Dr. Fernando Nieto is a Professor of Biology, and Director of the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) funded by the New York State Education Department. He is a Microbial Ecologist who is passionate about broadening the participation of Underrepresented Minority (URM) students in research at the secondary and undergraduate education levels.
In his eleventh years as chair of the Biological Sciences Department he has led the implementation of evidence-based pedagogy, aligning the curriculum with national undergraduate biology education standards outlined in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (2011) as a Partnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education (PULSE) fellow.
As part of his involvement in STEP, Dr. Nieto is interested in getting young minds to learn about science by doing the science using a TIME model, Thematic Inquiry-based with Mentorship and Enhancements. The initiative is focused heavily on the development of our student affective skills through a strong mentorship structure that leads the development content and process skills critical for success in STEM. STEP graduates pursue STEM careers at twice the national rates.