Helen Walter

Research Overview

Helen Walter’s work integrates antimicrobial discovery, antimicrobial resistance research, and STEM education. Her laboratory engages undergraduates in hypothesis‑driven investigations of environmentally derived microbes to identify novel antimicrobial compounds and to understand how microbial competition unfolds across diverse ecological environments. In parallel, her Discipline‑Based Education Research (DBER) examines how cohort‑based learning, structured mentorship, and ethical engagement with Generative AI strengthen belonging, identity formation, and persistence among STEM students.

Primary Research Areas

Antimicrobial discovery and microbial ecology

This research investigates how environmental pressures shape microbial diversity and antimicrobial compound production. Undergraduate researchers isolate microbes from natural sources, screen them against Safe‑ESKAPE organisms, and characterize inhibitory activity through morphological, microscopic, and biochemical assays. This work addresses the urgent need for new antimicrobial agents in the context of rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and provides students with authentic research experiences that build scientific identity and technical competence.

STEM persistence, belonging, and cohort‑based learning

This research examines how structured academic communities support persistence for students in STEM. Longitudinal analyses of residential summer bridge programs demonstrate that faculty mentorship, peer networks, and cohort‑based belonging significantly improve graduation and STEM degree completion rates. Current work extends these findings into sophomore‑level gateway courses, where academically centered cohorts are used to strengthen disciplinary identity, confidence, and retention.

Ethical integration of Generative AI in STEM learning

This research investigates how ethical, transparent, and collaborative use of Generative AI can reinforce academic integrity and deepen students’ ownership of learning. Through guided reflection, peer accountability, and structured cohort‑based use of AI tools, students learn to critically evaluate AI outputs, articulate their intellectual contributions, and develop ethical literacy in emerging technologies.

Methods & Approaches

This work integrates multiple methodological approaches: molecular and cellular neurobiology (patch-clamp electrophysiology, in vitro receptor assays, transgenic mouse models), immunological methods (mutant library screening, ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, serum bactericidal antibody assays), and quantitative educational research (longitudinal cohort studies, statistical analysis of graduation and degree completion outcomes). Experimental systems range from isolated neuronal membranes and cultured cells to whole-animal behavioural and hormonal measurements, and from laboratory vaccine antigen characterization to real-world educational interventions.

Microbiology & antimicrobial discovery

• Microbial isolation from soil, honey, and environmental samples
• Serial dilution plating and colony morphology characterization
• Safe‑ESKAPE antimicrobial screening
• Microscopy and staining
• BSL‑2 laboratory safety and aseptic technique
• Hypothesis‑driven undergraduate research design

Educational research & STEM persistence

• Longitudinal cohort analysis
• Mixed‑methods DBER design
• Qualitative coding of reflections and peer assessments
• Quantitative measures of persistence, belonging, and performance
• Course‑embedded cohort interventions
• Ethical GenAI integration and analysis

Expertise & Skills

Domain Expertise

• Antimicrobial resistance and microbial competition
• Environmental microbiology and natural product discovery
• Undergraduate research training and mentoring
• STEM persistence and equity
• Cohort‑based learning models
• Ethical and pedagogical integration of Generative AI

Methodological Expertise

• Microbial isolation and screening
• Undergraduate research program design
• Mixed‑methods educational research
• Longitudinal data analysis
• Curriculum and cohort intervention design
• Molecular cloning and mutagenesis
• Protein expression and purification

Analytical & Technical Tools

• Microbial culture and microscopy
• Safe‑ESKAPE screening assays
• Qualitative coding 
• Statistical analysis 
• GenAI‑supported reflection and analysis frameworks

Collaboration Orientation

This work is highly interdisciplinary, spanning microbiology, STEM education, and ethical technology integration. She collaborates with microbiologists, educational researchers, student success professionals, and institutional partners to strengthen STEM pathways. Her antimicrobial discovery program is supported by NSF REU partnerships, while her educational research involves collaborations with faculty across STEM and educational disciplines.

Funding Alignment

• NSF Education and Human Resources (EHR) directorate funding is directly relevant to STEM persistence and equity work. The researcher has prior experience with NSF S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and broader NSF education funding mechanisms that support summer bridge programmes and retention initiatives for underrepresented groups.
• Foundation and philanthropic funding from organizations focused on STEM education equity, minority student support, and vaccine development (e.g., Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, regional community foundations) align with the researcher's education and vaccine work and may offer more flexible funding mechanisms than federal agencies.
• Institutional research support and seed funding from Clark Atlanta University, particularly programmes supporting early-career faculty and research that strengthens STEM education at HBCUs, are important near-term funding sources for establishing independent research programmes and preliminary data generation.
• Travel grants and conference support from scientific societies (American Society for Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science) enable dissemination of research findings and networking with potential collaborators in education research communities.

Intended Impact

Walter’s research advances antimicrobial discovery while strengthening STEM equity through evidence‑based educational interventions. Her laboratory work contributes to identifying novel antimicrobial compounds in the context of rising antimicrobial resistance, and her DBER research demonstrates how structured mentorship, cohort‑based learning, and ethical GenAI integration can significantly improve persistence and degree completion for underrepresented students. Together, these efforts build a model of STEM education that is rigorous, inclusive, and adaptive to technological change.

External Profiles

• ORCID Profile: ORCID Profile

Confidence Level: Moderate