Education Scholars
We are pleased to announce the ESA 4DEE Education Scholars who participated in the Transforming Ecology Education to 4D Faculty Mentoring Networks (FMN). Their work encapsulated key ideas of the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework Initiative. The scholars have published peer reviewed educational resources incorporating 4DEE, listed below.
Meet the scholars!
Shamili Ajgaonkar | College of DuPage | Biology
I am a Professor of Biology and Faculty Chair for Global Education at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL. I spend a lot of time thinking about the meaning and place of ecological systems in human society, and prioritize environmental literacy and civic responsibility in my teaching practice.
Linda Auker | Misericordia University | Biology and Environmental Studies
I am a marine ecologist who studies invasive species!
Lynne Beaty | Penn State Erie, The Behrend College | Biology
I am a behavioral ecologist generally interested in plastic responses to stressors along with the population-level and management implications of those responses.
https://behrend.psu.edu/person/lynne-beaty-phd
Ellen Bledsoe | University of Arizona | School of Natural Resources & Environment
I am an Assistant Professor of Practice in the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment, where I teach courses incorporating data science into ecology. I am interested in community ecology, data science pedagogy, and increasing inclusivity and equity in ecology and beyond
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Antarctic Fisheries
Kylea Garces | Northeastern University | Marine & Environmental Science
I am an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow. I study plant-fungal interactions in response to global change. My approach to teaching emphasizes learning as a form of empowerment as students explore connections between science and society. By creating spaces where authenticity thrives, I aim to spotlight the often-overlooked stories of communities demonstrating climate resilience in my courses using the 4DEE framework.
https://kyleagarces.weebly.com/
ky.garces@nullnortheastern.edu
Jeremy Hsu | Chapman University | Biological Sciences
I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Chapman University, where I conduct biology education research that examines how students learn and explores how different factors shape students’ experiences inside and outside the classroom. I am committed to evidence-based teaching and have been recognized with teaching awards at both Stanford and Chapman University.
An inquiry-based approach for teaching Type III functional responses in ecology*
Rosny Jean | Florida A&M University | School of the Environment
I am an Assistant Professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University; my research currently focuses on understanding the complexities of ecosystem services and their ability to adapt to changing climates. I investigate how technologies such as geospatial and artificial intelligence can be used to model these environmental changes, contributing to comprehensive efforts supporting and empowering climate adaptation projects.
Miranda Kearney | SUNY Oneonta | Biology
I am an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at SUNY Oneonta. I am very interested in science education and my ecological research focuses on questions related to global change biology. I often align these interests in the classroom by using resources like 4DEE, implementing project-based courses, and through my work designing and running Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE).
https://mirandakearney.wixsite.com/kearneyteam
Miranda.Kearney@nulloneonta.edu
Jamie Kneitel | California State University | Biological Sciences
I am a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at California State University, Sacramento. My research addresses how environmental variation affects diversity and function of seasonal wetlands, including vernal pools and rock pools. I teach courses in ecology, biostatistics, and scientific communication.
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT AQUATIC LAB (HEAL) CURE
Kimberly J Komatsu | University of North Carolina | Biology
I am an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with a research focus on plant community responses to global change drivers. I am a proud alumna of ESA’s SEEDS program. I love getting students involved in research and aim to implement 4DEE practices throughout my courses.
Malaise Trap Project: Involving Undergraduate Students in Network Science
https://www.communitydynamicslab.com/kjkomatsu@nulluncg.edu
Emily Rauschert | Cleveland State University | Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences
I am an Associate Professor at Cleveland State University, where I teach across the curriculum, from introductory biology to graduate biostatistics. My teaching interests include building study skills and scientific skills in the classroom, including scientific thinking, communication, and quantitative skills.
Community interactions of army ants*
e.rauschert@nullcsuohio.edu
Lauren Stoczynski | Purdue University
Future faculty member in the biology and environmental sciences department at Le Moyne College starting Aug 2024! I am a freshwater biologist broadly interested in human impacts on freshwater organisms including fish and macroinvertebrates. I used a metacommunity framework to answer questions about anthropogenic influences on stream fish community assemblages. I am interested in movement behaviors of non-game stream fishes along gradients of urbanization and connectivity. I am also interested in Biology Education Research by investigating introductory biology and quantitative reasoning in STEM courses including creating and interpreting graphs, statistics, and critical thinking skills.
Patterns and processes in landscape ecology: land use interactions with stream fish communities across scales
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-stoczynski-phd-33248b65/
lestosh17@nullgmail.com
Natasha Woods | Moravian University | Biological Sciences
I am a plant community ecologist. I study shrub encroachment into grasslands on Virginia Barrier Barrier Islands. I conduct research at the Virginia Coast Reserve, a Long-Term Ecological Research site. I am interested in taking what I learn in the field about plant community dynamics into the classroom.
https://www.moravian.edu/natasha-woods
woodsn02@nullmoravian.edu
Suann Yang | SUNY Geneseo | Biology
Being trained as a community ecologist, I’m interested in how the context of interactions among students influences their attitudes toward their learning experiences. Some of my current projects include teaching quantitative skills while reducing math anxiety and developing OER to increase the representation of counter-stereotypical scientists in biology curricula.
A graphing activity to investigate functional responses of lionfish
Amanda Zirzow | Florida SouthWestern State College | Biological Sciences
I am a Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida SouthWestern State College. My research focuses on antibiotic discovery from microorganisms isolated from the environment and evaluating their efficacy. I integrate the 4DEE Framework in my teaching to inspire students to connect biological concepts with broader ecological systems and environmental stewardship.
Melissa Bowlin | University of Michigan-Dearborn
Human population growth case study
Xuan Chen | Salisbury University
Playing with open biodiversity datasets: case studies using data from NEON, EDI, and GoMRI
Jonathan Davis | Wofford College
Investigating the ecological value of migratory fishes on stream ecosystems in southern Appalachia
Sara Hansen | Central Michigan University
Building Biodiversity Datasets for Invasive Species