Teaching
Courses
Ecology and Conservation of Wildlife in the Neotropics
Co-Instructor – Cornell University – Winter 2023
This international field course provides students with a broad introduction to the research process in field ecology in coastal Patagonia (Argentina), an area that provides us with unprecedented access to both marine and terrestrial wildlife, as well as exposure to conservation challenges and success stories. During this 2+ week field component, students travel among field sites in Patagonia and put course knowledge to work in an experiential context by designing and implementing a series of research projects, including numerous short 'blitz' projects and several longer, more intensive independent projects; many of these field studies involve close-hand observations of marine mammals, penguins, and other seabirds. The course builds skills in data collection and analysis, further strengthened in the spring component (BIOEE2527). Course website.
Introduction to Tropical Biology
Field Course Co-Instructor – University of New Mexico – Fall 2022
This international field course exposes students to terrestrial tropical environments in Colombia, one of the world's most biodiverse countries on Earth. Course topics include organisms, communities, structure, function, distribution, geology, history, politics, ecology, and evolution. Students will traverse lowland grasslands (llanos) to humid montane forests to high Andean ecosystems (páramo). We will gain close experience with plants, mammals, birds, and reptiles from these diverse regions, and will study their ecology and evolution with Colombian botanists, mammalogists, ornithologists, and conservation scientists. Highlights include guest lectures by scientists and researchers, bird banding with university professors and student teams, and museum collection tours. Students will keep detailed sketches and natural history notes about their experiences in field journals.
Ornithology, Graduate TA & Lab Instructor – University of New Mexico – Fall 2021
This upper division course explores bird diversity in the museum, field, and classroom, and discussing cutting edge research on bird evolution, ecology, and physiology. Field trips around New Mexico (Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Grande Nature Center, and a 3-day trip to some of the hottest migration birding spots in the state) are always the highlight of this course. Labs integrate specimens from the Museum of Southwestern Biology to enhance learning and facilitate comparative study. All class bird observations are memorialized in our UNM Ornithology 2021 eBird account.
General Vertebrate Zoology, Graduate TA & Lab Instructor – University of New Mexico – Fall 2019
This course takes a deep dive into the anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution, phylogenetics, and natural history of vertebrates. I was responsible for designing labs (syllabus, lectures, activities, specimen displays, lab practicals), coordinating and leading field trips throughout New Mexico, and guest lecturing in the lecture section of the course.
Cell and Molecular Biology, Graduate TA & Lab Instructor – University of New Mexico – Spring 2019
I was the primary laboratory instructor for first semester majors' biology course and led discussion sections and laboratory activities related to lecture material.
Biology Lecture Demonstration Coordinator – University of New Mexico – Fall 2018
I managed laboratory preparation and set-up for the Biology for Health Sciences course series (>500 students; 21 weekly sections of two courses) and provided help with course content revision, supply ordering, substitute teaching, and support for graduate TAs.
Biology for Health Sciences, Graduate TA & Lab Instructor – University of New Mexico – Fall 2016, Summer 2017, Summer 2018
I was the primary laboratory instructor for Biology for Health-Related Sciences Lab sections (up to 72 students/semester) and was responsible for contributing lecture material, designing and grading quizzes and in-class assignments, and structuring and grading lab practical exams.
Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science, Instructor – School Year Abroad, China – 2015-2016
I was the Instructor of record for AP Environmental Science for high school juniors and seniors (35 students) studying abroad in China. I designed a rigorous course that met CollegeBoard Advanced Placement standards and integrated Beijing- and China-specific environmental case studies . My course was designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science that integrated topics from geology, biology, environmental science, sustainability studies, chemistry, and geography. Through lectures, labs, readings, videos, field trips, discussions, and debate, students learned about important environmental issues while engaging in projects related to local environmental themes. Topics included global biodiversity and conservation; demographics and populations; local and global resources of food, water and energy; and climate change and sustainability.
Conversational Portuguese – Middlebury College Language Tables – 2012-2013
I provided conversational Portuguese language instruction to beginning students at the lunchtime “no English permitted” Language Tables.
Biostatistics, Undergraduate TA – Middlebury College – Winter Term 2013
I assisted with statistics practicum activities, experimental design for student projects, data analysis, and results write-up.
Vertebrate Natural History, Undergraduate TA – Middlebury College – Fall 2010
In this advanced biology course for undergraduates, I set up mist net lanes, assisted students with bird identification and banding, small mammal trapping, guest lectures about natural history, and morphological identification of fish, birds, and mammals.
Peer Writing Tutor – Middlebury College – Spring & Fall 2010
I taught writing workshops to one first-year seminar class and privately tutored first-year students in non-fiction, essay, and academic writing.
