Teaching

Adjunct Professor – Roger Williams University

In Fall 2021 I served as an adjunct professor of oceanography at Roger Williams University’s Department of Biology, Marine Biology, and Environmental Science in Bristol, RI. I taught a 25-student oceanography laboratory course, consisting of a 3 hour lab each week. Students were all freshman or sophomores, and most were pursuing a STEM degree. Labs typically consisted of 30-45 minutes of lecture material, followed by a lab activity. I took students out on four field trips on RWU’s research vessel, the InVinceable Spirit, a 30-foot vessel from which we were able to complete CTD casts, plankton net trawls and sediment grabs. The course covered topics related to geological, biological, chemical and physical oceanography, as well as some marine affairs and coastal science topics framed in a local context.

Visiting Professor – Nha Trang University

In Fall 2022 I was a visiting professor at Nha Trang University in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam during my time as a Fulbright Researcher. I lectured to Ph.D. students in the Coastal Science and Management graduate program. This class brought together Ph.D. students from Ghana, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Requested topics included:

Marine governance and spatial planning
Coastal hazards
Special area management plans
Ocean multi-use frameworks and challenges
Science communication.

I also lectured upon request to undergraduate students on both STEM and non-STEM tracks. These lectures typically involved the teaching of “soft skills” such as paper writing, proper citation practices, creating and presenting oral presentations, and basic coding for scientific figures. I also gave a guest lecture on environmental pollution and facilitated discussion groups about how students could become active participants in environmental stewardship.