The past three issues of "Cell Biology Education" (CBE) have provided overviews of education projects within the National Research Council's (NRC's) Center for Education, Board on Life Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Science's Office of Public Understanding of Science. In this article, the author provides summaries of two recently published reports that are likely to be of interest to higher education faculty. These reports are: (1) "Evaluating and Improving Undergraduate Teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics," a report that examines the issues concerning effective teaching in STEM disciplines; and (2) "Improving Undergraduate Instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Report of a Workshop," a report that summarizes discussions during a 2-day workshop in November 2002 and organized by the National Academies' Committee on Undergraduate Science Education. The author also describes a new National Academies Teacher Advisory Council. (Contains 5 footnotes and 2 figures.)