Welcome!

My name is Nathan Rycroft and, from 2009 until 2015, I worked in Dr. Jelle Atema's laboratory at Boston University. I have been teaching AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, and Biology at Westwood High School starting in the fall of 2015 and Marine Biology starting in the fall of 2017. I have also, on occasion, taught at Boston University as an adjunct lecturer for courses in physiology and infectious disease.

My dissertation research involved olfactory recognition, local adaptation, and genetic population structure in the American lobster (Homarus americanus). The American lobster is one of most important commercial species in New England with annual landings worth nearly $450 million. The goal of my research was to determine whether the lobster population in the Northwest Atlantic is genetically structured and if geographically distinct populations show signs of genetic adaptation to their local environments.

In addition to my scientific research at BU, I was also fortunate to teach courses in ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and physiology. In 2014, I was honored as the Teaching Fellow of the Year in the Department of Biology.

Prior to my graduate career, I received my Bachelors Degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. At ODU, I double majored in Marine Biology and Oceanography. During my undergraduate tenure, I completed research under Dr. John McConaugha in the Oceanography department. My research utilized protein and lipid analyses to determine changes in the quality of eggs in relation to the carapace size of berried female Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). While at ODU, I earned the distinction as the top undergraduate student in the physical sciences.

I have also had significant experience developing and implementing curricula for both the high school and college levels.