Kathy Burleson

Kathy Burleson is a Senior Lecturer of Biology at Hamline University and an affiliate faculty of the Public Health program. She has published research in cancer biology and science pedagogy and is deeply interested in the intersection of science and society. Dr. Burleson advises in Hamline's pre-health professions program and is working on initiatives in the biology department to broaden diversity in science education. She earned her BA in Biochemistry from The College of St. Scholastica and her PhD in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Burleson’s current research explores representation of the human body in anatomy and physiology textbooks. She founded the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and has served as a reviewer and editor for the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. She is the recipient of the Anna Arnold Hedgeman Center Outstanding Faculty Award for her work on diversity, inclusion, and social justice and a recipient of the Spectrum Violet Award for her support of LGBTQIA+ students in the classroom. She received the John Wesley Trustee Award, and has also been awarded Outstanding Faculty by the Hamline College of Liberal Arts Alumni Board.

Dr. Burleson’s goal is to make science accessible to all students. She believes that beyond building a foundation of knowledge, it is important for the material to be relevant to students’ lives, and that classrooms should be active learning spaces where everyone can contribute. Her courses explore the connection between science and social issues, and labs are hypothesis-driven, where students propose research questions and bring their own materials to test in experiments. Outside of class, she hosts extra-credit movie nights and encourages students to be involved in advocacy activities tied to the course content.