Martin Schmerr’s curiosity in science grew as he spent hours peeking under rocks and constructing dams across the creek near his parents’ home in rural Iowa. His passion for science drove him to earn a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and molecular genetics from Ohio State University, a doctorate in molecular and cellular biology from Ohio University, and a post-doctoral fellowship in developmental biology at the Cleveland Clinic. He has since adopted the Buckeye State as his home. 

Schmerr has been teaching anatomy and physiology at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) since 2011. Since experiencing a POGIL classroom in 2013, he shifted his teaching approach to focus on a student-centered classroom. The POGIL Project has helped him create a welcoming learning environment that fosters student success in his classroom.

Schmerr enjoys being outside in his free time. While working to transform his backyard into a vegetable garden and wildlife oasis, he often takes breaks to listen to birds sing and call to each other. His berry patch usually doubles as a sanctuary for bird nests and he believes that there is much to learn from listening to and observing nature.