Franco Taverna

Dr. Franco Taverna is an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Department of Human Biology Program.

Franco Taverna's doctoral and post-doctoral research was in neuroscience, studying synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, neurodegenerative diseases, and the network function of hippocampal place cells in spatial behaviour. He began his teaching career in 2002 in the Department of Psychology teaching large 2nd year courses in Physiological Psychology and Learning and Memory. He has been with the Human Biology Program since 2007. He teaches the large 2nd year Introduction to Neuroscience core course, in person and online. He also teaches several 4th year courses in Neuroscience and Health and Disease, two of which feature community engaged learning components. HMB490Y Health in Community provides students the opportunity to develop career-oriented skills, to collaborate with community partners, and to design and develop projects using Human Centred Design principles, in the context of promoting health and quality of life within the community. HMB440H Dementia explores the neurobiological and social aspects of aging and dementia. Students are provided the opportunity to become friendly visitors to seniors living in long-term care and to learn about innovative long-term care facility models including the famed “De Hogewyk” during an international course module excursion to the Netherlands. He has also coordinated the upper year research project courses offered by Human Biology, providing advanced research project opportunities in local and international labs.
Franco was the recipient of the Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award in 2019, is a member of the Faculty of Arts and Science Online Learning Academy, and was appointed the Faculty of Arts and Science Experiential Learning Advisor in July 2021. He has received numerous pedagogical research grants for online teaching and learning and for the development of experiential learning courses. He has also collaborated on several other grant funded projects including fostering student learning and engagement in large classes using the TeamUp! group work and assessment app, developing scientific writing skills across the curriculum, and the development of online open-source neuroscience learning resources.


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