SelectedWorks - Sowmya Anjur, Ph.D.

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Selected Works of Sowmya Anjur, Ph.D.

Science Faculty / Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program Coordinator / IMSA Medical Society Advisor

Dr. Anjur has taught science at various institutions for the last 22 years, and currently teaches Biology at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. Sowmya's classes have been developed to be mostly student-centered with many hands-on activities to develop and nurture student creativity and enhance articulation. She incorporates high tech, challenging and inter-disciplinary projects such as the construction of heart models, Arduino heart rate monitors and other bioengineering topics into her Physiology classes.

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About Sowmya Anjur, Ph.D.

Dr. Anjur has taught science at various institutions for the last 22 years, and currently teaches Biology at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. Sowmya's classes have been developed to be mostly student-centered with many hands-on activities to develop and nurture student creativity and enhance articulation. She incorporates high tech, challenging and inter-disciplinary projects such as the construction of heart models, Arduino heart rate monitors and other bioengineering topics into her Physiology classes.

Introduction to Analyzing and Evaluating Medical Terminology (Sowmya Anjur, N. Brennan and S. Saiyed) Open Access Books and Manuals (2020)

Illinois CTE Endorsement Area: Health Science Technology & Human Services Teacher and Student Editions

Articles (1)

Using Heart Models for Physiology Teaching and Learning (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2015)

Over the last few decades, there has been a shift in the classroom from a teacher-centered learning environment, with its emphasis on content delivery, to a student-centered environment focused on inquiry learning (http://www.nsta.org/docs/ PositionStatement_Scienti cInquiry.pdf). ...

Building and Supporting a Research to Publication Pipeline (Sowmya Anjur, Jean Bigger and Joyce Symoniak) Publications & Research (2022)

Participants in this session will learn how IMSA is generating and disseminating scholarship and incorporating students into its research to publication pipeline. We will also be discussing the benefits of including our student’s best work ...

Diverse Assessments that encourage creativity among gifted students (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2022)

Successful research driven projects in the science classroom (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2022)

Engaging Students Equitably in Biological Systems Modeling (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2022)

It has been my goal as an educator to engage students in meaningful and innovative assessments that are hands-on, engage their creativity and improve their interdisciplinary understanding. At the same time, the engagement need to ...

Diverse Ways of Assessing Students in Science (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2021)

Engaging students in equitable hands-on assessments (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2021)

I have successfully replaced written assessments with more equitable and innovative hands-on projects such as heart modeling and creating graphic novels in my classroom, which help improve student engagement and stimulate their passion for learning.

Diversity and Inclusion in the STEM Classroom (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2021)

A model of equity and diversity in STEM education has been developed, with applications to classroom pedagogy. This Equity and Excellence Model incorporates culturally responsive classrooms, based on diversity and equity minded practices. The diversity ...

Virtual High School Physiology: Hands-On Experiences During the CoVID Pandemic (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2021)

The CoVID pandemic has forced us to rethink our curriculum and allow for many unforeseen factors. Going virtual since March has affected teaching and learning and made it almost impossible for students to perform hands-on ...

Scientific Research and the Effectiveness of Presentations - The Student Inquiry and Research Program at IMSA (Sowmya Anjur and Dave DeVol) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

This presentation was selected from one of the four topics "Scientific Research and the Effectiveness of Presentation" in which we discussed IMSA's SIR program and moderated a workshop where teachers discussed how to encourage their ...

Engaging Student Interest Through Modeling (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

Adaptations of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Response to COVID-19 (Sowmya Anjur and Dave DeVol) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

Biomedical Engineering – An Integrated Approach to Physiology (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

The Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) is a residential school for students of Illinois gifted in Math and Science. Several programs are offered during summers through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the ...

High School Research Innovations: Glioblastoma multiforme studies (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), Aurora, Illinois, is a residential magnate school for students gifted in math and science. My Physiology classes have evolved over the past 15 years to be mostly student ...

Creating a Culturally Responsive STEM Classroom (Adrienne Coleman and Sowmya Anjur) Publications & Research (2020)

STEM Significance: Career Stability and Economic Development According to the Washington-based Center for Political and Economic think tank, the U.S. workforce could employ as many as 140,000 additional Black and Latino college graduates in STEM ...

June’s Learning Laboratory (David Lundgren and Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2020)

Objectives What is our mission? What do we do? Printing and Curriculum Outreach/Website How you can help!

Graphic Novels in Biology – A Novel Assessment Idea (Sowmya Anjur) Spectrum (2020)

Galileo once said, “You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.” (Goodreads, 2020). I have often pondered upon how best I could use this advice. I have been ...

Effect of Short Term Exercise and High Fat Diet on Skeletal Muscle miR133a (Sowmya Anjur, A Van Handel, R J Murphy, et al.) Faculty Publications & Research (2019)

Micro RNAs (miR) are small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miR133a is abundant in cardiac and skeletal muscle. In skeletal muscle, miR133a is best known for its regulatory role in ...

High School Physiology Innovations: the Arduino Blood Pressure Monitor (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2019)

Students in my Physiology and Disease (PAD) which is a Biology elective at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), Aurora, Illinois, measure heart rates and blood pressure to study the correlation between these parameters. ...

PhUn week 2018: An Innovative Approach to Systems Biology – Human Diseases Graphic Novels (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2019)

As a part of PhUn week, sponsored by the APS, students were given two class periods to research the disease states and create the graphic novels. Students were required to describe their diseases in terms ...

Diversifying the STEM Education to Career Pathway!!! (Adrienne Coleman and Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2019)

Education has always been a privilege. Most of us do not realize this. Opposition to the implementation of diversity and social equity has littered history. Many modern inventions and improvements were conceived under circumstances that ...

Diversity and Inclusion in the Science Classroom (Sowmya Anjur) Faculty Publications & Research (2018)

A Diversity, Epidemiology and social justice unit was incorporated into the Physiology and Disease curriculum in Fall 2016. Students discussed topics such as social and cultural influences on diversity thinking, and selective treatment in hospitals ...

Environmental Impact- Using Digital Media to Focus Student Learning (Crystal Randall, Sowmya Anjur and Donald Dosch) Faculty Publications & Research (2018)

Environmental issues are global challenges that our students will have to address in their future. Addressing these issues through curriculum helps bring purpose to students’ learning. We have developed a capstone project in our introductory ...

Engaging Students in Fundamental Biological Concepts Through UN Sustainability Goals (Sowmya Anjur and Donald Dosch) Faculty Publications & Research (2018)

Advanced Biological Systems is year-long introductory biology course for Juniors at IMSA. It is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, the use of which has been identified as an initiative for curriculum development. ...