Dr. Stephanie L. Mathews |Best Researcher Award
Professional Biography
Dr. Stephanie L. Mathews is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University, where she has served since August 2023. She brings extensive experience in microbiology research and innovative teaching methodologies to her role, specializing in General Microbiology and Scientific Inquiry in Microbiology courses.
Academic Background
Dr. Mathews earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Forest Biomaterials from North Carolina State University in 2015, where her doctoral research focused on expressing, purifying, and characterizing recombinant lignocellulose degrading enzymes. Her groundbreaking work included isolating bacteria from pulping waste, sequencing genomes, and characterizing growth patterns and lignocellulose deconstruction processes. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a B.A. in Biology in December 2010.
Research Excellence
Dr. Mathews has established herself as a leading researcher in industrial microbiology and environmental biotechnology. Her research portfolio includes:
- Industrial Enzyme Discovery: During her postdoctoral research at NC State (2015-2016), she focused on identifying industrial enzymes from the microbiomes of household insects, working with renowned researchers Dr. Rob Dunn and Dr. Amy Grunden.
- Lignocellulose Biodegradation: Her doctoral work resulted in the isolation and characterization of Paenibacillus glucanolyticus, a bacterium capable of degrading pulping waste and deconstructing lignocellulose materials.
- Antibiotic Discovery: Recent research has involved screening soil microorganisms and various environmental samples for novel antibiotic-producing bacteria, contributing to the global effort to combat antibiotic resistance.
Teaching Innovation and Leadership
Dr. Mathews is recognized as an innovative educator who has transformed undergraduate biology education through evidence-based teaching practices. Her teaching philosophy centers on active learning, inclusive pedagogy, and course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs).
Key Teaching Innovations:
- Tiny Earth Implementation: As a certified Tiny Earth trainer and partner instructor, she has successfully integrated authentic research experiences into undergraduate microbiology courses, engaging students in antibiotic discovery from environmental samples.
- Active Learning Pioneer: Dr. Mathews is a graduate of multiple prestigious teaching development programs, including the Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Fellowship and the NSF-Research Coordination Network High-throughput Inquiry-based case study for Today’s Students (HITS) Fellowship.
- Course Redesign Expert: She has redesigned multiple courses using Universal Design for Learning principles, flipped classroom methodologies, and problem-based learning approaches.
Publications and Scholarly Impact
Dr. Mathews has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals including Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Royal Society Open Science, and the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. Her research has been cited extensively, with particular impact in the areas of:
- Bacterial biodegradation of industrial waste streams
- Characterization of extremophile enzymes
- Antibiotic resistance in environmental bacteria
- Course-based undergraduate research education
Notable publications include her work on Paenibacillus glucanolyticus genome sequencing and characterization, glycoside hydrolase genes in Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence, and evidence-based teaching practices in undergraduate biology education.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Mathews has received numerous awards recognizing both her research excellence and teaching innovation:
- Research Recognition: First Place, NCSU Graduate Student Research Symposium (2015); Thoyd Melton Award from North Carolina ASM Branch (2014); First Place, Eastman Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Research Competition (2013)
- Teaching Excellence: Multiple faculty development grants for educational innovation; DELTA Express Grant for student engagement technologies (2024)
- Fellowship Honors: USDA National Needs Fellowship (2011-2015); NSF I-Corps program participant
Professional Service and Leadership
Dr. Mathews demonstrates exceptional commitment to professional service:
- Leadership Roles: Treasurer of the North Carolina Branch of the American Society of Microbiology; Former Chair of Faculty Senate at Campbell University; Website Coordinator for the North Carolina Academy of Science
- Educational Leadership: Tiny Earth Training Leadership team member; Facilitator for national Tiny Earth workshops; Mentor for STEM diversity programs
- Scientific Community: Active member of multiple professional societies; Regular presenter at national and international conferences; Peer reviewer for scientific journals
Current Focus and Future Directions
At North Carolina State University, Dr. Mathews continues to advance both research and education in microbiology. Her current work focuses on:
- Developing innovative laboratory experiences that combine authentic research with rigorous pedagogy
- Investigating environmental microorganisms for biotechnological applications
- Leading national efforts in biology education reform through the PALM network
- Mentoring the next generation of scientists through inclusive teaching practices
Dr. Mathews represents the modern scientist-educator, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge research with transformative teaching to prepare students for careers in the biological sciences while advancing our understanding of microbial systems and their applications to environmental and industrial challenges.