Tess Killpack

Tess Killpack is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Salem State University. She specializes in biology education, focusing on skill-building in introductory courses, active and inclusive pedagogy, and faculty professional development for inclusive practices.

• Lead Faculty for Biology Secondary Education
• Biological Systems (BIO105) Course Coordinator

Her research emphasizes pedagogical innovation, including equity-focused lab course redesign, scaffolding experimental design skills, and integrating inclusive teaching practices. She collaborates on projects involving DNA barcoding, remote-learning frameworks, and curriculum interventions for anti-racism in biology education.

Her publications span biology education, ecological immunology, and environmental science, with recent work centered on inclusive teaching tools like First-Day Info Sheets and Deep Teaching Residency workshops. Key presentations include invited webinars and practitioner workshops at institutions like Howard Hughes Medical Institute and DePauw University.

Scientific Awards:

• Editor’s Choice, Journal of Avian Biology (2013)

She has delivered numerous refereed and invited presentations on inclusive pedagogy, including collaborations with Bryan Dewsbury on the Deep Teaching Residency program. Her teaching portfolio includes courses in DNA barcoding, biology internships, and methods of teaching secondary science.