Maggie Braun

Maggie Braun serves as Assistant Department Head and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, actively contributing to the HHMI Science Education Alliance (SEA) as a core program leader for phage genomics education initiatives.

Her scholarly focus integrates Microbiology and Genomics with pedagogical innovation in Science Education, specifically advancing undergraduate research through phage discovery and genome annotation. She spearheads development of critical resources including the Phage Discovery Guide, Bioinformatics Guide, and Phage Genomics Guide to standardize hands-on curricula across participating institutions.

Braun manages HHMI-funded SEA operations including nationwide faculty workshops and symposia, with recent leadership in the 2025 Phage Discovery Workshops and upcoming 2025-2026 events like the Phage Genomics Workshop and SEA Symposium. Her administrative role as Assistant Department Head further supports curriculum development within Carnegie Mellon's Biological Sciences department.

As part of the SEA team, she coordinates a collaborative network spanning 100+ institutions through platforms like PhagesDB and the Genome Exchange, facilitating resource sharing for phage isolation, sequencing, and annotation projects while maintaining active forum engagement for program participants.