Embedded Files
Prior Experiences
Prior Experiences
At UCSC, I have served as a Graduate Student Instructor/Instructor on Record for our upper division Animal Physiology course, and as a Teaching Assistant for Introductory Physiology & Developmental Biology (4 quarters), Animal Physiology (4 quarters), Exercise Physiology (1 quarter) and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (3 quarters). Through UCSC's Teaching and Learning center I have completed the Equity Minded Mentorship Certification and have attended pedagogical workshops/trainings to aid in improving my classroom environment.
Prior to graduate school, I was an educator for six years, working at place-based, outdoor, environmental education programs. I have had the joy of teaching at the Ozark Natural Science Center (1.5 years), the Catalina Island Marine Institute (2.5 years), and for the Appalachian Mountain Club's "A Mountain Classroom" (1 season), among others, all of which have profoundly influenced my teaching philosophy.
Teaching & Mentoring Philosophy
Teaching & Mentoring Philosophy
As a teacher and mentor, I believe it is my job to actively create a comfortable and safe environment for students to attempt new challenges, struggle in a productive way, and find equal value in both triumphs and flops. Science is hard and that’s ok. I aim for students to feel a sense of belonging while working together, while also feeling empowered to ask questions and take risks without a fear of potential failure. I endeavor to craft a community where students strive for academic achievement, while also acknowledging that expectations for high achievement must be matched with support from myself as the instructor.
Teaching & Mentoring Philosophy
Teaching & Mentoring Philosophy
In the classroom, I intentionally pair 15-20 minutes of classic lecture with an active learning activity. These activities incorporate multiple learning modalities: we may draw, annotate scientific literature, practice graphical interpretation, play a game, sculpt with play-dough, or grapple with practice questions. Some activities may build on each other throughout separate lectures, connecting material between topics. Where appropriate, I scaffold my lesson plans based on the BEETLES learning cycle, a research-backed strategy to support student learning.
TEACHING MATERIALS
TEACHING MATERIALS
Animal Physiology
Animal Physiology
At UCSC, Animal Physiology is an upper division course offered within the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. Throughout this 5-week intensive summer course, we compare physiological systems between nine major animal phyla (from sponges to vertebrates!).
The student learning objectives for this course are to...
1. Describe how different animal bodies “work”, with respect to: fueling metabolic demands, cycling nutrients, processing waste, etc.
2. Define the different phyla within the metazoa, identify what members are in these phyla, and list key evolutionary branching points along the phylogeny
3. Compare and contrast body systems between different taxa
4. Interpret graphical data related to physiological concepts
Course Syllabus
- Goals & objectives, schedules, and grading!
Lesson Plans
- View sample lesson plans
Lecture Slides
- Slide decks for all major topics
Lab Activities
- Sample activities created for this course
Students having a great time visiting the necropsy lab!
Teaching Assistantship Materials
Teaching Assistantship Materials
As a Teaching Assistant, I have created new activities and reformatted older materials to help support student learning. Click on the links below to view example materials.
Play-dough meets digestive anatomy
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