Teaching

As an educator, my courses introduce students to the world's most pressing challenges and solutions, help them understand how society interacts with the environment, and prepare them to become leaders in a variety of environmental and communication professions. I believe that effective teaching engages students in the material, leading them to understand how it impacts their own lives and their careers. It should also expose students to new viewpoints and help them critically evaluate all sides of an issue. 

Read more about my teaching philosophy here. 

I am also the recipient of the 2019 Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching at Duke University.

At the University of Rhode Island I teach courses in public relations, environmental media, and communication for marine affairs. I have also taught courses on climate change politics and the UNFCCC negotiations at Duke University. 

Courses Taught

Seminar in Media and the Environment: University of Rhode Island (graduate)

This course introduces students to core concepts and theories of media studies in the context of environmental issues. We explore how the media portrays environmental issues, the representation of nature and science in traditional and new media, and how communication tools such as framing and agenda setting convey power to various forms of media. Through readings, discussions, analyses, weekly reflections and the development of a research project, students gain an understanding of the role that media plays in shaping the discourse on environmental issues globally.

Environmental Communication: Local and Global: University of Rhode Island (undergraduate)

This course introduces students to the challenges and opportunities of communicating about environmental and sustainability issues at the local and global levels. We will explore how communication influences attitudes, behaviors, and decisions in the private (individual) and public (community and government) spheres. Through readings, discussions, written reflections and the development, implementation, and evaluation of a communication campaign, students will gain an understanding of the role that communication plays in shaping environmental knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and policy. 

Communication for Marine Affairs: University of Rhode Island (undergraduate)

The goal of this course is to provide Marine Affairs students with an introduction of how to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders, in different contexts, and for different purposes. Students in this course will assume the roles of natural resource managers in government, non-profit, and policymaking organizations who need to communicate environmental information to a variety of stakeholders. Through this experience, students will gain experience communicating complex, scientific and environmental information to diverse audiences in a way that is clear, concise and compelling. Students will also gain an understanding of the key challenges facing science communicators and how to overcome these challenges.  

Public Relations Practices: University of Rhode Island (undergraduate)

The purpose of this class is to provide students with an understanding of the complete public relations process, from start to finish. Students will design a full PR campaign for a company or organization that demonstrates their understanding of the four phases of public relations campaigns. Through this experience, students will be well-prepared to enter a public relations firm or other strategic communication position and contribute to the development and execution of real-world campaigns. 

The Politics of Climate Change (Instructor of Record): Duke University (undergraduate)

I designed and taught this undergraduate seminar course to explore the political dynamics of climate change policy, at the domestic and international levels. Through lectures, discussions, in-class activities and real-world experiences, students explored the problem, politics, and policies of climate change. The semester culminated with group projects where students interviewed climate change policymakers to analyze the feasibility of real-world policy proposals. 

U.S. Civics (Science Policy Summer Institute): Duke University

This multi-day workshop taught the basics of U.S. government and politics to students in the Science Policy Summer Institute. Students ranged from undergraduates to working professionals in STEM fields, seeking to understand how science policy is made in the United States. 

United Nations Climate Change Negotiations Practicum (Instructor): Duke University (graduate and undergraduate)

I designed and co-taught this unique seminar for graduate and undergraduate students, providing a semester of introduction to the UNFCCC climate change negotiations and the key topics in international climate change politics. The course also includes the students attending the Conference of the Parties as observers to support NGO partner organizations. 

Democracy Lab: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide on the Environment (Teaching Assistant; Instructor of Record: Frederick Mayer): Duke University

Climate Change and the Law (Teaching Assistant; Instructor of Record: Jonathan B. Wiener)

Pedagogical Training

Your Teaching Might be More Aligned with Colonialism than You Realize (Jamila Lyiscott Workshop, University of Rhode Island, spring 2023)

Writing Across the Curriculum (University of Rhode Island, spring 2020)

Preparing Future Faculty Program (Duke University, 2016-2017)

Duke Certificate in College Teaching (2019)

Duke Teaching Triangles (2016)