• BA, Biology, Dartmouth College
  
• PhD, Behavioral Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Virginia
  
• Postdoctoral Research, Biology Education Research, Auburn University
  

• By appointment
  

Research in the Costello Lab aims to empirically identify classroom interventions that promote effective and equitable learning in postsecondary biology education. Current work develops and evaluates pedagogical approaches for featuring counter-stereotypical scientists in curricular materials and addressing how human biases shape scientific knowledge creation. We take a data-intensive and quantitative approach to research by pairing large-scale experiments with statistical models to address research questions.

• R. A. Costello, A. E. Beatty, R. D. P. Dunk, S. N. Ewell, J. E. Pruett, and C. J. Ballen. 2024. Re-envisioning biology curricula to include ideological awareness. Research in Science Education (RISE) 54: 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-023-10101-0
• E. M. Ball, R. A. Costello, C. J. Ballen, R. M. Graze, and E. W. Burkholder. 2024. Challenging misconceptions about race in undergraduate genetics. CBE–Life Sciences Education 23: ar32. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.23-12-0228
• R. A. Costello, S. Salehi, C. J. Ballen, and E. W. Burkholder. 2023. Pathways of opportunity in STEM: Comparative investigation of degree attainment across different demographic groups at a large research institution. International Journal of STEM Education 10:46.   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00436-5
• A. E. Beatty, J. Henning, E. P. Driessen, A. Clark, R. A. Costello, S. N. Ewell, R. Klaback, T. Lamb, K. Mulligan-Guy, S. Fagbodun, and C. J. Ballen. 2023. Biology instructors see value in discussing controversial topics but fear personal and professional consequences. CBE–Life Sciences Education 22: ar28. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-06-0108