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Gail P Hollowell

Interim Chair and Professor, Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Gail Hollowell is a professor and interim chair of the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), where she also serves as director of the Center for Science, Math, and Technology Education. She earned her B.S. in Biology from NCCU and both her M.S. in Microbiology and Ph.D. in Biology from Howard University. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, MD.

With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Dr. Hollowell’s scholarship centers on undergraduate science education, particularly strategies that enhance student persistence and success in STEM. She has developed innovative, student-centered learning experiences that integrate project-based learning, course-based undergraduate research, and entrepreneurial thinking. Her research examines the factors that motivate students — especially those at HBCUs — to persist and thrive in STEM disciplines.

Dr. Hollowell has published conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journal articles focused on course-based research experiences and STEM retention at HBCUs. She currently serves as co–principal investigator on a National Science Foundation–funded project aimed at improving retention outcomes for underrepresented minoritized STEM majors at HBCUs. Dr. Hollowell is also an active member of the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE), a national organization dedicated to advancing excellence and equity in undergraduate STEM education.

Dr. Hollowell enjoys hosting summer science camps and Days of Discovery for local elementary and middle school students. As a member of both professional and service organizations, Dr. Hollowell believes in lifelong learning and giving back to the community. Dr. Hollowell credits her passion for science to being raised in a family of health-related professionals, growing up in the City of Medicine (Durham, NC) and witnessing the expansion of the various companies in the Research Triangle Park, which has cultivated some of the best and brightest minds behind biotechnology, scientific research and advances in medicine.

Courses

BIOL 1100 – Biology (non-majors)
BIOL 1202 - Principles of Biology: Molecules and Cells
BIOL 4400 - Introduction to Research
BIOG 4040 – Senior Seminar

Publications

  1. Hollowell, G., Chatman, M. C., & Talley, C. P. (2023) The CareFull Scholars Writing Program: Hollowell, G.P., Chatman, M.C, Jackson, A., & Talley, C. (2025). CareFull Scholars: A Model to Empower Black Women STEM Faculty at HBCUs. Journal of STEM Leadership and Broadening Participation.  2(1). https:/​/​doi.org/​10.58507/​001c.137553
  2. Pai, A., Nader, R., Clarke, J., Talley, C., Hollowell, G., Weintraub, J., Eck, K., Renoe, S., Innis, T., Williams, K., & Winfield, L. (2024). Strategies for Building Capacity at Minority Serving Institutions for Advancing Research and Research Impacts. 10.32469/10355/98061.
  3. Morton, T. R., Agee, W., Ashad-Bishop, K. C., Banks, L. D., Barnett, Z. C., Bramlett, I. D., Brown, B., Gassman, W., Grayson, K, Hollowell, G.P., Kaggwa, R., Kandilar, G., Love, M., McCoy, W., Melton, M., Quinlan, C.L., Roby, R.S., Rorie, C.J., Russo-Tait, T., Wardin, A., Williams, M.R.,  & Woodson, A. N. (2023). Re-Envisioning the Culture of Undergraduate Biology Education to Foster Black Student Success: A Clarion Call. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 22(4), es5.
  4. Hollowell, G., Brooks, L. K., Malik, M., Talley, J., Zheng, L., Chatman, M., & Talley, C. (2022). An Innovative Faculty Intervention at HBCUs: Self Care, Writing as a Practice and Building Community. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/msr3v
  5. Spence, P. L., Phillips, R. S., McAllister, A. R., White, S. L., & Hollowell, G. P. (2020). Student-scientist curriculum: integrating inquiry-based research experiences and professional development activities into an introductory biology laboratory course. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 21(3), 10-1128.
  6. Ahmed, M. W., Anderson, Y., Gerald-Goins, T., Hollowell, G. P., Saliim, E. T., Sangutei, T., Simpson, B., Spence, P.L., Whittington, D., & White, S. L. (2020). Promoting STEM-literacy by designing decision-driven interdisciplinary courses for non-science majors. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 21(3).
  7. Mader, C. M., Beck, C. W., Grillo, W. H., Hollowell, G. P., Hennington, B. S., Staub, N. L., Delesalle, V.A., Lello, D., Merritt, R.B., Griffin, G.D., Bradford, C., Mao, J., Blumer, L.S., & White, S. L. (2017). Multi-institutional, multidisciplinary study of the impact of course-based research experiences. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 18(2), 10-1128.
  8. Jordan, T. C., Burnett, S. H., Carson, S., Caruso, S. M., Clase, K., DeJong, R. J., ... & Hatfull, G. F. (2017). DenverDeeZoologyBroadlyImplementableResearch_SupplementalMaterial. zip.
  9. Hollowell, G. P., Brooks, R. M., & Anderson, Y. B. (2017). Course design, quality matters training, and student outcomes. American Journal of Distance Education, 31(3), 207-216.

 

Grants

  1. HHMI Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture. GT 17751 SEA Summer Experience With the NC 10. Lindsey Costantini and Gail Hollowell.  $342,025 (February 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025)
  2. Department of Education - Education, Innovation, and Research (EIR) Program Early Phase. ExCELL in Science for Prekindergarten Classrooms. Carol Hammer, Annemarie Hindman, Barbara Wasik, and Gail Hollowell. $90,833 subaward requested for NCCU (2025 – 2029) under review
  3. HHMI Undergraduate Science Education.  Awarded to the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education. Nitya Jacob, et.al., $98,900 (2024-2027).
  4. NSF/HRD Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) # 2306647 – ACE Implementation Project: The DREAM STEM Project-Advancing Research, Academics, and Entrepreneurship in STEM Student Success. Caesar Jackson, Alade Tokuta, Gail Hollowell, and Tanina Bradley. $2,999,915.00 (2023 - 2028)
  5. NSF/ Division of Biological Infrastructure # 2217343 - RCN UBE: Deepening and Expanding the Mission and Outcomes of the Re-Envisioning Culture Network. Terrell R Morton, Gail P Hollowell, Checo J Rorie, Ruth J Kaggwa, and Simone B Soso. $500,000 (2022 – 2025)
  6. NSF/ Broadening Participation Research Project #1912389 – Promoting Rural Opportunities for Student Achievement in STEM (PRO-STEM) Cherise Herrington, Donna Grant, Gail Hollowell, Jonathan Livingston. $349,999 (2019 - 2022)
  7. NSF/HRD Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) #1818706 – (Implementation Project) The DREAM STEM Project: Enhancing Academics, Entrepreneurship, and STEM Career Pathways. Caesar Jackson, Tanina Bradley, Gail Hollowell, and Alade Tokuta. $2,249,992 (2018 - 2022)
  8. Verizon Innovative Learning for Minority Males Directed by North Carolina Central University. Verizon Foundation. Gail Hollowell and David Hood. $300,000 (2018 - 2020)