Teaching
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My teaching style relies heavily on examples from the primary literature, current events, humor, and metaphor-- I frequently draw on concepts from other disciplines to highlight the connections between biology and other fields. Although lectures allow a person to talk with a large group of people simultaneously, I enjoy teaching one-on-one so that I can tailor my explanations of ideas and concepts to individual learners.
Class websites:
Intro Bio (on Moodle, need Reed login): https://moodle.reed.edu/course/view.php?id=2297
Genes, Genetics, and Genomes (on Moodle, need Reed login): https://moodle.reed.edu/course/view.php?id=2620
Mobile DNA (on Google, visible to the world): https://sites.google.com/site/mobilednaclass2014/
My lab courses are built around real research projects and provide students with the opportunity to collaborate on ongoing, long-term studies of genome evolution in rattlesnakes, as well as to design independent projects on questions related to this system. I also teach outside the classroom and laboratory-- I take students on research trips off-campus including field collecting expeditions and collaborative research trips to East Africa. Working with thesis students, independent study students, and summer students on projects in the lab and field is probably the most unique and important teaching/learning experience I can provide for young scientists. In addition to courses and mentoring research projects, I teach a series of workshops for biologists interested in learning how to use bioinformatic and genomic tools to analyze data. I have led these workshops in the US and in East Africa, and enjoy the opportunity to teach intensive, hands-on sessions, all based on using freely-available software and data (see a recent write-up on the workshops that appeared in the Oregonian).
Lastly, I provide the formal research ethics training at Lewis & Clark College and, informally, via a summer discussion group at Reed (summer 2012, 2013, and 2014).
Undergraduate Research Mentorship:
2015 Summer Researchers (Reed): Leah Cepko, Rachel Fox, Thomas Hoang, Erin Howell, Fenner MacRae, Sophia McKean, Barney Potter, Mick Song, August Staubus
2014-2015: Thesis Students (Reed): Rachel Fox, Katie Halloran, Jolie Kaner, Mick Song
2014 Summer Researchers (Reed): Max Koenig and Mick Song
2013-2014 Research Students (Reed/Sabbatical): Caitlin Miller and Leah Cepko
2013 Summer Researchers (Reed): Daniel Dashevsky, Ashley Kroll, Rhea Chawla, Rich Posert, Mick Song, Michaela Voorhees, Leah Cepko
2012-13 Thesis Students (Reed): Rhea Chawla, Ashley Kroll, Ethan Linck
2012-2013 Independent Study Students (Reed): Mick Song and Michaela Voorhees
2012 Summer Researchers (Reed): Daniel Dashevsky, Ashley Kroll, Mica Peacock, Mick Song
2011-12 Thesis Students (Reed): Mickey Badr and Sarah Semon
Other Teaching:
ILRI Advanced Bioinformatic and Genomics Workshop, Invited Instructor, Summer 2014
InBIG Advanced Bioinformatic and Genomics Workshop/Jamboree in East Africa, Leader, Spring 2014
InBIG Introductory Bioinformatic and Genomics Workshops in East Africa, Leader, Summer 2011, Fall 2013/Spring 2014
Bioinformatic and Genomics Workshop for Undergraduates, Leader, Reed College, April 2013
Past Teaching and Mentorship Experience
Past Courses:
Evolution In Situ (EC), 2006; Nationalism & Tribalism: Tanzanian Politics, Culture, and History (EC), 2006; Cells, Organisms, and Genes (UF), 2000
Past Mentorship:2011 Independent Study Students (Lewis & Clark): David Ambuel, Ryan Brubiski, Sam Jewell, Chrissy Misso, Ian Voorhees 2000-2010: An La (UTA), Abby Wolf (STAR Fellowship Program; IU), Eunjin Choi (Honors Thesis; IU), Graham Hall (IU), Marshall McCue (UF)Past Workshops:Transposable Element Annotation Workshop, Leader, April 2010 (click here for packet)Tanzania, East Africa, Leader (EC), Fall Semester 2006Menorca, Spain, Program Assistant (EC), Summer May-term 2001 North Fork Field Studies Program, Program Assistant, Paonia, Colorado, 1995 Photos: In lab with Sharon Heichman, Spring 2012 (above, right; photo by Leah Nash), in the field with Daniel Dashevsky, Summer 2012 (left; photos by Jesse Meik), with workshop participants at the University of Nairobi, Fall 2013 (photo by Caitlin Miller), and with a student group from Earlham College in front of a giant baobab tree during a semester-abroad program in Tanzania, Fall 2006 (below).
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