Skills

Below I list some of my skills as an educator, researcher, communicator, and organizer.

I am primarily an educator. As I describe in my Teaching and Teaching Philosophy pages, I have taught in a great variety of contexts using a diversity of teaching approaches. I am well-versed in:

• the development of novel curriculum using an objectives-based approach;
• the design and delivery of lessons that engage students in active and/or inquiry-based learning;
• the management of courses that incorporate lab-based learning experiences;
• the design of classroom teaching tools that foster active student learning;
• the development of project-based assignments and the rubrics necessary to assess student learning on these assignments;
• the use of learning management systems to deliver content, receive student work, provide students with feedback, and to support learning activities; and
• the use of concept maps, both to aid my own development of curriculum and to empower student learning.

As my Research page describes, I am also an active scientific researcher with experience in:

• the development and analysis of ecological models, primarily using numerical and simulation-based approaches;
• the development and analysis of agent-based models (also called “individual-based models”);
• basic programming, primarily using Mathematica and some C++; and
• basic microbiological techniques, including the culturing and manipulation of protozoan microcosms.

A large part of my work as a scholar revolves around communication, particularly of complex scientific ideas and concepts. As a communicator, I rely upon the following skills:

• Writing, both formal and informal;
• Oral presentation, including classroom lecturing and presentation of talks at conferences and seminars;
• Graphic design, primarily using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator but also employing collage;
• Website production, primarily using WordPress and bbPress; and
• Editing and criticism, particularly of written work.

Finally, I have been an organizer in both my professional and personal lives, with particular experience in:

• non-hierarchical, consensus-based decision-making;
• dialogue-based visioning of collective goals;
• fostering effective leaders through setting goals, assessing workloads, and directing group efforts; and
• empowering spatially- and temporally-dispersed groups through the creation of collectively-run webpages and online forums.