I absolutely love teaching and research in Ecology. I consider myself lucky to have experience in both teaching and research. Scientific research is, to me, an exciting, captivating, and extraordinary activity. I imagine most other scientists will understand my point of view: you work for hours on end to extract some morsel of previously unknown knowledge, analyze every aspect of it and show it excitedly to your colleagues who can appreciate its value. For that moment you know something that no one else in the world ever knew, saw things that no one had ever seen. You take that little bit of knowledge and say "Here's why this is important. Here's why the world should care." I live for that moment in research; even if your result was "Well, no, my hypothesis was wrong" you are refining your field, narrowing down the unknown.

While working towards my master's degree I paid the rent by working for the tutoring department as a tutor and success coach, teaching environmental studies at a two-year career college, and later by working for the biology department as a teaching assistant. My early experience with students has strengthened my own knowledge of biology and ecology and my skill as a teacher. I spent August 2012 - May 2013 teaching as an instructor for Bowling Green State University's Department of Environment and Sustainability. In this position I was able to "go out and get muddy" on a regular basis with my students.

At BGSU I taught courses in introductory environmental studies (ENVS 1010) environmental field and laboratory methods (ENVS 3100) and environmental field experience (ENVS 4930). ENVS 1010 is a lecture based course with an environmental service component. As such I spent several weekends with student in the Wood County Park District planting trees or pulling garlic mustard, and discussing the importance of those activities with my students. ENVS 3100 was a challenge and a delight. Challenging because I redesigned the entire course structure, implementing techniques and methods that had previously not been utilized; delightful because nearly every week for the Fall semester of 2012 I spent time in the sun and rain getting muddy and mosquito bitten while teaching basic methods in field ecology. ENVS 4930 was an opportunity for me to teach about a habitat I've never actually seen, and later visit it with my students to examine the ecosystem for ourselves. We camped for one week in Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola, Florida and explored the different coastal and inland habitats of the surrounding area.

I believe the best teachers are those who are passionate about the subject they are teaching, and want to pass on that enthusiasm to their students. Students need to learn beyond the fundamentals of the course, to develop skills for critical thinking, writing, and problem solving, that they will use in their future coursework and careers. Effective teaching and excellence in higher education are necessary to create a successful society. Teaching the content is important, but providing context and developing enthusiasm in students is critical. I am passionate about ecological education, for the public and for students at institutions. I am motivated by the critical need for action for the planet. It is only through education that positive environmental changes can begin to take place.

As an undergraduate I was not the best student, and my transition into adulthood was, at best, tumultuous. I tended to take on more than I could handle (sometimes 20 + credit hours, while holding down several part-time jobs) and my gpa suffered as a result. I did, however, graduate with a bachelor's of science in biology, minoring in both physics and chemistry. I excelled in laboratory courses hands on learning is definitely my first choice, and part of why I appreciate research so much today. When I began working on my master's degree I learned to be a better student, although still not the "perfect student." I believe that my experience as a teacher has helped me understand a great deal of where I "went wrong" along the way, and the struggles I had were essential in shaping my approach to teaching. I am a better student today because I struggled my way through science. We all learn from our mistakes.

I believe that my struggle to succeed in science can make me a better teacher because I truly understand how difficult it can be to understand and work through courses in science, while also juggling life, part-time jobs, and family obligations.

I look forward to working with new students!