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Courses taught at A-State

Collections Curation and Research Design (BIO 4833/5833) - Odd Spring Semesters

Museum-quality specimen curation including the collection and preservation of specimens and associated data. The evaluation and development of research questions in taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, global change biology, and biodiversity. The differentiation between statistical and scientific hypothesis testing in biodiversity science.

Dendrology (BIO 4714/5714) - Even Fall Semesters

Dendrology is a study of the systematics, nomenclature, morphology, phenology, geographic range, and natural history of woody plants with an emphasis on field recognition throughout the year.

Global Change Biology (BIO 6513) - Odd Spring Semesters

Global Change Biology is an advanced graduate course evaluating anthropogenic global changes and the ecological and evolutionary impacts they cause. This course covers climate change, land use change, and species invasions as the largest factors involved in losses of and changes in distributions of Earth’s biodiversity.

Plant Systematics (BIO 4704/5704) - Even Spring Semesters

This split-level course is a study of the systematics, nomenclature, morphology, and identification terminology for vascular plants with an emphasis on dichotomous key-based identification of flowering plants of Arkansas.

Wetland Plant Ecology and Lab (BIO 4522/5522 and 4521/5521) - Odd Fall Semesters

This course is focused on physical, chemical, and biological conditions of wetlands and how wetland plant species are adapted to the stresses of aquatic and wetland habitats. The course also addresses patterns of biodiversity within wetlands and across wetland ecosystems globally. The laboratory section includes field trips and project-based learning in which the students develop and implement an experiment to understand an aspect of wetland plant ecological pattern and process.

Plant Systematics Spring 2016 field trip to the Buffalo National River.

Corylus americana, the American hazelnut on Crowley's Ridge.

Previously taught courses

Biology of Plants (BIO 1503)

Biology of Plants is a comprehensive survey of 1) the form and function of plant cells, 2) mechanisms plants employ to obtain and use energy, 3) plant genetics and evolution, 4) the diversity of life (excluding animals), 5) physiology of seed plants, and 6) plant ecology.

Biology of Plants Laboratory (BIO 1501)

This laboratory is intended to complement the companion lecture course BIO 1503 - Biology of Plants. The laboratory course provides observational and hands-on experiences (using microscopes and other lab equipment) in plant biology to assist students in identifying the form, structure, function, and reproduction of plants.

Curation of Collections (BIO 4813/5813)

This course teaches current, appropriate museum-quality specimen curation for a range of taxa including the collection and preservation of specimens of vascular plants, fungi, mussels, fish, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. Elements of curation that will be addressed include appropriately collecting and labeling specimens, protecting specimens for long-term preservation, appropriate databasing of collections, and making data available to the scientific community and the public.

Environmental Science Topical Seminar - Georeferencing (ESCI 7121)

This particular course focused on georeferencing involves determining accurately and precisely the geographic locations of natural history specimen collections to apply to a wide variety of ecological and environmental research topics.

Evolutionary Biology (BIO 6013)

This graduate course is aimed at improving graduate student knowledge of advanced topics in evolutionary biology. This is a discussion-based course in which discussion leaders present an overview of a topic, and then lead discussion of a relevant literature contribution (chosen by the instructor).

Mechanisms of Speciation (BIO 6503)

This is an advanced graduate course that explores the mechanisms by which new species evolve and the role speciation plays in determining patterns of biodiversity.

Natural History Collections Research Design (BIO 4823/5823)

This split-level course teaches evaluation and development of research questions using current, peer-reviewed literature as a basis for discussion supported by natural history specimens and data. Research topics include taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, and global change biology. Activities demonstrate hypothesis testing in biodiversity science.

Plant Physiology (BIO 4513/5513)

This split-level course covers general principles of conduction, cellular reactions, respiration, growth, photosynthesis, movement, hormones, and metabolism in plants.

Special Topics: Community Ecology and Phylogenetics (BIO 404V/504V)

Topics covered in this course included patterns of biodiversity, community assembly theory, interspecific competition, other species interactions, modern coexistence theory, evolutionary community ecology, and principles and critiques of community phylogenetics.

Special Topics: Curation of Collections (BIO 404V/504V)

This special topics course is focused on current, appropriate museum-quality specimen curation for a range of taxa. Topics covered include the collection and preservation of specimens of algae, vascular plants, insects, mussels, fish, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. Elements of curation that will be addressed include appropriately collecting and labeling specimens, protecting specimens for long-term preservation, appropriate databasing of collections, and making data available to the scientific community and the public.

2010 Speciation students upon return from their end-of-semester retreat to the Harp Environmental Research Station where they delivered their final presentations. This was my first class to teach at A-State!