معرفی
Dr. Min-Ken Liao is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology at Furman University, where she has been since 2000. She holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. from National Taiwan University. Her research focuses on anthropogenic impacts on microbial communities in urban environments, including antibiotic resistance and bacterial diversity in streams and soils. She has led over 80 peer-reviewed publications and presentations with undergraduate researchers, supported by national and regional grants. Her work also extends to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), emphasizing evidence-based pedagogy and curriculum development.
Dr. Liao has been recognized with the Henry Keith and Ellen Hard Townes Endowed Chair (2008–2010) and the William R. Kenan Jr. Professorship (2021). She actively collaborates with scientists both on and off-campus, contributing to interdisciplinary projects. She served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Faculty Development Center (2017–2020) and has taught yoga and mindfulness to students, faculty, and community members.
Her teaching spans microbiology and genetics courses, including eight new courses developed since 2000. She has held editorial roles at the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education and contributed to national educational initiatives through the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
