The Okanagan School of Education is pleased to welcome Dr. Sumer Seiki to the faculty in the position of Associate Professor.
“I’m excited to work with new colleagues and students,” says Dr. Seiki. “I am looking forward to meeting folxs personally and working alongside teachers. BC also has such lovely gardens, I’m looking forward to integrating the classroom and garden.”
Dr. Seiki has served in education for well over twenty years. For her research contributions to teacher education and interdisciplinary research, Dr. Seiki won the 2020 American Education Research Association Early Career Award from the Narrative SIG. Prior to joining UBCO, she was the Assistant Dean and Director of Teacher Education Programs at the University of California, Riverside School of Education. In this role, she directed the teacher education credential programs and partnered with local school districts. She was also an associate professor of teacher education at the University of San Francisco exploring familial curriculum, ethic studies, community cultural wealth, and science teacher education. Dr. Seiki has a breadth of knowledge of teacher credentialing, earning her multiple subject teacher credential from the bilingual multicultural teacher education program. She is dedicated to creating more inclusive schools and classrooms.
She is currently part of a research project with the University of California, Berkely Lawrence Hall of Science that focuses on transformative curriculum. The project is working with pre and in-service teachers on how to rewrite science curriculum to make it more inclusive by accessing the curriculum through personal histories, stories and culture.
“Part of this project is looking at ways that science concepts are taught early on within our families and cultures,” she says. “For example, cooking practices may have taught them different scientific concepts such as plant cycles or the energy transfer process. We’re looking into the science behind these actions and revisiting an old gift given by loved ones.”
In addition, she has a strong record in plant biology. She earned her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology. She taught introductory plant biology and biology courses at a few California universities. She brings her years of plant research and teaching to our campus.
Dr. Seiki will be teaching EPSE 468: Creating Positive Learning Environments for Inclusive Education in September, 2022 and will be part of block 4 and 5 in our Bachelor of Education program starting in January, 2023.