From lab to lecture: How research sparked Brittney Mize's love for teaching
This article was published in The Script Magazine – Spring 2026.
At the start of grad school, Brittney Mize, PhD ’23, wasn’t sure how she would pursue her two interests in life, teaching and research. But through a series of academic twists and turns – and a growing interest in how students learn – she found herself helping shape the future of pharmaceutical education at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Mize is currently an academic fellow in the college’s Division of Pharmacy Education and Innovation (PEI).
The academic fellowship is a part of a growing model across Big Ten colleges of pharmacy that blends postdoctoral training with structured development in teaching and educational research.
“A decade ago, opportunities like this weren’t nearly as accessible to postdocs or to individuals with doctoral degrees,” Dr. Mize said. “Now the door has been opened at Ohio State for people who loved their subject, considered graduate school or research, but ultimately discovered a passion for teaching.”
Dr. Mize did not expect the opportunity to allow teaching to become the focus of her career. As a biochemistry and molecular biology major at Otterbein University, she pursued a high school teaching certificate knowing that transforming information for others was a real passion within her field of study.
After graduating, she completed a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Ohio State, an experience that convinced her to pursue a PhD in medicinal chemistry.
"The door has been opened at Ohio State for people who loved their subject, considered graduate school or research, but ultimately discovered a passion for teaching."
During her doctoral studies, Dr. Mize conducted research in the lab of Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Jim Fuchs, PhD. Her work in the Fuchs Lab centered on analog development and target identification of natural products with anti-ovarian cancer activity.
Although she spent extensive time at the bench as a PhD candidate, her experiences as a teaching assistant reshaped her career direction. She found herself genuinely drawn to the classroom, a notable contrast to many of her peers who viewed teaching as just another requirement.
“I really ended up falling in love with the teaching part,” she said, recalling the challenge of helping pre-health majors navigate difficult material and the satisfaction that came with building their confidence.
Her interest grew strong enough that she voluntarily sought additional teaching opportunities — even when she wasn’t required to TA. That became a turning point, affirming that teaching wasn’t a side responsibility to her career path but a passion worth pursuing.
"Dr. Mize had previously expressed an interest in teaching, but getting her into the classroom at that time gave her the confidence and experience to really pursue a career in the classroom,” Dr. Fuchs said. “This is the type of role that we try to make available for our graduate students who are interested in moving into an academic position after graduating, and sometimes we are able to find creative ways to provide those experiences."
After earning her PhD in 2023, Dr. Mize spent a year as a visiting assistant professor at Otterbein University. She then returned to Ohio State to join the PEI academic fellowship, where she now works with mentors Nicole Kwiek, PhD, senior associate dean for academic affairs and educational innovation; Molly Downing, PhD, assistant professor of practice; and James McAuley, RPh, PhD, FAPhA, associate dean for student success.
Unlike a traditional research postdoc, the academic fellowship is designed to prepare scholars to become student-centered educators. Under the guidance of her mentors, Dr. Mize has developed evidence-based teaching practices and contributed to curriculum innovation across the college.
“From day one, Dr. Mize brought a strong instructional skillset and a deep commitment to student success in the sciences,” Dr. Kwiek said. “Through her use of innovative and evidence-based teaching strategies, her fellowship projects have strengthened our chemistry learning environment.”
One of Dr. Mize’s signature projects during the fellowship has been redesigning an existing course and transforming it into a general education (GE) class open to all Ohio State students. The work requires rethinking everything from learning outcomes to accessibility and engagement. This project ultimately earned her the Inspire Teaching Award for Instructional Excellence in 2025.
It also pushed her beyond content expertise and into the craft of teaching a wide variety of learners.
“What does it look like to make science accessible for all levels and all people?” she asked before describing the challenge and reward of adapting a science course for a campuswide audience.
The fellowship’s intentional focus on teaching excellence—at a time when higher education is rapidly evolving—is what makes Ohio State’s academic fellowship distinctive, Dr. Mize believes. As the student population continues to broaden, she sees a growing need for educators to adapt.
“We have more learning differences that we no longer ignore in education,” Dr. Mize said. “We’re trying to serve the student, even in higher education, so we need people who understand how to educate adaptively and creatively.”
Dr. Mize hopes her path illuminates something important: a pharmaceutical sciences degree can lead anywhere, including education. She often encounters undergraduate students who worry that choosing a major will lock them into a narrow future—and she’s living proof of the opposite.
“My career path may look unusual from the outside,” Dr. Mize said. “Many students assume I’m a pharmacist because I teach in the College of Pharmacy. When I tell them I’m not—that I have a PhD, not a PharmD—they’re often surprised. It opens the door to a great conversation: you can earn a research degree and still teach. There are many paths into this profession.”
