOL 103 Critical Thinking About Disease
BIOL 241 Introductory Genetics
BIOL 241 Introductory Genetics Lab
BIOL 341 Cell and Molecular Biology
BIOL 341 Cell and Mol Biology Lab
BIOL 451 Evolution
6 courses/ yr ~ 150 classes/ yr
Lectures- 1hr 15mins, Labs 3hrs
Exempted for the first year
6-7 students / yr

18. BIOL 451: Evolution students presenting their projects

19. BIOL 451: Evolution students presenting their projects

20. Teaching Strategies
in the Sciences
The Ancient Art of
Story-Telling

21. LECTURES
STORY-TELLING
PBL
GROUP PROBLEM
SOLVING
CASE STUDIES
DISCUSSION
MULTIMEDIA
LEARNING
MULTIMEDIA
TEACHING
• PPT PRESENTTIONS
• DESIGNING A
WEBSITE
PAPER CRITIQUE
INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES
USED IN BIOL
241
FUN
GENETICS
JEOPARDY
FUN
MOVIES
• YOU TUBE
VIDEOS
• DVD’S
WRITING
• TERM PAPER
• CASE STUDIES
• EXAMS
• QUIZZES

22. LECTURES
STORY-TELLING

23. Biology 241: Introductory Genetics Syllabus
The Monk who liked to garden: Introduction to Mendel’s laws of Inheritance.
The students will be introduced to Mendel’s Laws and their application in genetics.
The Search for the Holy Grail: Photo 51 and the double helix I.
The engaging story of the race to the discovery of DNA structure. In this module the students will learn: The principles of X-ray
crystallography, structure and function of DNA, and the scientists involved in elucidating DNA structure. Students will also be introduced to
the flow of genetic information (the central dogma of molecular biology).
Tears of the Cheetah: A story of genetic diversity.
The students will follow the exciting journey of scientists into Africa to understand why the cheetahs are an endangered species and which
facet of their genetic make-up led them to this untimely fate.
DNA detectives: A whale of a tale.
The students become detectives as they follow the story of scientists tracking down the illegal hunting of whales in Japan using modern
molecular biology techniques. In this module students will learn about the biology of whales, PCR technology and DNA sequencin g .
The Lion Plague:
Students will be introduced to the genetics of retroviruses, HIV/FIV, evolutionary patterns in FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), viral
interference, CDV(canine distemper virus) and detection of viral infection with PCR technology.
The Panda Roots
The phylogenic origin of the Panda will be covered in this class. The students will learn the basics of phylogenetic tree building and
molecular evolutionary approaches for solving phylogenetic histories.
The Way We Were
Students will be introduced to the human genome project, SNP’s, genome mapping and its benefits for society.
Genetic Guardians
The students will learn the genetics and epidemiology of the AIDS virus and how measuring genotype frequency & allele frequencies in
patients can uncover genes/mutations associated with disease/ disease resistance (in this case CCR5-delta32 mutation mediating HIV
resistance) .
A Silver Bullet
The students will learn the genetic basis of metabolic disease and the concepts of gene therapy.
The PXE story
Continuing on the theme of metabolic disease the students will be introduced to the genetic/metabolic disease Pseudoxanthoma elasticum
and will learn how to experimentally design a genetic study and the successes and pitfalls associated with scientific research.
The Story of Us
This class will acquaint the students with the epic journey of the human race as we set out to answer long-standing questions of where
humans came from, how we migrated and when we arrived in such places as Europe and North America. We will trace the migration of
human beings from our earliest homes in Africa to the farthest reaches of the globe and in doing so will discover that what makes us
different from each other is mostly cultural and less genet i c .

24. successful
Storytellers will tell
you…

25. It’s not always about what you say:
It’s how you say it

26. Where do You start?
Information overload!

27. Look for your story

28. The story of us:
the incredible journey of man
I read the entire book
and condensed it into a 45 min lecture

29. Step 1: Build the framework
for your story

30. Like this:

31. Step2: Add your Content

32. And you have the perfect storyline…….

33. Storytelling in the
sciences 101:
Deconstructing
the storytelling
process

34. 10. Have fun!
1. Find your story,
frame your concept
& engage the audience
2. Add an element of
mystery
9. Apply the concepts
in the form of
activities
3. Let the students solve
the mystery
8. Have a strong
take-home message
7. Make opportunities for
discussion
4. Incorporate
audio-visual
content
6. Integrate scientific
content
5. Emphasize that
people are as important
As their science

35. Contact information:
Karobi Moitra, Ph.D
Clare Boothe Luce Asst. Professor of Molecular Biology
Trinity Washington University
CAS, Science 203
125 Michigan Ave. NE,
Washington, DC 20017
Email: MoitraK@trinitydc.edu
Phone: 202-884-9225 (Office)