I started my academic career at a community college in California, El Camino Jr College where I majored in Biology and received an AS in Biology. Continuing my studies, I graduated from the University of California at Irvine with a BS in Biology and BA in Chemistry. It was there that I developed a passion for science as a result of working in several undergraduate laboratory projects. I finished at UCI with a Master in Biochemistry as I decided I wanted to study microbes and it was difficult to find laboratories that focused on the biochemistry of individual organisms and their role in the environment. I moved to Austin Texas to obtain my PhD in Microbiology from the University of Texas. It was there I also started to teach undergraduate laboratory sections of Medical Microbiology and Freshman Biology. The Medical Microbiology laboratory experience was quite intense and students use to come find me in my laboratory late night to ask questions and gain entry into the teaching lab. Students were required to isolate and id organisms from environmental samples and this proved to be quite the challenge! After finishing my PhD, studying the biochemistry of Bordetella pertussis, (Whooping cough) I did two entirely different postdocs; one at Southwestern Medical School for the purpose of studying the cellular receptor for diptheria toxin using monoclonal antibodies and the second in the Biochemistry Dept at UT for the purpose of studying how the 3D structure of mRNA affects translation. 

I started teaching while in graduate school, continued while doing postdoctoral work, and realized that I throughly enjoyed the experience so when I had to choose between education and research, I chose education. I started as a dept chair of Biology at Austin Community College at the NRG campus and eventually taught every biology course offered, even field biology in which I had the students visit every ecological zone in Texas, it was quite the learning experience. I moved on to being a Dean of Math/Science/Technology/Business at CYP when it first opened and learned alot more about other areas of the school. I eventually wanted to teach more and I moved onto starting the Biotechnology Dept at ACC and working with several grant projects, such as the Advanced Technological Center Grant in Biotechnology known as Bio-Link. I also started a high school Biotechnology Program with Alice Sessions which is still in operation today with over a 1,000 high school students. As a result of my involvement in the ATE program, I became more involved with projects funded by the National Science Foundation and did a two year rotation in the Division of Undergraduate Education 2008 to 2010. I have continued as Chair for the ACC Biotechnology Program and continue to teach in the program.

This information is found in my complete CV

Linnea Fletcher

Professional Preparation

A.A. Biology El Camino Jr. College, Torrance California June 1974

B.S. Biology University of California at Irvine June 1977

B.A. Chemistry University of California at Irvine June 1977

M.S. Biochemistry University of California at Irvine August 1978

Ph.D. Microbiology University of Texas at Austin June 1984

Appointments and Awards

Oct. 2019 to Present PI, InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Center Grant DUE # 1901984

Aug. 2015 to 2019: PI, AC2 Bio-Link Regional Center Grant DUE#1501207

Aug.  2010 to Present: Department Chair, Biotechnology

Aug. 2010 to Aug. 2015: Co-PI on ATE-funded Center Grant, Bio-Link (DUE#s 0903317, 1400721)

Oct 2008 to Aug. 2010: Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE), Co-lead on Advanced Technological Program (ATE)

1999 to August 2008: Biotechnology Department Chair and South Central Regional Director for the NSF funded ATE Biotechnology Center Grant (DUE-#s 9850325, 0118933 0492139)

1998: Assistant Dean of Math, Science, and Business, ACC.

1996 to 1997: Division chair of Math, Science, and Technology, ACC, Cypress Creek Campus. First Division chair of Math, Sciences and Technology at this campus; supervised over one hundred faculty in areas ranging from computer science, to math to accounting to chemistry.

 1991 to 1995: Department Head of Biology, ACC, Northridge Campus. Supervised and taught in the Biology department.  Developed first televised Biology course.

 1988-1991: Postdoctoral position, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas. Involved in

research on the 3D structure of mRNA and its affect on translation in tobacco mosaic virus. Received institutional grant to update upper division/graduate course in biochemistry techniques.

 1986-1988: Postdoctoral position, Department of Immunology, Southwestern Medical School. Involved in research on developing monoclonal antibodies to the diphtheria toxin receptor on Monkey kidney cells. Instructed medical students in microbiology.

 1980-1985: Graduate student, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas at Austin. Involved in research on the cytochrome chain in Bordetella pertussis. Worked as a teaching assistant in several undergraduate courses.

 1979-1980: Graduate student, Department of Biochemistry, University of California at Irvine. Involved in research on the characterization of the enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase isolated from mouse placentas; also established a cell culture laboratory for a pathology professor.

