The Center for Life Sciences Education is proud to recognize Devan Mathie as the 2026 Outstanding Laboratory/Recitation Instructor. This honor celebrates his sustained excellence in teaching, mentorship, and commitment to student learning across both majors and non‑majors biology courses.

Students and colleagues alike praise Devan for his supportive, engaging teaching style and his ability to make complex biological concepts accessible through active learning. Known for his creativity, clarity, and thoughtful feedback, he also serves as a trusted mentor to new laboratory instructors and a collaborative leader within instructional teams. As part of this work, Devan co‑developed an interactive Universal Design for Learning workshop for instructor orientation, applying backwards design to help new instructors build more inclusive and accessible classrooms.

In addition to his teaching role with CLSE, Devan is a PhD student in Dr. Jim Hood’s lab in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. His research investigates how streams act as sources and sinks of phosphorus in the Maumee River watershed, with implications for reducing harmful algal blooms and informing environmental policy and management in the Lake Erie region.