ROBIN COTTER

PhD Professor, Biology

Robin.cotter@phoenixcollege.edu

Robin Cotter is a professor at Phoenix College where she has enjoyed teaching biology and microbiology since 2005. Trained in neuroimmunology, her research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center focused on the role of inflammation in HIV-associated dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. An advocate for undergraduate research, she has helped over 200 students engage in research through both independent research projects and course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). Her current research focuses on the detection of microplastics and other contaminants of emerging concern in public water systems.

Committed to making research experiences accessible and equitable for all students, she currently serves as co-PI of the HSI in STEM (NSF #183254; 2019-2023) “Reinventing the Common CURE at 2-year HSIs (STEM-CURE) grant” and as senior personnel on the INCLUDES grant (NSF #2120021; 2021-2026) ALRISE Alliance “Accelerate Latinx Representation In STEM Education with Institutional Intentionality and Capacity Building for Experiential Learning.” In these roles, she helps train and mentor educators who are interested in integrating research into the STEAM curriculum at their HSIs.

She is also a certified trainer for the Tiny Earth CURE network and a former fellow of the Ethics Network for Course-based Opportunities in Undergraduate Research (ENCOUR) (NSF award #1727867), which focuses on the integration of ethics and the responsible conduct of research (RCR) in CUREs.