Ariel Steele , Ph.D.
Lyman Briggs College, Holmes Hall, E-25D
919 E. Shaw Lane
East Lansing, MI 48825
United States
LBC Courses Taught
Education
- Ph.D. Higher Education, Auburn University
- M.S. Biological Sciences, Auburn University
- B.A. Biology, University of St. Thomas
Research
My research investigates the social and structural factors that shape undergraduate and graduate students experiences in biology. My research interests include investigating the mentoring experiences of undergraduate and graduate students in biology, understanding how the structural context of graduate education contributes to imposter feelings for biology graduate students, and characterizing neurodivergent students' experiences in undergraduate and graduate education. Current / Ongoing Projects: - Investigating how academic norms and values cause imposter feelings for biology graduate students - What sources of support to biology graduate students use to cope with imposter feelings - Understanding undergraduate students' perceptions of workload and mental effort in flipped, active learning courses.
Publications
Steele, A., & Parson, L. (2025). The ideal graduate student: How gendered discourses shape the experiences of women doctoral students in biology. Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, 18, 46-63.
Driessen, E. P., Steele, A., Costello, R., Brewer, P., & Ballen, C. J. (2024). “It let me merge my love of teaching with research”: A qualitative investigation of the career pathways of biology education researchers. PLOS ONE.
Schneider, J. R., Abay, T., Boessenkool, S., Falkeid Erikson, E., Holtermann, K., Martens, I., Soulé, J., Steele, A., Zazzera, S., van der Meeren, G. I., Velle, G., Cotner, S., Lane, A. K. (2024). Creating better internships by understanding mentor challenges: Findings from a series of focus groups. International Journal of STEM Education, 11(60). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-024-00518-y
Steele, A., & Parson, L. (2024). “Am I doing enough?”: Exploring how neoliberal discourses inform women doctoral students’ experiences in biology. Innovative Higher Education 50, 487-511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09745-1
Renbarger, R., Rehfeld, D., Saxon, T., & Steele, A. (2022). Representation has changed: The need to update graduate student development theory to reflect marginalized populations’ experiences in the PhD. Opportunity Matters: Journal of Access and Opportunity in Education, 20.