As Assistant Teaching Professor at UC-Irvine, I currently teach the following courses:
Uni Stu 3: Freshman Seminar – Rotating topics include “Invasive Species” and “Sustainable Living”. Future topics include “Where am I? So Cal Natural History”
Bio 6: Tropical Biology – A lower division general education science course. This course consists of interactive lectures, readings, discussions, group workshops and presentations. It is dynamic, diverse, and ever-evolving, just like the ecosystems you’ll learn about. Spring 2018 syllabus; Bio 6 Structure & Learning Goals
Bio 166L: Field Biology – An upper-division lab and field course required for students in the EEB major. This course teaches the scientific method through the lens of field biology. Students design and conduct group and independent research projects, collect and analyze data, and present results in formal manuscripts and presentations.
Bio 191 A, B, and CW: Global Sustainability – (same as Earth System Science 190A-B-CW and Social Ecology 186A-B-CW)
This year-long sequence in Global Sustainability includes a seminar, directed study, and independent research in a relevant area. This work forms the basis for the senior research paper, which is required for the minor in Global Sustainability from UCI.
Fall 2017 syllabus (A); Winter 2018 syllabus (B); Spring 2018 syllabus (CW)
Eco Evo 246: Ecology and Evolution Pedagogy – A graduate seminar course focused on evidence-based teaching practices and professional development for teaching-related careers. Past topics have included Writing Teaching and Diversity Statements; Designing K-12 and/or Public Outreach Projects; Supporting Diversity in STEM; Backwards Course Design; Mentoring; and Teaching the Whole Student.
Eco Evo 264: Conservation Biology – A core required course for the Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science program, this course is my most recent course development, taught for the first time in winter 2018.
Winter 2018 syllabus
PAST EXPERIENCE
My formal teaching career began in 2005 when I accepted a position as a Lecturer in the Departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Developmental & Cell Biology at the University of CA, Irvine. From 2005-2007, I participated in the HHMI Teacher Development Program, during which time I taught the following courses:
- Bio 97: Genetics – I was the lead instructor for 15 discussion sections and oversaw graduate student teaching assistants, including their training, for 6 additional discussion sections. For one quarter, I served as course coordinator for four 400 person lecture sections and coordinated and wrote multiple versions of assignments and exams, administered exams, and was responsible for all grading, rapid return of exams to students, and the coordination of teaching assistants to help with these tasks
- Bio 100LW: Experimental Biology Laboratory – I was the lead instructor for four experimental laboratory sections, including designing assessments, assisting with instruction in scientific writing, and grading lab reports.
- Bio 94: Organisms to Ecosystems – I was the lead instructor for 9 discussion sections.
- Bio E190: Biological Conservation in Modern Society – I independently developed and taught a new course addressing topics at the intersection of biological conservation and society. This course covered topics related to sustainability, environmental policy, environmental ethics, biodiversity conservation in urban landscapes, the tragedy of the commons, finite resources, population growth, and current science in the news (e.g. genetically modified organisms, organic agriculture).
In 2007, I was hired as an Adjunct Professor at Orange Coast Community College where I taught the following courses:
- Bio 283: Genetics – I was the lead instructor for two 90-minute lecture sections of Genetics. I was solely responsible for developing all lecture material, in-class activities, and assessments. This course was designed to meet UCI’s Bio 97 requirement for transfer students.
- Bio 199: Introductory Biology Laboratory – I was the lead instructor for two laboratory sections for non-majors.
As a Ph.D. student in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine from 2008-2013, I was a teaching assistant for the following courses:
- Bio 100LW: Experimental Biology Laboratory – I was the lead instructor for two laboratory sections.
- Bio 94: Organisms to Ecosystems – I was course coordinator for two 400 student sections of Bio 94 and oversaw 30 discussion sections taught by graduate student teaching assistants.
- Bio 166L: Field Ecology Methods – I was a teaching assistant for this 8-unit (intensive!) field ecology writing course. As a TA, I assisted students in the design and implementation of independent field research projects, gave lectures on effective presentation styles, assisted in scientific writing instruction and data analysis, and graded student’s research papers.
- EEB 175: Restoration Ecology – As sole teaching assistant for this lecture and field course, I maintained the course website, assigned relevant readings, produced and graded exams and a writing assignment, coordinated field experiences (habitat restorations, native plantings, invasive species removal), and instructed students on natural history and restoration techniques while in the field.