Teaching Philosophy

The problems humanity faces require cross-disciplinary skills, problem solving, and critical thinking. As a teacher, I believe it is important to clearly introduce students to concepts and issues, facilitate connections between disciplines, and allow students to engage what they have learned to specific places and problems. I feel like this is best done through hands-on projects, encouraging independent thinking, peer mentoring, partnerships with practitioners, and group discussions. I believe that lesson plans that are connected to real world problems will stick with students longer than concepts and theory not clearly linked with practice. 

University teaching experience

  • 2013-Current. I have taught designed and taught eight courses from scratch including: Climate Change: Science of Adaptation & Mitigation, Integrative Skills for Environmental Management, NEPA for Environmental Managers, Public Lands, Social Science Methods for Environmental Managers, and Sustainable Rangeland Management. My average evaluation has been a 4.8 (out of 5).
  • 2011. Designed and taught “Adaptive capacity” graduate level seminar at University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
  • 2009. Designed “Food Systems and Sustainability” graduate level seminar at University of Colorado, Denver 
  • 2006-2008. TA for Range Ecology and Management (2 semesters) and Range Measurement and Monitoring (1 semester) at Colorado State University
  • Facilitated the Front Range Food Systems Research Group (composed of researchers from 3 Universities in Colorado)

Other teaching and training experiences

  • Environmental Education at Snow Mountain Ranch and Curecanti NRA
  • Led courses on composting, ecology in the garden, organic farming and companion planting at Delaney Farm. 
  • Led book club discussion group as a librarian at the Fraser Valley Library
  • Coordinated series of authors, poets and other speakers for the Fraser Valley Library
  • Conducted training for Read Aloud volunteers at the Denver Public Library
  • Conducted training for volunteers for Colorado Environmental Coalition 
  • Helped to organize events and trainings for Denver Urban Gardens