Rate My Professor Elena Pravosudova

Elena Pravosudova is a Regents' Teaching Professor, Associate Biology Department Chair, and Regents' Academic Advisor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she has been a faculty member since 2007. Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, she has resided in the United States since 1991. Dr. Pravosudova earned her Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from The Ohio State University in 1999, along with M.S. and B.S. degrees in Zoology from Leningrad University (now St. Petersburg State University) in 1983. Her academic training and research interests center on ornithology and behavioral ecology. Passionate about undergraduate education, she co-founded the Biology Peer Instruction Program in 2008 alongside Pamela Sandstrom. This initiative promotes active learning in high-enrollment introductory biology courses through flipped classroom approaches, peer-led discussions, critical thinking exercises, and resources like guided note outlines and discussion videos developed during the pandemic. She has played a key role in undergraduate curriculum development at both the department and university levels, serving as Chair of the University Curriculum Committee for five years. Dr. Pravosudova teaches courses such as BIOL 495 – Peer Leadership in Biology and remains dedicated to supporting student success, growth mindset, and peer mentorship.

Dr. Pravosudova has earned widespread recognition for her outstanding contributions to teaching and advising. Notable awards include the Regents’ Teaching Award in 2023, the F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teacher Award in 2020, and the Regents’ Academic Advisor Award in 2013. She has been honored multiple times as a Westfall Scholar Mentor and Senior Scholar Mentor. Her scholarly work includes key publications such as Pravosudova, E.V., P.G. Parker, and A.S. Gaunt (2002) "Genetic evidence of extrapair paternity in the Tufted Titmice" in Wilson Bulletin; Pravosudova, E.V., T.C. Grubb, and P.G. Parker (2001) "The influence of kinship on nutritional condition and aggression levels in winter social groups of Tufted Titmice" in Condor; Pravosudova, E.V. and T.C. Grubb, Jr. (2000) "An experimental test of the prolonged brood care model in the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)" in Behavioral Ecology; and Pravosudova, E.V., T.C. Grubb, Jr., P.G. Parker, and P.F. Doherty, Jr. (1999) "Patch size and composition of social groups in wintering Tufted Titmice" in The Auk. Through her innovative teaching methods and mentoring, she has significantly impacted student achievement and faculty development in biology education at the University of Nevada, Reno.