Teaching
Providing an understanding of the biological principles that underlie the incredible complexity of natural systems
General Teaching Interests & Philosophy
Graduate and undergraduate research is a crucial part of the scientific community's responsibility to educate students and to promote science.
My teaching interests are primarily in the fields of ecology and conservation biology. Understanding ecological principles is crucial for a variety of scientific questions, both esoteric and applied. My teaching goal is to provide an understanding of the biological principles that underlie the incredible complexity of natural systems. I attempt to inspire students to continue study in these topics, or at least to apply general ecological theory to their own interests in biology. For students that do not continue in biology, my goal is to broaden their knowledge of the interrelationships of organisms in nature, how these relationships evolve, and why these organisms and their habitats need conservation and careful management.
I am strongly committed to teaching students through a multidimensional approach. I use interactive lectures to clearly outline concepts and provide relevant examples from the primary literature, and mix lectures with inquiry-based approaches where appropriate. I use hands-on laboratory and field experiments to demonstrate lecture topics, and computer simulation to tackle concepts that are not feasible in the normal laboratory setting (e.g., predator-prey population dynamics). When possible, I integrate independent research projects into courses. Independent projects provide students with a relatively short-term, hands-on experience in using the scientific method, applying concepts learned in class to relevant problems, and gaining experience in scientific writing and presentation. Finally, I evaluate students rigorously, using homework assignments, scientific papers, and examinations designed to test a student's progress and to clarify the topics covered in class. I believe the combination of interesting lectures, inquiry-based classroom activities, laboratories, student projects, and rigorous testing is an ideal learning environment in which to expand a student's understanding of the world.
I am committed to promoting the education of future scientists through research experience. I believe that graduate and undergraduate research is a crucial part of the scientific community’s responsibility to educate students and to promote science, and I have made it a focal point of my academic career.
Teaching doesn’t stop at the classroom or laboratory. For too long scientists have been sitting back hoping the general public would comprehend our science, and the result is the lack of scientific literacy, respect, and understanding that currently plagues our planet. To help rectify this, I have attempted to reach out to the general public with essays about wildlife, ecology and science in regional newspapers, have written general magazine articles about science, and have helped several of my students publish similar works. Our hope is that these efforts allow the Age of Reason to reemerge within our societies.