Department of Biology

Research Overview

Sustainability in educational innovation, effectiveness of educational interventions, molecular mechanisms of gene expression, and protein-nucleic acid interactions.

In recent years my interests have involved educational research and practice, focusing on innovations to make teaching and learning more effective for both students and faculty. To this end, we have successfully established the Center for Workshop Education in the College, expanded the Workshop Program substantially, helped develop the UCIS Leadership in Education cluster and expanded it to include graduate students, and become involved with the UR Year 1 and Future Faculty initiatives on the River Campus. My prior research interests included transcription termination and mRNA 3’ end formation in both E. coli and yeast (over 90 research papers, review articles, and book chapters).

Selected Publications

• Kang, H, Lundeberg, M, Wolter, B, delMas R, Herreid, C F (Platt T is one of 15 associate authors) 2011. Gender differences in student performance in large lecture classrooms using personal response systems (“clickers”) with case studies. Learning, Media and Technology in press.
• Armstrong, N., Platt, T. and Brickman, P. 2009. The Case of the Druid Dracula: ClickerCase Version. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York.
  Case: http://www.sciencecases.org/druid_dracula_clicker/prelude.asp
  Teaching Notes: http://www.sciencecases.org/druid_dracula_clicker/notes.asp
• Platt, T., Roth, V. and Kampmeier, J. A. 2008. Sustaining change in upper level courses: peer-led workshops in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Chemistry Education Research and Practice 9: 144-148.
• Eberlein, T., Kampmeier, J. A., Minderhout, V., Moog, R. S., Platt, T., Varma-Nelson, P., and White, H. 2008. Pedagogies of Engagement in Science - A Comparison of PBL, POGIL and PLTL. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 36: 262-273.
• Platt T, Barber E, Yoshinaka A, Roth V. 2003. An Innovative Selection and Training Program for Problem-based Learning (PBL) Workshop Leaders in Biochemistry. Biochem & Mol. Biol. Education 31: 132-136.
• Platt T. 1998. RNA Structure in Transcription Elongation, Termination, and Antitermination. RNS Structure and Function R. Simons & M. Grunberg-Manago, eds. (Cold Spring Harbor Press, NY): 541-574.
• Lang WH, Platt T, Reeder RH. 1998. Escherichia coli rho factor induces release of yeast RNA polymerase II but not polymerase I or III. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95: 4900-4905.