Abby Grace Drake

Abby Grace Drake is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. Her work focuses on biology education research and evolutionary biology, with a strong emphasis on active learning pedagogy and equity in STEM education. She teaches courses such as BIOEE 1780 and BIOEE 1781, redesigning curricula to enhance student engagement and inclusivity. In 2018, she co-developed an online introductory biology course using active learning techniques, which proved vital during the pandemic transition to remote learning.

Drake's research investigates classroom environments that support underrepresented students and teachers, including studies on gender performance gaps and social psychological factors affecting academic success. She collaborates with the NSF-funded EDU-STEM network and has published extensively on equity in STEM education. Her evolutionary biology research employs 3D shape analysis to study canid domestication and felid morphology, with notable work on dog-wolf divergence and human chin evolution.

She serves as an active learning consultant, advising faculty across disciplines on pedagogical strategies. Notable projects include the 2018 Innovative Teaching & Learning Grant for online course development and collaborative studies on remote proctoring impacts and student mental health. Her work bridges education innovation and evolutionary science, advocating for equitable, evidence-based practices.