Teaching, Mentorship, and Skills Training
University Teaching
I started my work in university-level teaching as a teaching assistant in my 3rd year of undergraduate, continued to do so throughout my M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, and have since worked as a course intructor. I have taught a variety of courses, most of which have emphasized experiential learning through hands-on lab or field based exercises. In addition to teaching, I also worked additional contracts designing labs and assignments for several courses.
Contract Instructor – Carleton University, Department of Earth Sciences:
Teaching Assistant – Carleton University, Department of Earth Sciences:
Teaching Assistant – University of Toronto, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology:
Contract Instructor – Carleton University, Department of Earth Sciences:
- ERTH 1009: Earth System Through Time (Summer 2021)
- Description: This course provides an introduction to major concepts in geology and paleogeography, as well as palaeontology, evolution, and extinction. The first half of the course focuses on theory and concepts, with the second half providing a survey of major tectonic, environmental, evolutionary, and extinction events in Earth history, with a particular emphasis on the Phanerozoic. Labs provide specimen-based exercises to synthesize the information covered in the lectures
- ERTH 1011: Evolution of the Earth (Summer 2021)
- Description: This course acts as a counterpart to ERTH 1009. It covers the same lecture content, but is intended for those who are not Earth Sciences or Science majors. In place of a lab section, this course includes additional quizzes and content dealing with synthesizing the lecture content.
Teaching Assistant – Carleton University, Department of Earth Sciences:
- ERTH 1007: The Dynamic Earth (Winter 2009 & Winter 2010)
- Description: Plate tectonic processes that drive our planet, create the interior structure of the Earth, and form the oceanographic, geological, and geophysical characteristics of plate boundaries; origin of earthquakes, seismic hazards, and use of seismicity to explore the subsurface.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Phil McCausland (2009), Maurice Lamontagne (2010)
- ERTH 1006: Exploring Planet Earth (Fall 2009)
- Description: Origin of the Earth, concepts of geological time, and exploration of the interaction and duration of geological processes that shape the surface to deep interior of our planet, the climate, and formation of rocks and earth resources.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Brian Cousens
- ERTH 2102: Mineralogy to Petrology (Fall 2010)
- Description: Chemical, optical and crystallographic properties of common rock-forming minerals, with introduction to common mineral assemblages of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Fred Gaidies
- ERTH 2314: Sedimentation and Stratigraphy (Fall 2010)
- Description: Origin of sediments, and their transport, distribution, and primary structures; processes of sediment-to-rock transformation; spatial patterns and controls of stratigraphy and methods of correlation.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions and short field assignments, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: George Dix
- ERTH 2312: Palaeontology (Winter 2011, Winter 2012)
- Description: Introduction to macrofossil and microfossil groups, their paleoenvironmental significance, and principles of evolutionary paleoecology.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: R. Timothy Patterson
- ERTH 3112: Palaeontology and Evolution of Lower Vertebrates (Winter 2011)
- Description: An introduction to fossil vertebrates, including fish, amphibians and reptiles, concentrating on anatomy, functional morphology, origins, evolution and systematics; and, transitions into new adaptive zones and associated environmental factors.
- Duties: assist in preparing assignments, conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Sanja Hinic-Frlog
- ERTH 2802: Field Geology (Spring 2011)
- Description: Field analysis using geological, geophysical and computational methods leading to the interpretation of the origins of geological features and processes.
