About Codon Learning

Codon Learning’s mission is to help all students succeed in biology and stay in college. We do this by helping faculty and students apply evidence-based teaching and learning practices, many of which are made easier with effective educational technology.

Our efficacy studies show that the platform helps all students perform better and that it's having an oversized effect on students who come to college less prepared.

Today, the platform is used in over 700 courses at many different types of colleges and universities. Our funding comes from the National Science Foundation and scientists who care deeply about improving science education.

Dr. Scott Freeman at the University of Washington—who’s known for his education research and textbooks in majors biology and evolution—describes us well:

“Before Codon, no one had ever designed a teaching and learning platform that implemented backward design and high-structure course design, much less insights from the cognitive science literature on metacognition and self-regulated learning. They are working at an entirely different level of sophistication than any company I’ve run across.”

Our Team

ALEXA CLEMMONS, PHD

Director of Product

After realizing her love of all things education while earning her PhD in genetics, Alexa pursued teaching opportunities in a range of college biology courses and eventually accepted a postdoctoral position in biology education research at the University of Washington. In that role, she used surveys, interviews, and round tables to gather input from biology educators around the country on faculty priorities for college curricula. She’s dedicated to helping students develop the skills and expertise they’ll need for modern careers, and she believes that begins by setting priorities in the form of measurable learning outcomes that emphasize higher-order thinking and competencies. At Codon Learning, Alexa is excited to support educators in the challenging but important process of starting with the learning outcomes and working backwards from there. In her down time, she can be found trying new restaurants, walking her dog Xander in the park, and doing crossword puzzles.

ASHLEY ROWLAND, PHD

Director of Customer Experience

Ashley has been with Codon Learning from the start, helping to shape the platform from the ground up. As Director of Customer Experience, she works closely with instructors to design courses that drive positive educational outcomes and collaborates with product and content teams to continuously refine the platform based on instructor feedback and best practices.

Ashley earned a PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder and was a Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Berkeley. In 2017, driven by a growing passion for education, she transitioned from bench research to biology education. She began postdoctoral research with Lisa Corwin, exploring the factors that influence student participation and success in science.

Having navigated college as a first-generation student from a low-income household, Ashley cares deeply about creating opportunities for students of all backgrounds to succeed. She joined Codon Learning to create courseware that will catalyze the widespread adoption of evidence-based teaching practices known to benefit all learners. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, and their dog, Sammy.

BEN ROBERTS

Chief Executive Officer

Ben became interested in evidence-based teaching after attending the first public Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching. A few years later, he collaborated with Jo Handelsman, Sarah Miller, and Chris Pfund to publish the seminal book on the topic—Scientific Teaching. This foundation inspired him to start Codon Learning, whose aim is to use technology to help faculty and students apply evidence-based teaching practices. Prior to Codon Learning, Ben founded Roberts and Company, a STEM publisher, which was acquired by Macmillan Learning in 2016. He served as VP of STEM for two years. When not in the office, Ben loves to read (mostly science fiction), spend time with Beau (a magnificent Australian Labradoodle), and train for Ironman 70.3 triathlons with his daughter.

Advisors

Our team of advisors brings a wealth of insights into how to scale paradigm changes in postsecondary education.

DR. SEAN DECATUR

Chairman of Codon Learning’s Advisory Board and President, American Museum of Natural History

As the former President of Kenyon College, Dr. Sean Decatur brings first-hand insights into higher-education administration as well as professional expertise in chemistry and biochemistry research, curriculum reform, and faculty evaluation. Throughout his 25-year career, Dr. Decatur has been an influential advocate for inclusive, evidence-based teaching practices and has supported the development of rigorous, data-informed methods for teaching science.

DR. SAUNDRA YANCY MCGUIRE

Director Emerita of the Center for Academic Success and Professor Emerita of Chemistry at Louisiana State University

Dr. McGuire is a leader in improving student learning by teaching students metacognitive learning strategies. She works with faculty and students to increase their understanding of the application of cognitive science and learning theory to increasing student academic performance. She is also interested in increasing the number of underrepresented minoritized and women students who pursue careers in STEM. Prior to joining LSU, Dr. McGuire spent eleven years at Cornell University, where she received the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award. She has delivered keynote addresses or workshops at over 400 institutions in 47 states and twelve countries. Her book, Teach Students How to Learn, is a Stylus Publishing bestseller. The student version of this book, Teach Yourself How to Learn, was released in January 2018. She is an elected Fellow of the ACS, AAAS, and the Council of Learning Assistance and Developmental Education Associations. She has won many awards including the 2017 American Chemical Society (ACS) Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students to Pursue Careers in the Chemical Sciences; the 2015 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Lifetime Mentor Award; the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE); and the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.

DR. SUSAN RUNDELL SINGER

President, St. Olaf College

Dr. Susan Rundell Singer has been a national leader in higher education reform, including serving as Director for the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation, on the NASEM Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education, and as chair-elect for the AAAS Education Section. Previously, Dr. Singer served as the Laurence McKinley Gould Professor in the Biology and Cognitive Science Departments at Carleton College for 30 years, where she had the opportunity to direct the Perlman Center for Learning and Teaching. Dr. Singer is a AAAS fellow and received the American Society of Plant Biology Teaching Award and Botanical Society of America Charles Bessey Award.

DR. GABRIELA WEAVER

Assistant Dean for Student Success Analytics and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Dr. Weaver is a leader in efforts to improve teaching in STEM higher education through professional development for faculty. She has served as Vice Provost for Faculty Development, and director of the Institute for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development (TEFD) at the University of Massachusetts. Prior to that, she was a professor of chemistry and science education and the Director of the Discovery Learning Research Center at Purdue University. In addition to her faculty development efforts, from 2004-2012, she directed the Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE), a project dedicated to involving undergraduate students in research experiences. In 2012, she was elected as a AAAS Fellow for her contributions to transforming science education at the undergraduate level. She has been a co-author on two chemistry textbooks, the 2015 book Transforming Institutions: Undergraduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, the 2020 book A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research, as well as numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and reports of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM).

John Campbell

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John Campbell

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