Socrates Fellows Who We Are 2008-2009 Alfred Chappell
Alfred Chappell is a graduate student in Biomedical Sciences at UCSD studying gastrointestinal physiology. He has a B.A. degree in Biology and Chemistry and worked for some time in the pharmaceutical industry before pursuing a doctoral degree. Alfred hopes to become a professor at a liberal arts college or university mentoring undergraduate students.
As he looks forward to his experience as a Socrates Fellow, Alfred says: “Science is a subject that can excite and motivate students and can always be fun to learn. What's more, science requires the ‘core’ skills of math and literacy which can be incorporated into a variety of lesson plans that promote growth in all these areas simultaneously. The Socrates Fellows program is a fantastic opportunity to be closely involved with students and teachers in this way to improve science education.”
Alfred adds: “I have enjoyed working with middle school students and teachers in a variety of settings. My wife is a teacher in San Ysidro, and I had the opportunity to help with the middle school science fair and work with sixth grade students developing their science fair projects. Working directly with students, I found how excited and creative students can be while learning scientific concepts. Even students described as normally shy, or uncooperative, opened up and were very involved.” He has also worked with the Science Education Association of San Diego (SEASAND), a summer institute program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health to enhance science content knowledge for middle and high school teachers.
As a scientist, Alfred studies mechanisms regulating electrolyte transport in the intestines. This biological process is important because water and ion movements in the intestines are controlled through the regulation of osmotic gradients, and when these gradients become dysregulated in the gastrointestinal system, a variety of pathologies can ensue. At UCSD, under the mentorship of Dr. Kim Barrett, he is currently researching mechanisms regulating electrolyte transport by the intestinal epithelium.