Publications Related To Project:

1) Jeffrey N. Schinske, Virginia L. Balke,, M. Gita Bangera, Kevin M. Bonney, Sara E. Brownell, Robert S. Carter, Douglas Curran-Everett, Erin L. Dolan, Samantha L. Elliott, Linnea Fletcher, Beatriz Gonzalez, Joseph J. Gorga, James A. Hewlett,, Stacey L. Kiser,  Jenny L. McFarland, Anjali Misra, Apryl Nenortas, Smith M. Ngeve, Pamela A. Pape-Lindstrom, Shannon B. Seidel, Matthew C. Tuthill,, Yue Yin, and Lisa A. Corwin  Broadening Participation in Biology Education Research: Engaging Community College Students and Faculty 2017

2) Hacker, Burghardt, Fletcher, Gordon, Peruzzi, Prestopnik, and Qaissaunee Engineering &Technology 2010 Delmar Cengage Learning

3) Linnea Fletcher, and V. Celeste Carter The Important Role of Community Colleges in Undergraduate Biology Education CBE –Life Sciences Education 2010

4) Terry Woodin, V. Celeste Carter, and Linnea Fletcher Vision and Change in Biology Undergraduate Education, A Call for Action—Initial Responses CBE—Life Sciences Education Vol. 9, 71–73, Summer 2010

6) Several Biotechnology and molecular biology laboratory manuals, 1999-present. ACC.

Publications Not Related to Project:

1) Porter, Sandra G., J. Day, R. E. McCarty, A. Shearn, R. Shingles, L. Fletcher, S. Murphy, and R.Pearlman. 2007. Exploring DNA Structure with Cn3D. CBE-Life Sciences Education. 6:65-73.

2) Robinson, Richard, ed. 2002. Genetics. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.

3) Fletcher, L., S.D. Corbin, K.S. Browning, and J.M. Ravel 1990 The Absence of an m7G Cap on BGlobin mRNA and Alfalfa Mosaic Virus RNA 4 Increases the Amounts of Initiation Factor 4F required forTranslation. J. Biol. Chem. 265:198582-19587.

4) Browning, K.S., Linnea Fletcher, S.R. Lax, and J.M. Ravel 1989 Evidence That the 59 -kDa Protein Synthesis Initiation Factor from Wheat Germ is Functionally Similar to the 80 –kDa Initiation Factor 4B from Mammalian Cells. J.Biol. Chem. 264:8491-8494.

5) Browning, K.S., Linnea Fletcher, and J.M. Ravel. 1988 Evidence That the Requirements for ATP and Wheat Germ Initiation Factors 4A and 4F Are Affected by a Region of Satellite Tobacco Necrosis Virus RNA That Is 3’ to the Ribosomal binding Site. J. Biol. Chem. 263: 8380-8383.

Synergistic Activities

2016-2017 PI, Emerging Technology Fund Grant and Wegner Peyser Grants to build wet lab incubator at Austin Community College

2012-2015 Co-PI, Articulated Technology Educational Pathways (ATEP) funded by NSF (DUE #1104253)

2010-2014 Received 3 state funded Perkin Grants for the purpose of: (1) developing assessments

Aligned with Biotechnology skill standards, (2) developing Biomanufacturing skill standards, and (3) establishing an equipment-leading network for high school biotechnology teachers.

 2010-2014 Received a Texas Education Agency grant each year for the purpose of developing an

Online system for certifying Advanced Biotechnology high school teachers

 1999-2008- As a Regional Director on the initial Bio-Link grant, one of my tasks was to start a

Biotechnology Program (www.austincc/biotech/) at ACC based on “best practices” gathered from

Around the nation. As part of that task I also developed a yearlong Introduction to Biotechnology course for high school students (partially funded by an ATE grant, BioTechEd (DUE #0053296) and joined several organizations within the state, such as the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Bioscience Council,

 2006- 2008 Participated in an authoring ATE project Career Curriculum for Technology (CCfT)

DUE#0603403, and developed four chapters, biotechnology, medical technology, chemical technology, and agricultural technology, in a 9th grade Engineering Technology textbook.

 2006-2008 Developing curriculum on BioMEMs for Microsystems Center Grant DUE # 0402651 and also developed nanobiotechnology curriculum for Texas Nanoelectronic Workforce Development Initiative and presented on it at two Nanotechnology Educational Meetings 2006

2006- 2008 In conjunction with a subaward from City College of San Francisco on a CCLI grant, (DUE # 0341384) Bridge to Biotechnology adopted existing curriculum for an intense series of short courses followed by an internship funded by a Texas WorkSource grant to place adults, who did not originally have a biotechnology background, into area companies.

 2006-2008 Developed a WorkSource-funded Molecular Diagnostics Enhanced Certificate