Teaching is about helping students learn how to learn. I believe strongly in a liberal arts education, and the importance of a well-rounded course of study. When I get the chance, I really enjoy teaching interdisciplinary courses that connect science and other fields, and have taught honors courses on plant-insect interactions in human society and on the science in science fiction.
Being a curious person, I am constantly learning more about the field of education. Some of my current interests include:
Hands-on learning and practical learning, preferably in the field
Scientific writing both technically (for other scientists) and colloquially (for non-scientists)
Quantitative skills, including collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data
Mars Hill University's Community Engagement program
Citizen science data collection
The importance of creativity in science
Interdisciplinary courses
Honors course: Pteridomania (the Victorian fern craze)
Honors course: The Science of Science Fiction
Honors course: Plant-insect Interactions and Society
Bio 450 - Biology Senior Seminar
Bio 457 - Directed Reading
Biol 3811 - Plant Ecology (University of Minnesota Duluth)
Biol 3987 - Communication in Biology (University of Minnesota Duluth)
Bio 421 - Plant Ecology (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Labs for both majors and non-majors introductory biology classes