Teaching    

Photo credit sailorsforthesea.org

MARB 408. Marine Botany. 

This course will introduce students to marine microalgae, macroalgae, and plants. Lectures focus on the life history characteristics, ecology, environmental importance, industrial/aquaculture applications, and management. The lab portion of this course will introduce students to several ecological concepts, using marine phytoplankton as model organisms. Students will conduct a semester-long experiment involving field sampling from a vessel, using a microscope, conducting cell counts using a hemocytometer, and identifying phytoplankton from the waters surrounding Pelican Island. Also, as a part of the lab and as a writing-intensive course, students will develop a research proposal in the realm of marine botany.

MARB 640. Ecosystem Functions in Marine Environments.

Students will examine how environmental and biological/ecological processes combine to influence marine ecosystem functions and biodiversity. This course will introduce students to graduate-level study. It emphasizes peer-reviewed literature and developing skills for self-directed learning and original inquiry. While developing a core competency in the fundamentals of marine ecosystem functioning and ecology, students will practice reading and presenting scientific articles, giving and receiving constructive critiques of research ideas, and exploring research questions and hypotheses through experimentation.