Portrait of Elena Pravosudova

Elena Pravosudova

Associate Biology Department Chair, Regents' Teaching Professor, Regents' Academic Advisor She/her/hers

Summary

Dr. Elena Pravosudova is originally from St. Petersburg, Russia and has lived in the US since 1991. Her training is in Ornithology and Behavioral Ecology. However, her real npassion is undergraduate education. She is devoted to supporting student success and fostering learning and teaching skills in her students. University of Nevada has been her home since 2007. Dr. Pravosudova is a co-founder of the Peer Instruction Program in the Department of Biology in 2008. She has been involved in undergraduate curriculum development at the department and university levels and served as University Curriculum Committee Chair for five years. Dr. Pravosudova has received several teaching and advising awards and has been recognized as a Westfall Scholar Mentor and a Senior Scholar Mentor multiple times.

Courses taught

  • BIOL 190/A – Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 189A – Fundamentals of Life Science
  • BIOL 192 – Principles of Biological Investigation
  • BIOL 498 – Senior Evaluation
  • SCI 110 – Freshmen Experience
  • SCI 499 – Leadership in Science
  • BIOL 495 – Peer Leadership in Biology

Education

  • Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 1999
  • M.S. and B.S. in Zoology, Leningrad University (Presently St. Petersburg University), Russia, 1983

Awards

  • NSHE Regents’ Academic Advising Award (Undergraduate), 2013
  • F Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teacher Award, 2020
  • NSHE Regents’ Teaching Award, 2023

Presentations on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

  • Pamela Sandstrom and E. Pravosudova. Peer Instruction Pandemic Adaptations Helped Us Improve Teaching and Learning. Pearson Biology Leadership Community Summit. Raleigh, NC, Marh 31- April 2, 2023.
  • Pravosudova, E. Peer Instruction Under COVID-induced Remote Learning Mode: Struggles and Solutions. Pearson Biology Leadership Community Summit. Online, March 5-7, 2021.
  • Jon Reddick-Lau, Laura Briggs – Truckee Meadows Community College, Biology Department, Elena Pravosudova, Pamela Sandstrom – University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Biology, Biology Leadership Community Summit, Expanding Introductory Biology Peer Instruction Across Two Institutions in Northern Nevada", February 28, 2020.
  • Pravosudova, E. and P. Sandstrom Peer Instruction and Active Learning Enhance Student Success. Pearson Biology Leadership Community Summit. Henderson, NV, March 8-10, 2019.
  • P. Sandstrom, E. Pravosudova. Peer-led Discussion Groups and Active Learning Enhance Student Involvement and Success, Pearson Learning Makes Us, October 2016. Webinar
  • Pravosudova, E. and P. Sandstrom. Active learning approach enhances student involvement and success in high-enrollment biology courses. STEM Teaching and Education Conference, April 2016, Reno, NV.
  • Pravosudova, E. and P. Sandstrom. “Biology Discussion Groups and Flipped Classroom in Majors’ Introductory Biology Course.” – a poster and a short presentation. Pearson Biology Leadership Community workshop, Austin, TX. March 27-29, 2015
  • Pravosudova, E. and P. Sandstrom. “Biology Discussion Group Program at University of Nevada.” 6th International Learning Assistant Workshop. November 2014, Boulder CO
  • Solovyova-Vincent, A., E. Pravosudova, and M. Pelter. “From Ordinary to Exemplary Courses: Transforming. Online Learning One Course at a Time” March 2011, Pomona CA

Selected publications

  • Pravosudova, E.V., P.G. Parker, and A.S. Gaunt. 2002. Genetic evidence of extrapair paternity in the Tufted Titmice. Wilson Bulletin. 114:279-281.
  • Pravosudova, E.V., T.C. Grubb, and P.G. Parker. 2001. The influence of kinship on nutritional condition and aggression levels in winter social groups of Tufted Titmice. Condor. 103:821-828
  • Pravosudova, E.V. and T.C. Grubb, Jr. 2000. An experimental test of the prolonged brood care model in the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). Behavioral Ecology. 11:309-314.
  • Pravosudova, E.V., T.C. Grubb, Jr., P.G. Parker, and P.F. Doherty, Jr. 1999. Patch size and composition of social groups in wintering Tufted Titmice. The Auk. 116:1153-1156.
  • Pravosudov, V. V., Grubb, T. C., Jr., Doherty, P.F., Jr., Bronson, C. L., Pravosudova, E. V., and Dolby, A. S. 1999. Social dominance and energy reserves in wintering woodland birds. The Condor 101: 880-884.
  • Pravosudov, V.V. and E.V. Pravosudova. 1996. The breeding biology of Willow Tits (Parus montanus ) in Northeastern Siberia. Wilson Bulletin. 108(1): 80-93.
  • Pravosudov, V.V., Pravosudova, E.V., and E.Yu. Zimireva. 1996. The diet of nestling Eurasian Nuthatches. Journal of Field Ornithology 67(1):114-118.