TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
University of Alaska Anchorage: Biological Sciences Department (2002-present):
Plant Systematics (for biology majors)
Plant Evolutionary Ecology (for biology majors)
Fundamentals of Biology II
Independent Studies
Thesis
Directed Research
University of Alaska Anchorage: Alaska Natural Heritage Program (2002-present):
Invasive Plant Ecology and Taxonomy (educational workshop)
Sabbatical Replacement Instructor : Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim, Norway January 1999 – May 1999):
Conservation Biology (team teaching, masters-level course)
Plant Ecology (team teaching, masters-level course)
Teaching Assistant: University of Alaska Fairbanks (Fall 1995):
Principles of Ecology
Teaching Assistant: Plant Anatomy and Physiology, Willamette University (Fall 1993, Fall 1994):
Plant Anatomy and Physiology
Teaching Assistant: Field Plant Ecology, Willamette University (Spring 1993):
Field Plant Ecology
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
Assistant Professor of Botany, Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska Anchorage (June, 2004 – present; Assistant Research Professor June 2002 – 2004), with a focus divided in two areas:
As a faculty member, I have primary responsibility for courses in Plant Systematics and Plant Evolutionary Ecology; for research publications and grant-writing, and for mentoring students in independent study programs
Within the Natural Heritage Program, I direct floristic inventories across Alaska, write grants and pursue public outreach on plant conservation, survey invasive species, construct and maintain rare and exotic plant databases, and publish field reports on Alaskan plants and their ecology
Faculty Research Assistant – Plant Conservation Program at Oregon State University (1999-2002): studies of reproductive ecology, understanding morphological and genetic variation, seed germination biology, hybridization, symbiosis in a range of rare species (e.g., species in the genera: Astragalus, Ivesia, Oenothera,and Stanleya)
Botany Research Assistant – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway (1998-1999): Worked on genetic constraints in the evolution of flower morphology in the tropical vine, Dalechampia scandens
Botanist – Independent contractor for Oregon Department of Agriculture, Plant Conservation Biology Program (1998): Working on introductions of four threatened plants and a long-term demographic study of a rare Astragalus (Fabaceae) species
Faculty Research Assistant, Plant Conservation Program at Oregon State University (1994-1997): Working on long-term demographic studies of four plant species, rare plant surveys in remote regions of Oregon, and greenhouse propagation studies of rare Oregon flora
Botany Field Assistant, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Plant Conservation Biology Program (1992-1993): Working on plant demographic studies, rare plant surveys, and pollination studies of rare Oregon plants
Undergraduate Research, Willamette University (1993): Studying herbivory and seed predation as possible limiting factors in the fitness of a narrowly endemic Oregon plant
RELEVENT VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE :
Committee for Noxious and Invasive Plant Management Board Member 2006-present: One of six board members of the state’s non-native plant management committee, representing research and educational interests and organizing annual meetings and activities.
UAA Herbarium Director 2007-present: Curate, exchange, and maintain plant collections of University of Alaska Anchorage.
Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program Contributor 2007: International planning meeting, Anchorage, Alaska.
NEON Boreal Domain Invasive Species Theme Leader 2006: Anchorage, Alaska.
Alaska EPSCoR Phase 3 Proposal Contributor 2006: Fairbanks, Alaska.
Organizer and Instructor for Non-Native Plant Identification Workshop 2006: Anchorage, Alaska.
Manuscript Reviewer for US Fish and Wildlife Service, Private Lands Stewardship Grants 2006: Review the Invasive Plant Treatment Guide for the Chief of Natural Resources, Alaska USFWS.
Reviewer for Homer Soil and Water Conservation District Integrated Weed Management Strategy 2007.
Proposal Reviewer for US Fish and Wildlife Service, Private Lands Stewardship Grants 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005: Review, discuss, and evaluate proposals for rare plant and animal conservation on private lands in Alaska
Manuscript Reviewer 2002-2005: Reviewed manuscripts for New Phytologist and Western North American Naturalist
Biology Volunteer for Oregon Bee Fauna Project with Dr. A. Moldenke (OSU Entomology) 2001-2002: collecting, identifying, and data-basing pollinators in Oregon, primarily in Oregon’s threatened oak woodland community
Volunteer for development of an on-line, computer-based, taxonomic key for soil arthropods (Comtesa) (2001-2002): Collaborating with Dr. A. Moldenke to develop free, on-line keys, accessible for a wide range of individuals. I have been working on keys to Pacific Northwest bees (Apoidae) and developing an electronic photographic data-base of relevant bee species (esp. bumblebees). (www.ent.orst.edu/comtesa/)
Cultivating plants for high school classes (2001): Germinating and growing plants for a Portland-based teacher conducting labs on plant tropisms.