Working with a team of researchers at the Kent Farm Banding Station at Indiana University
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Fixing up the aviary with undergraduate, Sammi Dietz
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Experience
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I was the instructor of record for the upper-level Animal Behavior course at Indiana University in the fall of 2017. I incorporated active learning techniques such as problem-based learning, think-pair-share, and literature discussions to engage the students as scientists rather than passive learners. I have also been the associate instructor for an upper-level Biology of Birds course and an introductory Ecology and Evolution course.
I designed a syllabus for a class that I hope to teach in the future, called “A changing world: understanding how climate change affects ecology, behavior, and evolution". |
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Pedagogy Training
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During my time at Indiana University, I worked closely with the Center for Integrative Teaching and Learning (CITL) and completed their Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship Program (GTAP). Notably during this time, I designed and led multiple workshops for instructors of all levels on effective lesson designs and creating student centered courses. I enjoyed working with fellow graduate students on these projects as well as Instructional Consultants, Katie Kearns and Leslie Drane.
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Mentoring
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I have formally mentored eight undergraduate students and one high school student (e.g., women, first-generation students) on independent research projects. I work with my students through all aspects of the scientific process, including experimental design, sampling and data analysis, statistics, and writing. As a postdoctoral researcher, I also mentored a graduate student through experimental design and data collection for a large-scale captive project. Animal and field research often creates opportunities for team-based research; therefore, at Indiana University and Texas A&M University, I informally mentored and trained an additional 12 undergraduates as well as a number of graduate students. I have trained undergraduate and graduate students in both field work (e.g., mist netting, handling and sampling birds, behavioral analysis) as well as lab work (e.g., hormone extractions and assays, RNA and DNA extractions, quantitative PCR, library preparation).
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Undergraduate, Katelyn Doyle, pulling a junco from a mist net
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Working with my undergraduate, Sammi Dietz, in the field
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