Instructor Background

A life-long fascination in science caused Linnea Fletcher to obtain bachelor's and master's degrees in Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California at Irvine before coming to Texas to earn her PhD in microbiology at the University of Texas at Austin. After several years working in laboratories, Dr. Fletcher began a career in education at Austin Community College (ACC) in 1991. She has not only taught in the Biology, the Chemistry and the Applied Health departments but has also served as Division Chair and Assistant Dean of Math, Science and Technology.

In 1997, Dr. Fletcher became interested in bringing biotechnology training to ACC. She is currently Biotechnology Coordinator, responsible for the development and implementation of the biotechnology program. This includes developing the biotechnology courses, working with area industry and recruiting and retaining students.

By the time I finished at the university, I had collected a couple of degrees in chemistry, biology, and a masters in biochemistry and had worked in a variety of labs on projects ranging from studies on graft versus host disease, karyotyping in a hospital genetics lab, enzyme purification, tissue culture, electron microscopy and the transcriptional control of lambda. I was quite a lab rat.

Dr. Fletcher is also the Regional Director of the South Central Region of Bio-Link, the national advanced technological education center for biotechnology. As such, she is responsible for directing activities in six states. She is also principal investigator on a second grant to put the Introduction to Biotechnology course into area high schools..

Dr. Fletcher enjoys running, skiing, scuba diving and kayaking. She brings her bountiful enthusiasm and energy to these activities as she does to biotechnology.