ACADEMIC FACULTY INFORMATION FORM

For the period September 1, 2022 thru August 31, 2023

Name Sarah KG Sirsat Title Assistant Professor Department Biology
I. Teaching Effectiveness

A. Courses taught
BIOL 440-Comparative Animal Physiology and Laboratory
BIOL 301-Communicating in Biology

B. Procedures used to evaluate teaching

I utilize student evaluations available through SUNY Potsdam's CES system for all classes. I
also utilize occasional exam questions to get feedback on class content.

C. Other observations regarding teaching

I have seen invigorated students which has in turn invigorated me. I'm thrilled to be teaching a
new course (BIOL 301) where students are actively participating in the course work and
engaged with the content. I'm also teaching BIOL 440-Comparative Animal Physiology to an
excellent group of students who have whole-heartedly thrown themselves into the material and
D. Academic Advising (including procedures used to evaluate advising)
the extensive projects. I have been actively developing new courses for the department and I
Iam particularly
serve looking5forward
as the advisor students,to the
developing
majorityand offering
of which areabiology
WAYS majors
101 course on one
interested in of my
careers
favorite subjects: chickens. Returning to a vibrant campus experience reminds
in the health professional field. I meet with each student the week before they were scheduledme why I wanted
become
to sign anthe
up for academic
upcoming professor in theclasses
semester’s first place.
and we discuss their future plans and which
courses are required to meet fulfill their degree requirements. Students have the option of
II. leaving feedback
Mastery of via the
Subject Matter andadvising portal utilized by the campus for arranging appointments.
Scholarly Ability

A. Research and other scholarly/artistic activities (Indicate juried/refereed activities).

Include grants proposed/awarded, articles and books submitted/accepted, presentations at
professional meetings, performances, shows or productions directed.)
My tenth article as a coauthor since beginning at Potsdam was published in late 2022: Sirsat,
T.S., Sirsat, S.K.G., Price, E.R., Pineda, M., and Dzialowski, E.M. 2022. Manipulating plasma
thyroid hormone levels alters development of endothermy and ventilation in nestling
Red-winged blackbirds. Frontiers in Physiology. I continue to collaborate with my former
doctoral
B.
advisor for writing publications. We have also begun discussing potential research
Awards and Honors
collaborations on double-crested cormorants.
N/A
I was invited to present my research on chicken physiology for the St Lawrence University
Biology department in November of 2022. The title of my talk was "Omelets or Wings?
Exploring Cardiovascular and Cellular Developmental Parameters in Two Divergent Breeds of
Domestic Chicken, the Cornish X Rock Broiler and the Commercial White Leghorn Layer"
C. Professional meetings attended

N/A
III. University Service

A. Administrative/committee assignments

Health Professional Advisory Committee: 2018-continuing

Connecting Clearly in the Major Liaison to the PPCC: 2020-continuing
Biology Curriculum Revision Committee: 2020-continuing
B. College-related public service (Include continuing education teaching by course, number enrolled,
I haveplace,
begun serving
credit as the BIOL
hours, consultancies, 210 liaison
presentations for the College in HighSchool program. I will be
at meetings)
visiting numerous schools in surrounding north country area as part of this role.
N/A

C. Community service (membership, time volunteered)

N/A

IV. Continuing Professional Growth

A. Professional memberships (Indicate leadership roles and term of office)

The Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology

B. Professional meetings attended

N/A

C. Courses, seminars, workshops or degrees completed

In addition to my role as the organizer for the Biology seminar series, I am currently enrolled in
the Online Faculty Fellows and CCI Online Pedagogy course which has helped me develop a
new course for the Biology department: Medical Terminology
D. Describe future goals and plans
I look forward to continuing my research in physiological effects of plumage variation with a
potential collaboration with a visiting SUNY Potsdam professor in Psychology. I am also
developing a research project with Dr. Rob Ewy examining disease incidence of a virus in
ornamental plants. I am preparing mine and my former student’s button quail research in a
V. Other Information (Include other activities not covered but which you wish to note)
peer-reviewed journal I am currently developing another new course, Medical Terminology as
Iwell
will as
be areturning
WAYS 101to my role as
course a department
titled "The Crossing representative
of Chickens". at Open House events
I will continue for new
my collaboration
students.
with my former PhD advisor, Dr. Ed Dzialowski, in our continued preparation and publication of
research conducted during my tenure as a graduate student in his research laboratory.

Sarah KG Sirsat Digitally signed by Sarah KG Sirsat

Date: 2023.02.09 11:47:44 -05'00' 2/9/2023
Signature Faculty Member Date