- Duties: teach field methods and mapping during 2 week field course, grade assignments
- Lecturer: Fred Gaidies
- ERTH 2401: Dinosaurs (Fall 2011)
- Description: A general introduction to dinosaurs, their place in evolution, their social behaviour, the Mesozoic landscape, extinction theories, and public perception of dinosaurs
- Duties: assist in course administration and web-based components, prepare quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Claudia Schröder-Adams
- ERTH 3113: Geology of Human Origins (Winter 2012)
- Description: The origin and evolution of our species from geological, biological and cultural perspectives. The course traces human ancestry from our primate roots through time and changing environments, and explores controversies, frauds, and misperceptions.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Sanja Hinic-Frlog
Teaching Assistant – University of Toronto, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology:
- EEB 267: Animal Diversity: Vertebrates (Winter 2013, Winter 2014, Fall 2014 [course re-design], Winter 2015, Winter 2016, Winter 2017)
- Description: This course explores the diversity of chordate animals (vertebrates, tunicates, and lancelets), focusing on morphological, physiological, ecological and behavioural traits that make each group special and how those traits increase vulnerability to human-based exploitation. Labs involve living organisms whenever possible, but only for display purposes, otherwise using dissections and/or skeletal mounts.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, create lab assignments and exams, administer & grade quizzes/exams, redesign lab component (re-write reptile labs, add mammal lab; Fall 2014 extra assignment, beyond regular duties)
- Lecturer: Deborah McLennan (2013 ,2015 ,2016 ,2017), David Zamparo (2014)
- EEB 390: Vertebrate Palaeontology: Major Transitions in Vertebrate History (Winter 2016, Winter 2017)
- Description: The evolutionary history of vertebrates is recorded in their fossil record. Lectures highlight the origin and radiation of major vertebrate clades, and emphasize key events in vertebrate history, notably major ecological and evolutionary transitions, and mass extinctions. Practicals (at the Royal Ontario Museum) explore fossils that exemplify these themes.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, make and give lab lectures, create lab assignments and lab exams, administer & grade assignments/quizzes/exams, design lab exercises (particularly in initial course offering in 2016, modifying assignments for 2017 offering)
- Lecturer: Kevin Seymour, David Evans, Gerry De Iulius
- EEB 388: Diversity of Mammals (Winter 2017)
- Description: Diversity and biology of living mammals, including distinguishing characteristics and adaptations, classification, evolutionary relationships, biogeography, natural history, reproduction, behaviour, ecology, and conservation. Labs focus on the identification of mammals and their diverse morphological adaptations including the mammals of Ontario.
- Duties: conduct weekly laboratory sessions, give lab lectures, administer & grade quizzes/exams
- Lecturer: Corey Goldman
- EEB 466: Approaches to the Study of Biodiversity (Winter 2015, Winter 2016, Winter 2017)
- Description: This course uses the collections, research, and public gallery areas of the Royal Ontario Museum to expose students to the ways in which biodiversity is discovered, analyzed, and interpreted in a museum setting. Topics include: morphological and molecular approaches, taxonomy, classification, bioinformatics and e-taxonomy, and the interpretation of biodiversity for the public. Labs include student projects and a one-day field trip on a weekend
- Duties: conduct laboratory sessions in palaeontology module, give lab lectures, assist in design of lab exercises
- Lecturer: David Evans, Doug Currie
Student Mentorship & Supervision
I am acting as a co-supervisor of one MSc student currently, and am an external collaborator/mentor for graduate students at Carleton University (supervised by Dr. Danielle Fraser or Dr. Hillary Maddin). I am also currently assisting in the supervision of two undergraduate research students at Carleton University.
I have also acted as supervisor for a research assistant at the NCMNS. Prior to this, I supervised two research interns at the Field Museum of Natural History. One of these students is currently a high school student, and the other an undergraduate at UChicago. Both performed semi-independent research projects focused on dinosaur ecology and evolution, and these projects are in preparation for submission.
In addition, as a senior graduate student during my PhD in the Evans lab at the University of Toronto, I assisted in the mentoring of junior graduate students by orientating them with the University and the Royal Ontario Museum, assisting them in learning relevant methods of data acquisition, and discussing their research data. I also assisted in the supervision of several undergraduate student projects. In most cases this involves assisting the students in developing their hypotheses, providing literature pertinent to their projects, teaching them relevant methods, and discussing their research results prior to more formal progress meetings with Dr. Evans. All four of the undergrads that I worked with / co-supervised during my PhD have either published papers based on their work or have their work currently under review for publication. More recently, since my postdoc at NCMNS, I am a peer-mentor for a PhD student through the Multi-Institution Paleosciences Peer Mentor Program (PPMP), and ran workshops to prepare three PhD students for their comprehensive exams.
I have also acted as supervisor for a research assistant at the NCMNS. Prior to this, I supervised two research interns at the Field Museum of Natural History. One of these students is currently a high school student, and the other an undergraduate at UChicago. Both performed semi-independent research projects focused on dinosaur ecology and evolution, and these projects are in preparation for submission.
