Teaching

Teaching at UC Santa Cruz is a privilege and a pleasure, one I have enjoyed for over 20 years.  I have taught a broad range of courses, from an extended core class for first-years at Rachel Carson College to advanced graduate seminars in EEB.  In all my teaching, I seek to inspire students to embrace learning about nature as a passion and to focus on asking questions as the first and most important scientific practice.

Note to students trying to get into my courses: I cannot give you a permission code before the quarter starts. However, do sign up for the course waitlist. It’s a good idea to also send me an email explaining why you want to take the course (and why you were not able to enroll), so I can be aware of your situation. DO come on the first day of class. Anyone missing on the first day of class will be dropped from the registered class list and from the waiting list. For this quarter's office hours, check here.

BIOE 145  PLANT ECOLOGY

This 5-unit lecture course explores the ecology of plant form, function, distribution, abundance, and diversity.  Topics include: ecological genetics and population structure, natural selection and local adaptation, physiological ecology, life history, demographic models, mating systems and pollination ecology, competition, plant-insect and plant-fungal interactions, community structure and succession, and biodiversity and ecosystem function.  In addition to exams, students write an experimental design paper, write critical reviews of research articles, and do multiple independent field research projects.

BIOE 279  EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY

This course is part of the EEB graduate core curriculum for first year PhD and Masters students. In lecture and discussion format, we analyze the ways evolution shapes the form and function of organisms including physiology, morphology, and behavior, as well as populations, species, and species interactions across landscapes. The best part is the fantasy research symposium that culminates the term!

BIOE 20F  INTRODUCTION TO FIELD BIOLOGY

This fun field course melds natural history and ecological science. It includes training in the scientific process from formulating and testing hypotheses, sampling, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Grounded in the natural ecosystems surrounding the UC Santa Cruz campus, this course incorporates field and laboratory techniques, natural history of flora and fauna, and both observational and experimental biology.


BIOE 145L  FIELD METHODS IN PLANT ECOLOGY

This 5-unit methods course explores ecological concepts and techniques through exercises in the field, laboratory, and greenhouse.  Every week, students learn about study design, collect data, analyze data, and write an original research paper. Studies closely follow the concepts from Bioe 145 and include: plant-soil interactions, water stress, pollination, seed dispersal, herbivory, and competition. In addition to their research papers, students complete a peer review and an exam on statistics and experimental design. All students must be concurrently enrolled in Bioe 145.

BIOE 82 Introduction to Field Research and Conservation

The goal of this field-based course is to provide all students, from any background or major, with an introduction to the practice of careful observation of nature, the tools used to identify organisms, and the scientific process, from formulating hypotheses through analyzing and presenting your own data. We take overnight and day trips to diverse areas throughout Central California. Students also learn how to keep a field journal, read and discuss papers, and craft a CV and cover letter.  Enrollment in the course is by application.

BIOE 118 PLANTS AND SOCIETY: THE BIOLOGY OF FOOD, SHELTER, AND MEDICINE

This lecture course with active-learning sections examines the relationship between plants and people using a multidisciplinary approach. Students develop an understanding of how plant components are used for food, fiber and medicine, how human history has been shaped by plants, and how human selection has shaped botanical form and function for specific purposes. Plant chemistry, physiology, biogeography, and biotechnology are examined from the perspective of social relevance.

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