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FACULTY AND STAFF

Tatiana Tatum

Title:Professor
Office:Warde Academic Center
Phone:773-298-3408
Email:tatum@sxu.edu
Department:Biological Sciences

Biography

Tatiana Tatum is a professor at Saint Xavier University, where she teaches classes ranging from Introductory Biology to Genetics, Women in Science, the Bio-Politics of Water, the Ethics of Teaching Science, Vertebrate Biology, the Natural History of the Ozarks, and Zombie Biology.  At Saint Xavier, her research focus has been primarily in three areas: the examination of pollution burdens in local and national bodies of water, toxicological assessments of common items on aquatic and terrestrial organisms, and molecular evaluations of genotypic variation in phenotypic expression by various organisms.  This diversity of expertise offers adaptability to a variety of relevant scholarly topics.  Additionally, with multiple foci, she is able to facilitate the desires of multiple undergraduate research students.  She believes that engaging students in undergraduate research allows them to experience the excitement of creating new knowledge, solving problems and developing new insights, as well as life skills that are increasingly important in our world. Tatum has a true passion for anything that can take her outdoors, especially if it offers the opportunity to extend environmental appreciation to the broader community.  In her free time, she enjoys adventuring into the unknown through cultures, arts, great food, and travel.

Education

Ph.D. in Cytogenetics 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

M.S. in Biology  

Jacksonville State University  

B.S. in Psychology 

Jacksonville State University  

Areas of Specialization

Professional Training

  • ACUE program: Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment, 2024
    • This comprehensive course equips faculty members with the tools to start the term strong, ensure equitable access to learning, and provide valuable feedback for student improvement. This course is a valuable step towards certification in ACUE's Effective Teaching Practice Framework—the only teaching certification endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).
  • Genomic Educator Partnership (GEP), 2022
    • The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) is a nationwide collaboration of 200-plus institutions that integrates active learning into the undergraduate curriculum through Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) centered in bioinformatics and genomics.
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching STEM in HSIs - ESCALA, 2022
    • This course counts for professional development in culturally responsive instruction specific to faculty who teach in Hispanic Serving Institutions or faculty who want to learn how to better serve their Latinx/Hispanic students. Faculty who attend all sessions and submit all 6 Equity Exercises will earn a digital Certificate in STEM Culturally Responsive Instruction in HSIs.
  • Certificate of College Teaching andLearning in HSIs - ESCALA, 2021
    • The ESCALA CTL-HSI is the only course in the country that focuses on increasing Latinx student success in Hispanic Serving Institutions. The innovative program follows best practices in professional development by creating a cohort-based experience where faculty engage in practical demonstrations of culturally responsive teaching, create a relevant change in a course, and then participate in group coaching to increase accountability for implementation.

Planting Sciences 

  • American Society for Plant Biologist, 2021
    • The program provides volunteer scientists, resources, and activities to support innovation in teaching, learning, and mentoring. Open education resources are shared for student-centered plant investigations that integrate scientific practices.

Biology Scholars Research Residency 

  • American Society of Microbiology, 2015 - 2016
    • The Research Residency is the flagship course of the Biology Scholars Program and has nine years of experience training Scholars in education research. This Residency seeks biologists who have been trained in effective teaching strategies for biology education and are curious about student learning. Competitive applicants are individuals who are asking questions about the effectiveness of their teaching approaches. The Research Residency is a yearlong commitment comprised of several key training components including two face-to-face meetings, online “homework” assignments and specialized peer mentoring. 

Biology Scholars Assessment Residency 

  • American Society of Microbiology, 2013 - 2014
    • The Assessment Residency seeks biologists who utilize varied teaching strategies in their classrooms and laboratories and are motivated to design courses and assessments to maximize student learning. Competitive applicants are individuals who are asking questions about the purpose of their courses AND the effectiveness of their course assessments. The Assessment Residency is a yearlong commitment comprised of several key training components including two face-to-face meetings, online “homework” assignments and specialized peer mentoring. 

Courses Taught

  • BIOL 101: Prin/Mthd/Biology  
  • BIOL 110: Fundamentals of Biology  
  • BIOL 111: General Biology I  
  • BIOL 175: FYS:Biology of Zombies  
  • BIOL 201: Contemporary Women Scientists  
  • BIOL 208: Natural History of Grt Lakes  
  • BIOL 214: Natural Hist Vertebrates  
  • BIOL 231: Exploring Medicine  
  • BIOL 250: Exploring Medicine 
  • BIOL 250: Nat Hist-Vertebrates  
  • BIOL 250: Mini Med-Schl Seminar  
  • BIOL 300: Genetics  
  • BIOL 301: Genome Biology  
  • BIOL 333: Evolution  
  • BIOL 351: Lab & Field Research I  
  • BIOL 352: Lab & Field Research II  
  • BIOL 353: Independent Study  
  • BIOL 401: Pro Seminar 1  
  • BIOL 402: Pro Seminar 2 
  • BIOLB 111: Gen.Biology I Lab.  
  • BIOLB 202: Human Anatomy Lab  
  • BIOLB 214: Natural History of the Vertebrates Lab 
  • BIOLB 300: Genetics Lab 
  • BIOLB 301:  Genome Biology Lab  
  • BIOLB 333: Evolution Lab  
  • EDGIP 522: Ethics in Science 
  • HONOR 310:  Honors Contract Course  
  • HONOR 320: Honors Interdisciplinary Sem 
  • HONOR 350: Honors Field Work  
  • HONOR 352:  Honors Senior Project I 
  • HONOR 353: Honors Senior Project II  
  • PHIL 202: SpTp:Yellowstone Fieldwork 

