Steven D. Brewer

Steven D. Brewer is a Senior Lecturer II in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts, specializing in experiential learning through student-driven research in organismic and evolutionary biology.

Education

• B.S. from Alma College (1985)
• M.S. from Western Michigan University (1996)
• Ph.D. from Western Michigan University (1996)

Brewer's research centers on empowering students to conduct hands-on ecological investigations, including tardigrade/mollusk surveys, invasive species mapping (garlic mustard, earthworms), and invertebrate behavior studies. His work bridges natural history with educational technology innovation, developing open-source hardware/software for classroom use while maintaining strong ties to the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology research cluster.

Publication trends reveal a consistent focus on biology education transformation across three decades: foundational 1990s work on evolution pedagogy and phylogenetic software, early 2000s educational tools like the Data Aggregation Project, and recent (2015-2020) makerspace-driven environmental monitoring technologies using Raspberry Pi/Arduino platforms for K-12 STEAM engagement.

As a dedicated educator, Brewer mentors students through semester-long collaborative projects exploring unfamiliar topics, emphasizing how courses can serve personalized learning goals. His ASEE conference papers indicate involvement in service-learning grants for town-gown STEAM partnerships, though specific funding details aren't public.

Brewer actively contributes to campus makerspace ecosystems, particularly through interdisciplinary environmental monitoring initiatives. His Morrill Science Center lab supports student development of open-science instrumentation, connecting university resources with community-based ecological research and K-12 education outreach.