Scott, Timothy Interim Provost and Executive Vice President

As a classically trained biologist, my early research interests focused exclusively on alligator research, specifically chemoreception, bacterial and parasitic loads, farming practices and variation of disease among different populations of alligators. I continue to serve as a member of the Crocodile Specialist Group, an international organization, and occasionally still review crocodilian and other herpetology manuscripts. In 2000, I moved into a new research area more consistent with my role as Associate Dean. Currently, my research focuses on raising science achievement levels of K20 students and teachers. Through the Center for Mathematics and Science Education, which I co-direct, we focus on four primary areas: 1) recruitment, retention and preparation of pre-service mathematics and science teachers; 2) professional development of existing in-service mathematics and science teachers; 3) research on learning and teaching of science and mathematics, and 4) science and mathematics education policy. For research to be relevant to our students and teachers of Texas, much of the work of the Center focuses on Texas K12 science and mathematics. However, much of what is learned through our research has national applications, and every effort is made to publish findings in national peer-reviewed journals and present to national audiences. Additionally, I engage in research on science and mathematics achievement at the college level, recruitment and retention practices for traditionally underrepresented students, seamless transfer programs, and broadening the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pipeline at all levels. My group has examined high school characteristics to predict likely success in College of Science majors at TAMU. This work continues as we begin to disaggregate the data to determine how ethnicity influences such predictors.