Teaching & Mentoring
Courses
NRES 100 ONL: Fundamentals of Environmental Science (Spring and Fall semesters 2021-present)
NRES 102 ONL: Introduction to Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (Spring and Fall semesters Fall 2016-Fall 2020)
This online course is an introduction to the principles of environmental science necessary to understand the natural environment and the multiple ways we interact with it. Through a series of lectures, videos, and writing assignments, this course brings awareness of global and local environmental issues, and the strategies being used to improve the management and sustainability of natural resources.
NRES 285: Urban Ecology and Agriculture (Spring 2020, 2021, team-taught with Jennifer Fraterrigo, Mike Ward, and Jeff Matthews)
This online field course focuses on aspects of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity in urban settings. Students use their homes as hubs for examining land use and urbanization, food production systems, bird diversity, plant diversity, and urban habitats. Citizen science approaches are explored.
NRES 285: Techniques in Soil Ecology (Fall 2019, team-taught with Anthony Yannarell)
The soil beneath your feet is home to a marvelous diversity of organisms that live and interact within an astonishing variety of ecological niches. In the process, they wind up doing some cool and very important things for the environment. For example, they are key players on the process of nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration and, in turn, contribute to primary production. This course introduces you to the techniques that ecologists use to explore some of this hidden world.
NRES 285: Approaches for Sustainable Food Production: Soil Stewardship and Organic Production Practices (Spring 2019)
This is a practical course that focuses on the principles of organic food production. Topics covered include the history of organic agriculture, cultural and biologically based management that enhances soil function and the provision of ecosystem services. Short lecture materials are integrated with hands-on activities at the Sustainable Student Farm and field trips to local farms.
Mentoring
Illinois Organic Internship:
The Illinois Organic Project offers paid internships to undergraduate students interested in sustainable agriculture and environmental quality. In addition to learning about research in modern organic food production, soil health, and corn breeding techniques for organic systems, interns conduct an independent project at the Illinois Organic trial and are mentored on research projects and graduate school applications.