I find teaching to be challenging, rewarding, and full of surprises.  I am fortunate to have had many opportunities to teach diverse groups of students at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels.  Teaching is critically important given the growing awareness (and popularity) of the fields of conservation and ecology, with a constant stream of interested students hoping to join in.  The related discipline of capacity building also has tremendous potential for improving research and conservation outcomes in developing nations, and I am proud to be in a field that embraces teaching to such a degree.

Specific Experiences

  • I have taught the following courses as instructor of record:
                - Conservation of Biodiversity (~20 students; Env. Studies 951; Summer 2022, 2023, 2024 at UW-Madison)
                - Conservation Technologies and Trends (~25 students; Env. Studies 978; Spring 2024 at UW-Madison)
                - Conservation Grant Writing (~25 students; Env. Studies 978; Spring 2024 at UW-Madison)
                - Ecological Restoration in Practice (18 students; Env. Studies 400/900; Fall 2023 at UW-Madison)
                - Sustaining Life on Earth (~20 students; Env. Studies 400; Spring 2023, 2024 at UW-Madison)
                - Environmental Studies Capstone: Invasive Species Monitoring and Management (11 students; Env. Studies 600; Fall 2023 and 
                  2021 at UW-Madison)
                - Environmental Studies Capstone: Private Land Conservation (~15 students; Env. Studies 600; Fall 2020, 2021, and 2022 at UW-
                  Madison; co-taught with Paul Zedler)
                - Ecology and the Global Environment (~15 students; Env. Studies 251; Summer 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 at UW-
​                   Madison)
                - Introduction to Ecology Research (~15 students; Zoo 953; Fall 2018 and 2019 at UW-Madison)
                - Botswana: Ecology and Environment (5 students; Env. Studies 400; Summer 2018 at UW-Madison)
                - Introductory Ecology (~130 students; Botany / Env. Studies / Zoology 260; Spring 2018 at UW-Madison)
                - Conservation Biology (~40 students; Bio Sci 505; Fall 2017 at UW-Milwaukee)

  • I have been awarded the Honored Instructor Award (2018) and the Postdoc Excellence in Teaching Award (2021), both from UW-Madison

  • I was a fellow of the 2016-2017 Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program at Duke University, which provided advanced pedagogical training and mentorship at nearby institutions.
 
  • I completed the Duke Graduate School Certificate in College Teaching, which encompassed coursework and systematic pedagogical training, reflective teaching practice and peer observation, and the development of materials suitable for future teaching positions.
 
  • I served as a Teaching Assistant for nine semesters for both undergraduate and graduate courses in the Nicholas School of the Environment, including:
                 - Tropical Ecology (Spring 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017)
                 - Integrating Environmental Science and Policy (Spring 2016)
                 - Applied Statistics for the Environmental Sciences (Fall 2015, 2016)
                 - Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy (Fall 2013)
                 - Satellite Remote Sensing (Fall 2012)

  • From August 2007 – February 2008, I served as a teacher with the WorldTeach Program in Guyana, teaching general science and biology to middle and high school students.  I also founded the Kwakwani Wildlife Club, a school-sponsored weekly student group focused on wildlife and natural resource education in both classroom and field settings.