My goal as a teacher is to ignite my students' curiosity. Whenever possible, I seek to incorporate active learning strategies into my classroom to maximize student engagement. I enjoy the challenge of finding ever-more effective ways of conveying my message to my students.
Courses I have taught:
- Ecology, UNCW Spring 2019 (upcoming)
- Invertebrate Zoology, UCSB Spring 2018
- General Ecology, SHSU Spring 2015
- Grant Writing seminar, SHSU Fall 2014
- Principles of Biology lecture, OSU Summer 2013
- Principles of Biology laboratory, OSU 2012-2013 2011-2012 2007-2008
- Anatomy and Physiology laboratory, OSU Summer 2013 Summer 2008
My growing interest in teaching has been, in part, due to extensive training in effective instruction techniques:
In 2011, the Biology Program at OSU committed to restructuring the curriculum for the Principles of Biology series for majors. The goal was to create new inquiry-based activities for the Biology 21X laboratories. I have participated in this effort by co-creating an activity which is now used to teach mitosis and meiosis, and by designing a workshop on scientific writing to improve the quality of student laboratory reports. During Fall 2013 I rewrote 3 labs on vertebrate anatomy for Biology 212.
During spring quarter of 2013, I served as the “mentor TA” for the biology laboratories, a role which required me to co-teach the “GTA Training and Development” seminar, create materials to share with other TA’s, and provide extensive feedback on the newly-designed curriculum, which we were piloting.
- GTA Training and Development: A year-long seminar covering student engagement, critical thinking skills, classroom policy and management, syllabus design, and writing learning outcomes.
- Success in the College Classroom: A seminar covering learner-centered teaching, different learning styles, pedagogy, and assessment design.
- Scientific Teaching and Curriculum Design: A seminar covering elements of scientific teaching, inquiry-based laboratory design, and student assessment.
In 2011, the Biology Program at OSU committed to restructuring the curriculum for the Principles of Biology series for majors. The goal was to create new inquiry-based activities for the Biology 21X laboratories. I have participated in this effort by co-creating an activity which is now used to teach mitosis and meiosis, and by designing a workshop on scientific writing to improve the quality of student laboratory reports. During Fall 2013 I rewrote 3 labs on vertebrate anatomy for Biology 212.
During spring quarter of 2013, I served as the “mentor TA” for the biology laboratories, a role which required me to co-teach the “GTA Training and Development” seminar, create materials to share with other TA’s, and provide extensive feedback on the newly-designed curriculum, which we were piloting.
I believe that my teaching benefits immeasurably from my research. Conducting research keeps me up to date on the literature and research methods in my field, and I strive to convey my passion for scientific research to my students. Read more here about my experience conducting research.
