Brief Overview of Teaching PhilosophyLearning should be interactive, engaging, and fun. In my courses, I promote active learning through activities and field trips that give students hands on experience. While I believe there is an important place for lectures and textbooks, I generally use short lectures and flipped classrooms to allow students more interaction while face to face with their instructor.
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Current Classes (Modules)
Bangor University
Organizer
Conservation Management Planning (DXX-4013)
Contributor
Principles of Conservation (DXX-2003)
Wildlife Ecology & Conservation (BNS-3000)
Conservation Management Planning (DXX-4013)
Contributor
Principles of Conservation (DXX-2003)
Wildlife Ecology & Conservation (BNS-3000)
Past Classes
Queens University of Charlotte
A Science of Space (QLC 240 LC8)
Geographic space has shaped the patterns of life on this planet for hundreds of millions of years (at least). This course will introduce you to the importance of geographic space in biology and ecology. Specifically, we will learn about current patterns of biodiversity, why islands have such high proportions of endemic species, what an endemic species is, how geographic space relates to evolution, how landscape configuration impacts wildlife, and the contribution of changing landscapes to current conservation issues. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? This course is designed to give you a cursory understanding to these topics while strengthening your scientific mind and introducing you to some of the tools available to scientists.
Geographic space has shaped the patterns of life on this planet for hundreds of millions of years (at least). This course will introduce you to the importance of geographic space in biology and ecology. Specifically, we will learn about current patterns of biodiversity, why islands have such high proportions of endemic species, what an endemic species is, how geographic space relates to evolution, how landscape configuration impacts wildlife, and the contribution of changing landscapes to current conservation issues. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? This course is designed to give you a cursory understanding to these topics while strengthening your scientific mind and introducing you to some of the tools available to scientists.
Intro to Geospatial Analysis (BIO 230)
Geographic space has shaped the patterns of life on this planet for hundreds of millions of years, and its importance has not diminished in that time. With the rise of modern technology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which are used to create, manage, analyze, and map spatial data, have become some of our society’s most important tools. Did you use your phone for directions lately? Did you order something online? Did you plan a trip to somewhere new? Maybe you went to the zoo. GIS is in some way connected to nearly every aspect of our lives. It’s a diverse tool used in city, business, and conservation planning. In this class you will learn to use GIS to answer important conservation-themed research questions of your choosing.
Geographic space has shaped the patterns of life on this planet for hundreds of millions of years, and its importance has not diminished in that time. With the rise of modern technology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which are used to create, manage, analyze, and map spatial data, have become some of our society’s most important tools. Did you use your phone for directions lately? Did you order something online? Did you plan a trip to somewhere new? Maybe you went to the zoo. GIS is in some way connected to nearly every aspect of our lives. It’s a diverse tool used in city, business, and conservation planning. In this class you will learn to use GIS to answer important conservation-themed research questions of your choosing.
Biodiversity & Ecology Foundations (BIO 202)
How does evolution work? Why is evolution considered the fundamental concept linking molecular and organismal biology? How are organisms related evolutionarily? What is biodiversity? How does that biodiversity result from the different biotic and abiotic factors to which organisms must respond and adapt? How do organisms interact? How are ecological principles dependent on biotic and abiotic factors that we will discuss this semester? How do these interactions influence evolution? In this course we'll begin to address these and many other questions in biodiversity and evology.
Methods in Field Biology (BIO 314)
Fieldwork, or field data collection, is absolutely essential to ecological research. In this course, we will learn basic and advanced field methods in biology. We will start by focusing on orienteering and familiarizing ourselves with common tools available to field ecologists. We will learn how to identify common birds by sight and sound and will use these skills to conduct line and transect surveys. We will learn techniques to account for imperfect detection, including distance sampling, removal sampling, and double observer methodologies. We will learn about banding birds and practice sighting color bands, spot (territory) mapping, and tracking individuals with radio telemetry. While much of this course is based on field ornithology, we will also learn and practice methods for surveying non-avian wildlife. Finally, we will learn to design and adapt field methods to specific research questions. This is a hands-on field course, so get ready to step outside!
How does evolution work? Why is evolution considered the fundamental concept linking molecular and organismal biology? How are organisms related evolutionarily? What is biodiversity? How does that biodiversity result from the different biotic and abiotic factors to which organisms must respond and adapt? How do organisms interact? How are ecological principles dependent on biotic and abiotic factors that we will discuss this semester? How do these interactions influence evolution? In this course we'll begin to address these and many other questions in biodiversity and evology.
Methods in Field Biology (BIO 314)
Fieldwork, or field data collection, is absolutely essential to ecological research. In this course, we will learn basic and advanced field methods in biology. We will start by focusing on orienteering and familiarizing ourselves with common tools available to field ecologists. We will learn how to identify common birds by sight and sound and will use these skills to conduct line and transect surveys. We will learn techniques to account for imperfect detection, including distance sampling, removal sampling, and double observer methodologies. We will learn about banding birds and practice sighting color bands, spot (territory) mapping, and tracking individuals with radio telemetry. While much of this course is based on field ornithology, we will also learn and practice methods for surveying non-avian wildlife. Finally, we will learn to design and adapt field methods to specific research questions. This is a hands-on field course, so get ready to step outside!
Past Classes
Oregon State University
Wildlife Ecology (FW 481)
In this class, we will learn about global patterns of biodiversity, major components of biodiversity, and how it's measured. We will examine trends in wildlife populations and how wildlife respond to current environmental change. We will focus on the effects of fragmentation, climate change, and disease on wildlife with a eye towards current and future conservation.
Systematics of Birds (FW 312)
In this class, we will examine just a portion of the avian diversity on our planet. We will learn how to identify local birds by sight and sound with a focus on diagnostic characteristics and avian and topography and anatomy. Throughout the class, we will focus on how species around the world are evolutionarily related to one another. If you've ever wondered anything about birds, this is the class for you.
In this class, we will learn about global patterns of biodiversity, major components of biodiversity, and how it's measured. We will examine trends in wildlife populations and how wildlife respond to current environmental change. We will focus on the effects of fragmentation, climate change, and disease on wildlife with a eye towards current and future conservation.
Systematics of Birds (FW 312)
In this class, we will examine just a portion of the avian diversity on our planet. We will learn how to identify local birds by sight and sound with a focus on diagnostic characteristics and avian and topography and anatomy. Throughout the class, we will focus on how species around the world are evolutionarily related to one another. If you've ever wondered anything about birds, this is the class for you.