In addition, as a senior graduate student during my PhD in the Evans lab at the University of Toronto, I assisted in the mentoring of junior graduate students by orientating them with the University and the Royal Ontario Museum, assisting them in learning relevant methods of data acquisition, and discussing their research data. I also assisted in the supervision of several undergraduate student projects. In most cases this involves assisting the students in developing their hypotheses, providing literature pertinent to their projects, teaching them relevant methods, and discussing their research results prior to more formal progress meetings with Dr. Evans. All four of the undergrads that I worked with / co-supervised during my PhD have either published papers based on their work or have their work currently under review for publication. More recently, since my postdoc at NCMNS, I am a peer-mentor for a PhD student through the Multi-Institution Paleosciences Peer Mentor Program (PPMP), and ran workshops to prepare three PhD students for their comprehensive exams.
Royal Ontario Museum Palaeohistology Workshop
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Since its origination in 2013 and until my graduation in Fall 2017, I assisted in the organization and implementation of this yearly workshop, which includes three days of lectures and hands-on thin section preparation. The workshop instructs students on the theory and methodologies behind the generation of palaeohistological thin sections. I act as an instructor during the lecture and hands-on portions of the workshop. My lectures focus on bone biology and skeletochronological methods, and on ways to limit subjectivity in osteohistological analyses.
The titles of the training sessions I lead were:
More information about the workshop can be found here. |
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Geometric Morphometrics Workshop
In December 2015, fellow PhD student Derek Larson and I organized and led a workshop focused on the understanding and use of geometric morphometric analyses. This workshop instructed 8 students from a range of backgrounds (undergraduate, graduate) and study interests. Lectures and discussions focused on the theoretical background underlying morphometrics, the advantages and drawbacks to different morphometric methods. Practical instruction included hands-on data collection, and R coding to carry out multiple geometric morphometric analyses using multiple datasets and different analytical techniques (including Procrustes analysis, PCA, landmark-based data, semi-landmark data, deformation grid generation and comparisons, etc).
Museum-based Teaching Content
Since starting my postdoc at the Field Museum in January 2018, I have been asked to advise on the development of content for multiple Education department projects. These include:
- an educational video game co-produced by the Field Museum and Filament Games called ‘Mission to the Mesozoic”. Project is designed to provide an understanding of biodiversity in deep-time, how to identify different species and clades, how environments have changed throughout the Mesozoic, and how climate change relates to macroevolution and extinction. Project will be made for use both within the Field Museum, in regional schools, and online (https://www.fieldmuseum.org/educators/resources/mission-mesozoic)
- material for lesson plans related to ‘Sauropod Evolution’, ‘Dino Boxes’, and ‘Dinosaur Family Tree’ modules
Professional Development
I have taken part in a number of workshops and training sessions to improve my abilities as a researcher and instructor.
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FossilWorks Intensive Workshop in Analytical Paleobiology, A 5-week workshop in June-July of 2014 taught by John Alroy, Michal Kowalewski, Alistair Evans, and Graeme Lloyd and held at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Involved detailed instruction on the understanding and implementation of quantitative methods using the R programming language. Topics covered in this training include community palaeoecology, diversity estimation, geometric morphometrics, and phylogenetic analyses.
Teaching Fundamentals (TF) certificate awarded after completing a series of teaching workshops through the Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation at the University of Toronto.
Workshops completed as part of TF certificate program:
Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Student Industry Field Trip (SIFT), A 2-week training course in May 2009. One student per participating university was selected, and engaged in theoretical and practical (both lab and field based) exercises focused on imparting knowledge and skills needed for work in the petroleum industry, or more generally in petroleum geology.
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I have training in the operation of the following analytical, preparatory, and field techniques:
I also have the following certifications:
- Laser ablation stable isotopic analyses
- Bulk sample stable isotopic analyses
- Vertebrate osteohistological thin section preparation and imaging
- linear and geometric morphometric analyses
- Casting and moulding of fossil specimens
- Screen-washing and size-separation of vertebrate microfossil site material
- Palaeontological field-mapping and quarry excavation
- Stratigraphic section measurement
I also have the following certifications:
- G-class Ontario Drivers Licence
- Canadian Red-Cross Wilderness First-Aid
- Canadian Firearms Safety Course + Possession and Acquisition Licence
- Pleasure Craft Operators Card