Morgan Alford

I am developing a research program that will explore how narrative identity pedagogy can enhance wellbeing, belonging, and long-term engagement among students in the life sciences. While this work is in its early stages, my goal is to investigate how narrative practices (e.g.: reflective storytelling, identity mapping, etc.) support students in connecting their personal values, lived experiences, and career aspirations to their learning. I aim to use a mixed-methods approach to examine how narrative practices impact on resilience, inclusivity, and purpose across diverse undergraduate communities.

Alongside this emerging research direction, I am actively engaged in several scholarly teaching initiatives. In collaboration with colleagues from Western Canada, I am expanding Open Patho, the first open education resource (OER) in Pathology. Open Patho is currently being used in 11 unique courses in allied health professional programs at three institutes (UBC, UBC-O and BCIT). We are interested in understanding whether OER design can influence adoption of resources into learning environments, and how interactive quizzes may impact on higher-order learning.

I am also currently working on improving accessibility in undergraduate teaching laboratories. While labs provide meaningful experiential learning experiences, they may also present sensory, cognitive, or physical barriers for students with disabilities. I am interested in leveraging existing knowledge to develop, pilot, and evaluate a practical toolkit for inclusive lab design. I have experience in applying appreciative inquiry frameworks to examine alignment between undergraduate life science curricula and the professional competencies expected of graduates, with a focus on strengths-based program enhancement.

Additionally, I have supported students’ career transitions and developed public-facing outreach to disseminate scholarly findings. Together, these experiences have formed the foundation of my student-centred research trajectory.

Awards

• UBC Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Undergraduate Teaching Award (2025)
• UBC BMLSc Program Graduate's Choice for Teaching Excellence Award (2024)

 Courses

MGY 360, MGY 381, MGY 440, MGY 314