I approach each course I teach with three main objectives: First, is to put mud on student’s boots and put ecological theories into practice with experiential learning. Second, is to approach the classroom as a form of science communication and engage students through story telling. Finally, I aim to provide a broader context for materials covered in the classroom through student engagement in the scientific process.
I am an advocate for undergraduate research and actively mentor undergraduates at my institution. Student engagement in undergraduate research and citizen science projects is known to increase retention of under-represented groups in STEM, and may patch part of the “leaky pipeline” of women and minorities earlier on in STEM fields (DeHaan 2005; Dunn et al. 2017).
DeHaan, Robert L. (2005). The impending revolution in undergraduate science education. Journal of Science Education and Technology 14.2: 253-269.
Dunn, R., Lucky, A., Hulcr, J., Steininger, M. S., Vitone, T., & Stofer, K. (2017). School of Ants goes to college: integrating citizen science into the general education classroom increases engagement with science. Connections, 4, 01.
I am an advocate for undergraduate research and actively mentor undergraduates at my institution. Student engagement in undergraduate research and citizen science projects is known to increase retention of under-represented groups in STEM, and may patch part of the “leaky pipeline” of women and minorities earlier on in STEM fields (DeHaan 2005; Dunn et al. 2017).
DeHaan, Robert L. (2005). The impending revolution in undergraduate science education. Journal of Science Education and Technology 14.2: 253-269.
Dunn, R., Lucky, A., Hulcr, J., Steininger, M. S., Vitone, T., & Stofer, K. (2017). School of Ants goes to college: integrating citizen science into the general education classroom increases engagement with science. Connections, 4, 01.
Teaching Experience:
University of Illinois at Chicago - General Ecology Laboratory - Teaching Assistant - Northwest Passage Project - Teaching Assistant - Populations and Communities - Teaching Assistant Loyola University Chicago - Ecology Lab - Co-Instructor - Ichthyology - Teaching Assistant - Comparative Anatomy - Teaching Assistant - Winter Ecology - Guest Lecturer |
Undergraduate Research Mentor:
University of Illinois at Chicago - Aditi Buti, "Coral Reef Fish Diversity in Kane'ohe Bay, Hawaii." - Greg Illner, "Coral Cover and Structure of Hawaiian Coral Reefs." (Honors Student) - Kim Nguyen, "Quantifying Neogobius melanostomus predation risk to Laurentian Great Lakes predators through food patches." (Honors Student & Field Museum of Natural History Intern) - Humair Razziudin, "Pescados blancos: Going back in time to understand the trophic consequences of a century of heavy fishing in Lake Chapala." Intern at the Field Museum of Natural History Loyola University Chicago - David Jurak, "Current and Historic Fish Assemblages of the North Branch Chicago River." - Oliva Chan, Mulcahy Scholar, "Does round goby group feeding facilitate invasion success?" In conjunction with the John G. Shedd Aquarium's Daniel P. Haether Center for Conservation and Research. |