Rachel A. Bergstrom

Rachel A. Bergstrom is an Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the School of Health Sciences at Beloit College. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Neurobiology of Disease) from Mayo Graduate School (2012) and a BS in Biology from North Park University (2004). Her research focuses on epilepsy through EEG analysis and pedagogical strategies in STEM education, emphasizing group work and science identity development. She teaches courses in Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Cancer Biology, and Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Her research combines computational methods for seizure detection/classification with innovative approaches to STEM education. Recent work explores predictive epilepsy indices using spike waveform analysis and the role of metaphor in addressing diversity challenges in STEM. She advocates for translational research at the undergraduate level and civic engagement in scientific training.

Committed to student mentorship, she emphasizes building connections between coursework and personal growth. Beyond academia, she serves on the Rock County Board of Health and enjoys running, knitting, and sci-fi TV shows.