Dr. Zoe Hoeppner joined the Science Department this fall and currently teaches Biology, Honors Anatomy and Physiology. She describes herself as “energetic, creative, and authentic”: key traits for a high school science teacher.

But Hoeppner is not just a high school teacher, she is also a scientist, former project management professional and a nonprofit owner. 

Hoeppner received her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Tulsa, and later went to the University of Illinois for a PhD in Pharmacology: the study of how drugs work in the body. 

She always liked science in college, however, Hoeppner questioned if being a medical doctor was the occupation she wanted to pursue. She asked her professors what she should do if she did not want to be a medical doctor, and they advised she should become a Doctor of Philosophy and study science with a research focus, rather than a medical one.

During her time at U of I, Hoeppner taught classes and researched how “a particular protein is regulated by drugs to go in and out of the nucleus of the cell and change how genes are turned on or off.” 

In addition to teaching at the U of I, she also taught at Northwestern University, Benedictine University, Chicago State University, North Park University, and at a middle school on the North Shore. 

During her time at Northwestern, she taught in the Master of Science and Law program. “The program is for students that want to look at how basically science, biology, and health intersect with policy and rules of human interaction in the United States,” she said. 

Hoeppner also started a nonprofit called August Boxes. The program, found in all of the North Shore hospitals and some hospitals in the western suburbs provides bereavement boxes that allow families to capture the handprints, hair, and heartbeat of children who have passed away. 

Hoeppner says she is curious about learning and asking questions, and she is motivated by her ability to influence students. She said, “Others might be motivated by money or title. I’m not. I’m motivated by influence. And so, teaching enables me to share a love of learning and a passion for thinking.”

While Hoeppner is passionate for the sciences, she also has a love for paddle boarding. In fact, she says she would be paddle boarding if she was not teaching. 

One of the reasons Hoeppner came to Nazareth is that she is motivated by the charism of the Congregation of St. Joseph and this year’s mission towards unity and inclusive love. She is excited to propel students into this mission and into critical and creative thinking in everything they do.