Dr. Rachel Keeffe’s lifelong love of reptiles and amphibians inspired her to explore biology research opportunities during her undergraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. These research experiences ignited her desire to pursue a PhD in Zoology at the University of Florida, where she studied the evolutionary morphology and biomechanics of frogs and gained teaching experience in courses such as Herpetology and Vertebrate Biodiversity. Dr. Keeffe continued her academic training as a postdoctoral research fellow at Mount Holyoke College, where she studied patterns of coevolution in snake genitalia. At Mount Holyoke, Dr. Keeffe mentored over a dozen undergraduate research students and taught Vertebrate Anatomy annually each fall. Throughout her career, Dr. Keeffe has developed a teaching style focused on hands-on learning experiences, collaborative learning environments, and using art as a means to understand scientific concepts. She is excited to incorporate these teaching skills into her classes and research lab at Trinity College and continue training the next generation of scientists.

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