Nine University of Iowa undergraduates are now published authors, contributing chapters to a new open educational resource designed to help students learn how to read and analyze primary scientific literature. Their work appears in the Podcast Annotation and Resources in Microbiology Pressbook, a collection of classroom-ready teaching materials built around episodes of the This Week in Microbiology (TWiM) podcast. 

Developed by a team of microbiology educators with support from the National Science Foundation, the project uses the conversational format of TWiM to make complex research more approachable for emerging scientists. Each chapter—created by undergraduate students and working with faculty mentors—includes podcast timestamps, explanations of key microbiology techniques, links to transcripts, and assessment tools aligned with learning objectives. Students authors also designed figure-reading exercises based on the primary research highlighted in each episode, helping future learners practice data interpretation and scientific reasoning.  

University of Iowa Undergraduate Student-Authored Chapters 

Two additional chapters—authored by Ethan Chodur, Graham Crippen, Josefina Frisina, and Ella Morgan—are expected to publish in March. 
 

Iowa student authors developed chapters as part of their role as learning assistants in General Microbiology Laboratory. From this, they gained experience in scientific communication, data literacy, and backward curriculum design while developing these resources. All undergraduate authors were mentored by Regina McGrane, Associate Professor of Instruction in Microbiology, with support from her Microbiology Open Education Resources Fellowship. 

Collectively, the pressbook offers instructors ready-to-use materials aligned with the Vision and Change Core Concepts and ASM’s learning standards for undergraduate microbiology.