Laura Almstead, PhD
Senior Lecturer
PRONUNCIATION lor-a alm-sted (sounds like instead with alm instead of in)
PRONOUNS she/her
- Postdoctoral Research, Department of Genetics, Yale University
- Ph.D. Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, 2007
- B.A. Chemistry, Williams College, 2001
- Plant Biology
- Nutrition and Food Sciences
BIO
My primary appointment is with Plant Biology where I contribute to teaching mixed-majors introductory biology. I have a secondary appointment in Nutrition and Food Sciences and teach two required courses, Kitchen Science and Introduction to Biochemistry, as well as a food science focused Honors College Sophomore Seminar. In each I strive to grab students’ interest and show students how and why what they’re learning is directly applicable to their everyday lives and future goals.
The scientific process is a running theme in BIOL 1400/1450. Students in the courses have a wide range of trajectories, and this emphasis helps students build critical analysis skills beneficial for diverse disciplines and everyday life.
Food is an amazing way to teach science because it makes seemingly abstract concepts so tangible. Both Kitchen Science and my HCOL course explore scientific concepts that explain why foods do what they do in the kitchen. Kitchen Science includes labs and emphasizes data analysis, presentation, and interpretation skills, while my HCOL course emphasizes experimental design. I love watching material “come alive” for students in our classes and activities.
Metabolism has always fascinated me because it explains so many different things: from why a gram of fat is more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrate to why illegal diet drugs are so deadly. In Introduction to Biochemistry, I help students build a foundational understanding of metabolic processes that answer these and other nutrition-related questions.
As a Center for Teaching and Learning Faculty Associate I have the opportunity to discuss teaching strategies that promote engagement and help faculty effectively use teaching technologies.
Courses
- NFS 1072 Kitchen Science
- NFS 2183 Introduction to Biochemistry
- HCOL 2000 There's Science in My Food
- Biology 1400 Principles of Biology 1
- Biology 1450 Principles of Biology 2
Awards and Achievements
- Carrigan Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Advising, 2017
- Nominated for Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award, 2013 and 2015
Area(s) of expertise
- Biochemistry and metabolism
- Cell biology
- Food science
Bio
My primary appointment is with Plant Biology where I contribute to teaching mixed-majors introductory biology. I have a secondary appointment in Nutrition and Food Sciences and teach two required courses, Kitchen Science and Introduction to Biochemistry, as well as a food science focused Honors College Sophomore Seminar. In each I strive to grab students’ interest and show students how and why what they’re learning is directly applicable to their everyday lives and future goals.
The scientific process is a running theme in BIOL 1400/1450. Students in the courses have a wide range of trajectories, and this emphasis helps students build critical analysis skills beneficial for diverse disciplines and everyday life.
Food is an amazing way to teach science because it makes seemingly abstract concepts so tangible. Both Kitchen Science and my HCOL course explore scientific concepts that explain why foods do what they do in the kitchen. Kitchen Science includes labs and emphasizes data analysis, presentation, and interpretation skills, while my HCOL course emphasizes experimental design. I love watching material “come alive” for students in our classes and activities.
Metabolism has always fascinated me because it explains so many different things: from why a gram of fat is more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrate to why illegal diet drugs are so deadly. In Introduction to Biochemistry, I help students build a foundational understanding of metabolic processes that answer these and other nutrition-related questions.
As a Center for Teaching and Learning Faculty Associate I have the opportunity to discuss teaching strategies that promote engagement and help faculty effectively use teaching technologies.
Courses
- NFS 1072 Kitchen Science
- NFS 2183 Introduction to Biochemistry
- HCOL 2000 There's Science in My Food
- Biology 1400 Principles of Biology 1
- Biology 1450 Principles of Biology 2
Awards and Achievements
- Carrigan Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Advising, 2017
- Nominated for Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award, 2013 and 2015
Areas of Expertise
- Biochemistry and metabolism
- Cell biology
- Food science