Dr. Seena Mathew

A native of the Buckeye state, I moved to Texas to complete my postdoctoral training, fell in love with the state and haven’t left. From as long as I can remember I have wanted to teach. One of my earliest and fondest memories is sitting at the kitchen table, helping my brother with his homework. Watching him struggle and then succeed in understanding the material was incredibly rewarding and sparked my lifelong desire to help others learn.

I long had the goal of teaching at the college level and upon completion of my Doctorate in Neurobiology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, I returned to my undergraduate alma mater, Kenyon College, as a Visiting Professor in the Psychology Department where my love for teaching was affirmed. After Kenyon, I moved to Austin, TX where I began postdoctoral studies at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Learning and Memory. It was during my postdoctoral studies that I began to intertwine my love of learning and memory, teaching, and my love of the brain.

After completion of my postdoctoral studies, I served as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin with appointments in the Biology Instructional Office (BIO) and the Department of Neuroscience. I have also taught at Austin Community College and more recently served as the Program Director for the Health Science and Public Health Departments at South University. At UMHB I am an Assistant Professor of Biology and Program Director for Neuroscience. I also hold the CL and Gertrude York Professorship in Biology.

Throughout my career I have been interested in the brain and how it functions on a microscopic level. However, in more recent years my interest in the brain has manifested itself in my teaching as I explore various ways to deliver classroom material to make it easier to understand.

When I'm not in the classroom, I love spending time with my family and dogs, hiking, camping, traveling, and enjoying the great outdoors. I also appreciate a well-made cookie.