Lisa A. Cuchara, Ph.D.
Quinnipiac University
Lisa Cuchara, Ph.D., is a professor at Quinnipiac University (QU), Conn. She has several research interests in the field of infectious diseases: vaccine hesitancy, vaccine-preventable diseases, the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in water, soil & food, the existence of antibiotic resistant bacteria on fomites in both the public & healthcare venues, MRSA, the colonization of bacterial species in healthy individuals, nosocomial infections, emerging diseases caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria and commensals & opportunistic bacteria. She has had over 160 QU undergraduate and grad students involved in research projects, and they have presented many research posters at scientific conferences.
She believes that the love of learning and "the big picture" are more important than just filling a student’s head with facts that are only retained until the exam takes place. Hence her teaching philosophy: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." She believes that while everyone talks about IQ (and now EQ), CQ (curiosity quotient) and PQ (passion quotient) are equally important. Her philosophy is that learning is an active process involving an intellectual presence. She is passionate about creating "citizen scientists," incorporating it into all of her classes.
She believes that the love of learning and "the big picture" are more important than just filling a student’s head with facts that are only retained until the exam takes place. Hence her teaching philosophy: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." She believes that while everyone talks about IQ (and now EQ), CQ (curiosity quotient) and PQ (passion quotient) are equally important. Her philosophy is that learning is an active process involving an intellectual presence. She is passionate about creating "citizen scientists," incorporating it into all of her classes.