My primary goal as an instructor is to help students develop strong critical thinking skills so that they are well-prepared to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and creatively solve problems. To achieve this, I introduce students to relevant theoretical frameworks through foundational texts, then challenge students to apply these theories through real-world examples and case studies. I provide opportunities for students to connect theoretical concepts with local and global real-world issues. My assignments frequently require students to analyze data from real-world sources, and my classes include mixes of books, academic articles, and current news articles to provoke interesting discussions and develop students’ ability to critically analyze a range of material.
I am committed to diversity in the classroom, both in terms of educating a diverse student body and including materials that speak to diversity. I encourage students to engage with diversity issues by using examples and cases in the classroom that engage with issues of race, gender, and class. As an educator I promote an atmosphere of mutual respect, responsibility, and accountability. In the classroom I expect students to listen and participate actively and respect one another’s opinions. Knowing that students come from different backgrounds, I work proactively to improve in-class participation skills. I involve students in research wherever possible. In my classes I provide opportunities for students to conduct their own research projects on topics of interest, and encourage students to seek out learning opportunities outside of the classroom.
GEOG 230: Environment and Society
GEOG 345: Resource Management
GEOG 445/545: Political Ecologies of the American West
GEOG 446/546: Water Resource Management
GEOG 449/549: Geography of Food
GEOG 407/507: Seminar in Human Geography: Imagining Socioecological Transformation
GEOG 407/507: Seminar in Human Geography: Nature, Capitalism and Value
Clark University: Living in the Material World: The Political Geography of Resource Development
Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Introduction to Sustainability Studies
San Diego Mesa Community College: Introduction to Cultural Geography