My first forays into any sort of a teaching role occurred when I became a tutor for fellow undergraduate students at Western Oregon University. Later, I was a team leader for WOU's Peer-led Team Learning (PLTL) program, which entailed leading weekly two-hour workshops with students in introductory biology courses. These early experiences proved very useful preparation for my teaching responsibilities in graduate school.

I taught nearly every term as a graduate student at Oregon State University. Sharing my enthusiasm for biology with others is a great experience, particularly if it can kindle scientific interest in students. My desire to enhance my teaching skill set led me to enroll in OSU's Graduate Certificate in College and University Teaching program, which I completed in 2014. 

At the University of Maine, I interact with students through the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Conservation Science & Practice program as well as students involved in the Center for Research on Sustainable Forests. I am currently developing a series of technical writing workshops for STEM graduate students.

teaching experience

Lecture Courses:

• Evolution Lecture

          Upper division course covering the basic concepts of evolutionary biology including natural and sexual                             selection, phylogenetics, and speciation. The course is taken by approximately 40 biology majors.

• Biology & Society Lecture

​          Upper division course covering current topics in biological science and their relation to societal issues.                            Typical topics include genetic engineering, vaccination, climate change, and research ethics. The course is                       taken by approximately 30 students including both science and non-science majors.

• Comparative Animal Physiology Lecture

         Upper division course covering the physiology of the cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems as well as            metabolics and thermoregulation. Comparisons of endotherms and ectotherms are emphasized. The course is                taken by approximately 40 biology majors.

• Introductory Human Anatomy & Physiology Lecture

          Lower division course covering the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal, muscular, and                                                integumentary systems with an emphasis on how these systems interact to produce movement of the body.                     The course is taken by approximately 90 students many of which are majoring in health or exercise science.

• Human Anatomy & Physiology Lecture 

          Upper division course covering the anatomy and physiology of the nervous, endocrine, and                                              reproductive systems with an emphasis on the interactions among these systems. The course is taken by                        approximately 100 students and is part of a series intended for students in pre-professional degree programs                  (e.g. pre-nursing, pre-dentistry). 

Laboratory Courses:

• Comparative Animal Physiology Laboratory

         Upper division course covering the physiology of the cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems as well as            metabolics and thermoregulation. Labs focus on data collection and statistical analyses using R software. The                 course is taken by approximately 40 biology majors.

• Vertebrate Biology Laboratory 

           Upper division undergraduate course covering identification, taxonomy, phylogeny, and                                                     natural history of the major vertebrate clades. 

• Comparative Anatomy Laboratory 

           Laboratory course taken by junior and senior undergraduates as well as graduate students. The lab covers                      muscular and skeletal anatomy with a functional morphology perspective.

• Vertebrate Physiology Laboratory

            Upper division courses taken by junior and senior undergraduates. I have taught both courses in
            the series, which cover physiology of the muscular, urinary, immune, cardiovascular, pulmonary,
             and endocrine systems. 

• Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory 

            Upper division courses that are part of a lab series intended for students in pre-professional degree                                 programs (e.g. pre-nursing, pre-dentistry). I have taught all three courses in the series, which cover material                    including skeletal and muscular anatomy using human cadavers and the anatomy and physiology of the                          nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, urinary, digestive, and reproductive systems.

• Advanced Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory 

         Upper division course that is part of a lab series intended for students mainly in the pre-pharmacy                                     degree program. I have taught both courses in the series which covers the anatomy and physiology of the                       nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, urinary, digestive, and reproductive systems.

• Introductory Biology Laboratory 

         Laboratory component of a year long series of lower division courses for science majors. I have taught                             multiple courses in the series covering topics such as introductory genetics, cell biology, ecology, evolution,                    and physiology.