My research program focuses on finding better ways to teach science (on improving science education).  Since most post-secondary science and mathematics faculty receive little or no training in teaching during their graduate education, a major effort of my lab is to provide training for faculty in the most effective, evidence-based teaching strategies.  One way that we accomplish this is through the West Virginia Summer Institute on Undergraduate Science Education.  This is a 4-day professional development workshop on Scientific Teaching.  Scientific teaching is defined as "active learning strategies to engage students in the process of science" (Handelsman et al., 2004). The WVU Summer Institute is modeled after the successful National Academies Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology. 

In addition, the lab creates and evaluates innovative strategies for educating undergraduates and graduate students and offering professional development and fostering collaborations with K-12 educators.

Dr. Withers Home Page: http://community.wvu.edu/~mdw054/www/withershome.html

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Handelsman, J., D. Ebert-May, R. Beichner, P. Bruns, A. Chang, R. DeHaan, J. Gentile, S. (Miller) Lauffer, J. Stewart, S. Tilghman, and W. Wood. 2004.  Scientific Teaching. Science 304: 521-522.