Selected Honors/Awards

Professional Affiliations 

  • Genomics Educator Partnership 2022 - Present 
  • American Society of Human Genetics 2012 – 2018 
  • Ecological Society of America (ESA) 2010 - 2018 
  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) 2000 - Present 
  • Board of Directors 2017 - Present 
  • Education Committee 2014 – 2017 
  • Science Fair Support Subcommittee 2009 
  • National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) 2006 - Present 
  • Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (CAAHP) 2006 – Present 
  • Member of the Committee of Diversity and Inclusion for Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (CAAHP) 2016 - 2018 
  • Assisted with the creation of (CAAHP) Pre-Health Advisors Manual 2012 
  • Associated College of the Chicago Area (ACCA) 2006 - Present 
  • American Genetics Society 2006 - 2020 
  • Illinois Science Teacher Association 2006 - 2015 
  • National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) 2006 - 2015 
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science 2010 - 2015 
  • Assisted ACT National Curriculum to evaluate requirements for sciences on the ACT 2011 – 2012. 
  • National Association of Professional Women 2018 - Present 

Presentations/Publications/Productions

Journal Publications – Research 

Tatum, T. C., and Curtis Feipel. 2024. “Differences in Growth Rates and Germination Rates of Various Commercial Deicers on Kochia Prostrata and Solidago Juncea”. Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International 25 (4):40-48. https://doi.org/10.9734/jaeri/2024/v25i4612. 

Parker, D. M.., & Tatum, T. C. 2021. Is the Use of Road Salt and Chemical Deicers Worth the Costs? A Call for Environmentally Sustainable Winter Road Operations. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.33423/jsis.v16i1.4188 

Tatum Parker, T. C. and Rayburn, J. 2017. A comparison of electronic and traditional cigarette butt leachate on the development of Xenopus laevis embryos Toxicology Reports Volume 4, Pages 77–82 DOI: org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2017.01.003 

Tatum Parker, T. C., F. Trucco, P.A. Trannel, and A. L. Rayburn. 2015. Micropollen Formation in F1 hybrids and Backcrosses of Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) x Smooth Pigweed (A. hybridus) as a Quick Method for Determination of Interspecific Hybridization Events. Journal of Agricultural Science, Volume 7, Issue 8 pp 1 – 7. 

Parker, T. T. and Rosenthal, R. 2014. Ecotoxicological Use of Terrestrial, Freshwater, and Marine Organisms to Quickly Detect Pollution and Evaluate Remediation Efforts of Diesel Contamination, Journal of Applied Global Research, Volume 7, Issue 20 pp. 69-81 

Federico Trucco, Tatiana Tatum, A. Lane Rayburn, and Patrick J. Tranel. 2009. Out of the swamp: Unidirectional hybridization with weedy species may explain Amaranthus tuberculatus’ prevalence as a weed. New Phytologist. 18 (4): 819 – 827. 

Schuyler S. Korban, Wannasiri Wannarat, Charlotte M. Rayburn, Tatiana C. Tatum, and A. Lane Rayburn. 2009. Genome size and nucleotypic variation in Malus germplasm. Genome 52 (2): 148-155. 

Federico Trucco, Danman Zheng, Andrew J. Woodyard, Jared R. Walter, Tatiana Tatum, A. Lane Rayburn, and Patrick J. Tranel. 2007. Non-hybrid progeny from crosses of dioecious amaranths: Implications for gene flow research. Weed Science 55:119 – 122. 

Trucco, F., T. Tatum, K.R. Robertson, A.L. Rayburn, and P.J .Tranel. 2006. Characterization of waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) x smooth pigweed (A. hybridus) F1 hybrids. Weed Technology 20:14 - 22. 

Tatiana C. Tatum and A. Lane Rayburn. 2006. PRINS-Labeled Knobs Are Not Associated with Increased Chromosomal Stickiness in the Maize st1 Mutant. Journal of Heredity. 97(4): 417 – 422. 

Tatiana C. Tatum, Lindsey Nunez, Mosbah M. Kushad, A. Lane Rayburn. 2006. Genome size variation in pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) Annals of Applied Biology 149: 145 – 151. 

Trucco, F., T. Tatum, A. L. Rayburn, and P. J. Tranel. 2005. Fertility, segregation at a herbicide-resistant locus, and genome structure in BC1 hybrids from two important weedy Amaranthus species. Mol. Ecol. 14: 2717 – 2728. 

Tatum, T.C., S. Stepanovic, D.P. Biradar, A. L. Rayburn and S. S. Korban. 2005. Variation in nuclear DNA content in Malus species and cultivated apples. Genome 48:924-930. 

Tatum, T.C., R. Skirvin, P.J. Tranel, M. Norton, and A.L. Rayburn. 2005. In vitro root induction in weedy amaranthus species. In Vitro Cell. and Develop. Biol. Plant 41:844-847. 

Rayburn, A.L., R. McCloskey, T. C. Tatum, G. A. Bollero, M. R. Jeschke, and P.J. Tranel. 2005. Genome Size Analysis of Weedy Amaranthus Species. Crop Sciences 45:2557-2562. 

Tranel, P.J., F. Trucco, T.C. Tatum, and A.L. Rayburn. 2004. Molecular, cytogenetic, and morphological analysis of smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus) x waterhemp (A. tuberculatus) BC1 progeny. Proc. Weed Sci. Soc. 44: 229. 

Journal Publications – Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 

Tatiana C. Tatum Parker and Rebecca M. Rosenthal. 2011. Sustainable Equity: Avoiding the Pendulum Effect in Science Education. Forum on Public Policy Online, Vol 2011 no 2. (August 2011). http://forumonpublicpolicy.com/summer09/archivesummer09/tatum.parker.pdf