Teaching Interests

I am a field ecologist trained in the ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions. I have taught a range of environmental science courses, including applied statistics and experimental design, and have a strong interest in community education and outreach. These experiences inform my interests in teaching:

• Ecology / Field Ecology
• Ecology and Evolution
• Statistics and Experimental Design

• Population Ecology
• Insect Ecology
• Plant-Insect Interactions

• Pollination Biology
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Conservation and Ecosystem Services

Courses Taught

Save the Bees: An Introduction to the Field of Pollinator Health
Around the globe, bee populations are in trouble. As about one third of the human food supply is reliant on bee pollination, this in turn spells trouble for us. In this course, we explored the incredible diversity of bees, the primary threats facing their populations, and the strategies scientists are developing to help bee populations. We examined the meaning of the relatively new phrase "pollinator health," including how it is measured and assessed, and specifically explored major threats to pollinator populations: pesticides, disease, anthropogenic land use change, and even other (managed) bees! Students engaged in this course learned that "saving the bees" is a complex issue with lots of room for debate and further discovery.
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Applied Statistics for Environmental Sciences Laboratory
Led laboratory sections in which I instructed students on how to integrate their knowledge of statistics from the lecture with the statistical software SAS (v. 9.3). This lab was designed to give students experience analyzing real datasets and applying statistical concepts presented in the course lectures.  In lab, students learned the SAS programming language, one of the most powerful and widely used statistical packages available. 

Introduction to Climatological Analysis Laboratory
Led and created substantial curricular material for laboratory instructing students on the use of  fundamental statistical tests and models to analyze and interpret climatological datasets. Through this course, students gain experience analyzing real data using the statistical software package SPSS. Lab topics included: Return Intervals, Back-Trajectory Analysis (using the HYSPLIT model), Comparing Means (t-test, ANOVA) and Post-Hoc Comparisons, Linear and Multiple Linear Regression, Calculating a Water Budget, Cluster Analysis, and Principal Components Analysis. 

Introduction to Geology Laboratory
Instructed laboratory on the fundamentals of geology. Lab activities included: rock and mineral identification based on physical properties, topographic and geologic map interpretation and generation, surface processes, mass wasting events, and Factor of Safety calculations.  Led two field trips each semester taught.  The first introduced students to the geologic history of the Shenandoah Valley, and the second illustrated a series of depositional environments (re: energy and composition) along a river system. 

Introduction to Environmental Policy Discussion Group
Led discussion sections based on assigned readings that coincided with the weekly lecture.  Course description by Professor V. Thomson: "We will examine a wide array of environmental problems to see how political processes, scientific evidence, and moral constructs affect how those problems are confronted in the policy-making arena.  We will cover issues in the U.S. and in other parts of the world as well." Topics ranged widely, including (but not limited to): municipal and nuclear waste management, the Endangered Species Act, reliance on fossil fuels, and urban development. 

Workshops

Research Ethics for Field Ecologists
Co-instructed research and fieldwork ethics training module for the REU Programs at Blandy Experimental Farm (University of Virginia) and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA). Workshop series introduces basic information on scientific codes of conduct, including how to obtain permissions and permits, and instructs students on how to locate institution-specific information (from NSF to university advisory boards) on research guidelines, rules, and regulations.  Students explore and discuss both hypothetical scenarios and actual case studies.  Students are assessed on their before- and after-training knowledge. As of 2011, training covered NSF-mandated plans for data management. Workshop led in 2008 and annually from 2010 to 2014.

Teaching the First Days of Class and Troubleshooting Classroom Challenges
Co-instructed an orientation workshop for incoming teaching assistants through the University of Virginia's Teaching Resource Center. This two-part interactive workshop focused on laying out jitters/fears about teaching, delivering information on commonly-encountered scenarios in the classroom, and providing strategies for overcoming typical classroom challenges. Instruction on school resources (e.g., counseling services, on-call dean) for both TAs and students were also discussed. Led workshop in 2013 and 2014.

Public Speaking 
This workshop is styled after the "Toastmasters" format.  As part of this workshop experience, peers offer constructive feedback on how to improve presentation and style. The goal of the workshop is to hone public speaking skills while building confidence. Workshops were led as part of the REU the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA) and the Blandy Experimental Farm REU Programs in 2008 and 2010.

Professional Development

Teaching Fellows Program, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Trained in pedagogical techniques and campus resources with CIRTL staff. Developing and instructing a first-year seminar course (two sections) through the fellowship program (2019).

Mentor Training, Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Trained in effective mentoring via program developed by the National Research Mentoring Network (2020).

Tomorrow's Professor Today Program (TPT), University of Virginia
Completed a 2-year professional development program for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that is designed to enhance teaching skills and to improve preparedness for a university career. Through TPT, I completed a semester-long pedagogy seminar (Fall 2012) and trained in various pedagogical methods, including the Flipped Classroom model and POGIL (Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning).

See my guest blog post about POGIL featured by the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Virginia.

Research Ethics for Undergraduate Research Programs, Center for Undergraduate Learning and National Center for Professional and Research Ethics. Trained in delivering instruction to undergraduate audiences on responsible conduct in research (RCR).