Dr. Tamara Western (she/her)

Role: Associate Professor, Biology

Email: tamara.western [at] mcgill.ca

Biography: Tamara has always loved reading, writing, and puzzles. Growing up, her focus was mystery novels, but later shifted to the genetics and development of organisms. This interest led her to get a PhD in plant developmental genetics from the University of British Columbia in 1998.  

As a professor in the McGill Biology Department starting in 2003, Tamara both investigated the production, cell biology and biomechanics of plant cell walls, and taught genetics, development and molecular biology. Through years of teaching and a brief sojourn as Associate Dean (Academic), she became increasingly interested in science undergraduate education.  

Now she investigates authentic learning experiences for science students both within and outside of classes as the leader of the Science Undergraduate Student Agency, Identity, and Learning (SUSAIL) research group, and seeks to foster her colleagues and students to work together to address higher education pedagogical challenges through the scholarship of teaching and learning in her research project course FSCI 396.