Teaching

Introduction to Quantitative Ecology (NRC 290b/240)

This introductory statistics course aims to provide students interested in ecology with a supportive, encouraging and comfortable environment for developing a sound knowledge of core statistical concepts in ecology. Ecology, the study of the relationships between organisms to one another and their environment, is a discipline concerned with quantifying the relationships we observe in nature. The objective of the course is to demystify statistics and help develop the basic level of understanding that all future ecologists should possess. In this course, you will develop a detailed understanding of why and how to apply the great variety of statistical tools available for answering important ecological questions.

Landscape Ecology & Conservation (NRC 597LE/582)

This course provides students with an introduction to the discipline of landscape ecology, in both theory and practice, with specific applied examples related to the New England landscape. Landscape ecology focuses on the interplay between scale, spatial pattern, and ecological processes; specifically, how to characterize spatial pattern, where it comes from, why it matters, and how it changes through time and/or scale.  Theory and application will weave together throughout the course and students will use their knowledge of landscape ecology theory to better understand practices in land conservation, resource management, and urban planning.  Students will also build skills in ecological spatio-temporal data analysis and modeling to analyze patterns and processes through space and time, and gain an understanding of the power and limitations of these techniques.

Applied Ecological Statistics (ECO 636)

This is the intermediate graduate statistics course in our department, though it is taken by students across multiple departments.  Concepts covered in this class build from linear regression to generalized linear regression, mixed models, and some non-parametric methods.  Concepts and techniques are illustrated using examples from ecology. Techniques discussed in lectures and applied in laboratories.

Advanced Statistical Ecology (ECO 697SA)

This course explores statistical problems beyond the classical linear models including mixed effects, non-normal error distributions, and a large focus on multivariate methods.  Much of the course is tailored to the needs of the graduate students in the course.

Inclusive Teaching and Leadership in the Natural Sciences (ECO 697EE)

This course was designed and offered as a response to graduate student inquiries about courses in the JEDIA realm specifically for graduate students in the natural sciences. The students and I, together, populated a topic list of interest for the class. We identified appropriate readings and exercises for each topic and we developed learning sessions around each. In this way, the course was designed around student identified needs and effectively supported the students in their learning through difficult conversations and supporting the students in their own development of the skills needed to facilitate difficult discussions.