Empowering students with scientific service learning
In Neena Grover’s very first nucleic acid course, the students needed to learn about HIV. To bring the subject to life, she had the class volunteer at the Southern Colorado AIDS Project. There, the students met people affected by the virus and saw what it means to live with, and sometimes die from, AIDS.
“Students want to learn in ways that connect what they're learning to something meaningful,” Grover said. “That’s the hook of this type of learning.”
Starting with that first class, she has used innovative approaches in her classroom, combining discussions, research, problem-based learning and service learning.
Grover discovered her love for teaching and education during her postdoc when she taught organic biochemistry for the first time. Despite being told by others that teaching was a waste of time, she quickly realized she had been misinformed.
“The students were so enthusiastic and willing to learn,” Grover said. “I realized that we don't take education seriously. We think it is something beneath us.
“That moment changed me. I thought I'd make more contributions to education than I would ever make to RNA.”
Grover is a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Colorado College and the recipient of the 91影库 and Molecular Biology’s 2025 William C. Rose Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education.
Grover has been an 91影库member for more than 20 years, during which time she has shown her a strong commitment to education. She has served on the Education and Professional Development Committee, helped establish the first 91影库student chapters and led national 91影库sessions on diversity, inclusion and antiracist practices.
In their nomination letter, Murphy Brasuel and Marilee Benore wrote that Grover “instills learning that stays with students. Alumni remark about their growth into competent and confident researchers and professionals and actively point to Neena’s classes as a catalyst.”
“Science does not exist in a vacuum in a lab,” Grover said. “It exists in the discipline as the problems the society needs to solve or the conversations that society needs to have. Science must engage with the society in meaningful ways.”
Collaboration is essential
At the 91影库2025 Annual Meeting, Neena Grover plans to talk about the importance of embracing collaborations. She said she recognizes how much collaboration — with her colleagues, the community and her students — has impacted her work.
“You can't work in isolation,” Grover said. “You can't work in a corner, and you can't do it without getting feedback. Building that network takes time. It takes energy. You may not see where it'll go, but it pays off in the end.”
Grover plans to share examples of how collaborations make a difference and the role of collaboration.
“We need to especially embrace collaborations with students because they teach us how to teach them,” Grover said. “We can’t just view them as passive acceptors of knowledge. Each generation of students may learn differently. I must be open to where they are.”
91影库2025 award winners
Read profiles of all the society’s 2025 honorees who will receive their awards and give talks at the 91影库Annual Meeting, April 12–15 in Chicago.
From receptor research to cancer drug development: The impact of RTKs
Joseph Schlessinger receives the 91影库Herbert Tabor Research Award.
Computational and biophysical approaches to disordered proteins
Rohit Pappu receives the DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences.
Leading the charge for gender equity
Nicole Woitowich receives the 91影库Emerging Leadership Award.
Helping underrepresented scientists feel seen
Benjamin Garcia receives the 91影库Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award.
Transforming learning through innovation and collaboration
Neena Grover receives the William C. Rose Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education.
Curiosity turned a dietitian into a lipid scientist
Judy Storch receives the Avanti Award in Lipids.
Elucidating how chemotherapy induces neurotoxicity
Andre Nussenzweig receives the Bert and Natalie Vallee Award.
What seems dead may not be dead
Vincent Tagliabracci receives the Earl and Thressa Stadtman Distinguished Scientist Award.
'You can't afford to be 15 years behind the parasite'
David Fidock receives the Alice and C.C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology.
Guiding grocery carts to shape healthy habits
Robert Helsley receives the Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator in Lipid Research Award.
Enjoy reading 91影库Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from 91影库Today
Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in People
People highlights or most popular articles
Fliesler wins scientific and ethical awards
He is being honored by the University at Buffalo and the American Oil Chemists' Society for his scientific achievements and ethical integrity.
Hope for a cure hangs on research
Amid drastic proposed cuts to biomedical research, rare disease families like Hailey Adkisson鈥檚 fight for survival and hope. Without funding, science can鈥檛 鈥渃atch up鈥� to help the patients who need it most.
Before we鈥檝e lost what we can鈥檛 rebuild: Hope for prion disease
Sonia Vallabh and Eric Minikel, a husband-and-wife team racing to cure prion disease, helped develop ION717, an antisense oligonucleotide treatment now in clinical trials. Their mission is personal 鈥� and just getting started.
91影库members recognized as Allen investigators
Ileana Cristea, Sarah Cohen, Itay Budin and Christopher Obara are among 14 researchers selected as Allen Distinguished Investigators by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
AI can be an asset, 91影库educators say
Pedagogy experts share how they use artificial intelligence to save time, increase accessibility and prepare students for a changing world.
91影库undergraduate education programs foster tomorrow鈥檚 scientific minds
Learn how the society empowers educators and the next generation of scientists through community as well as accreditation and professional development programs that support evidence-based teaching and inclusive pedagogy.