Brandon University (BU) is pleased to welcome Wei-Ting Li (Wei), a visiting PhD candidate from National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, who will spend the next year conducting research on the Nature of Science (NOS) in collaboration with BU's Dr. Ellen Watson in the Faculty of Education.
Wei, whose visit began in July 2025 and will continue through August 2026, is supported by two prestigious grants: a MITACS Globalink Research Award and Taiwan's NSTC Graduate Student Study Abroad Program, which together provide over $36,000 in funding. His research explores how teachers and informal science educators conceptualize and teach the Nature of Science, what science is and is not, how scientists use evidence, and how students can be taught to think like scientists.
"Understanding the Nature of Science is foundational to scientific literacy," said Dr. Ellen Watson, Associate Professor of Science Education at Brandon University. "Wei's work is timely and crucial, especially as Manitoba moves toward a new science curriculum that prioritizes NOS. His international perspective brings richness and nuance to our understanding of how science is taught and learned."
Wei holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a master's in education. A former high school Physics and Chemistry teacher in Taiwan, he brings classroom experience to his academic work. His doctoral research, which he began in 2021, will culminate in a dissertation defense in late 2026. His year at Brandon University will provide valuable data and insights, especially through interviews with Manitoba science teachers and museum educators.
"Taiwan implemented a new curriculum in 2019 that integrates the Nature of Science, and now Manitoba is doing the same," said Wei. "This is a unique opportunity to compare systems and learn from each other. I'm excited to speak with Manitoba teachers and to understand how they view science and help students become scientifically literate citizens."
Li and Watson met through Li's supervisor at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conference in March 2024. Wei later visited Brandon for two weeks in summer 2024 to compare the science represented in the Taiwan and Manitoba curriculum documents. That initial collaboration has already borne fruit: the pair will present their comparative curriculum research this August at the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) conference in Denmark.
"This kind of international partnership exemplifies the collaborative and community-oriented spirit we foster at Brandon University," said Dr. Alysha Farrell, Dean of Education. "Wei's presence will have a positive ripple effect, not just in research, but across the province."
"Wei's research has the potential to impact science education locally and globally," said Dr. Bernadette Ardelli, BU's Vice-President of Research and Graduate Studies. "We are proud to support this kind of meaningful, cross-cultural scholarship that engages with real-world educational challenges."
With Manitoba's new science curriculum set to be mandated in 2026, and NOS positioned front and centre, the timing of Wei's work could not be more critical. Manitoba currently ranks lowest in Canada on the international PISA assessments, but efforts like this aim to turn that around through improved teacher education, curriculum design, and public science literacy.
Li and Watson plan to co-author scholarly articles, present their findings at international conferences, contribute to NOS resources for educators, and ultimately support teachers in inspiring the next generation of scientifically literate citizens.
In addition to his academic work, Wei is also an accomplished musician who plays the "Ruan", a traditional Chinese guitar. His brother is a graduate student in music, continuing the family's commitment to both science and the arts.
