Laura Gough is Professor of Biology and (as of January 2026) Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry at Towson University (TU). She is a plant ecologist and conducted NSF-funded ecological research in arctic tundra for almost 30 years. She led TU REP (TU Research Enhancement Program) to support faculty in developing CUREs (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences) in the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics at TU with funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 2017-2024. She currently chairs a CURE Community of Practice that supports CURE development across all colleges at TU. Gough is lead PI on the IUSE grant described in this blog with the goal of increasing institutional capacity for undergraduate research in Biology by supporting students and faculty with professional development with an emphasis on mentoring best practices. She served as Chair of Biology at TU for 8 years and previously held faculty positions in Biology at the University of Alabama and University of Texas Arlington.