I usually describe myself as an integrative evolutionary biologist. What does this mean? Well, in practice it means that all of my research interests revolve around evolutionary biology, and I use tools and research paradigms from lots of different fields ranging from ecology to physiology to transcriptomics. If I began my career fifty years ago, I would be considered a zoologist (I am one of the last cohorts to have a B.S. in Zoology from Iowa State University), which seems fair to me. In other words, my research is focused on understanding organisms, using evolutionary biology to understand and contextualize results. I have mostly studied reptiles and amphibians, but I also have worked on scorpions, centipedes, crayfish, and cockroaches.
I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. FIU is a major research university (R1), which means I run a lab with PhD students and there are substantial expectations for funding and publications. I started at FIU in January 2020, basically weeks before the world shut down for the COVID epidemic. Before FIU, I was an assistant professor for four years at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. GSU is a large, moderate research university that at the time had Master’s students and not PhD students. Hence, I ran a lab with M.S. students, taught a fair amount (three classes per semester) and had moderate expectations for teaching and research. I am also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, where much of my current research takes place.
Like most university professors, research is a big part of what I do, and promotions are largely based upon research funding and productivity. Also like most professors, teaching is also a big part of what I do. I have taught a variety of courses over the years, including Physiology, Comparative Physiology, Evolutionary Ecology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Vertebrate Zoology, and Herpetology. Currently, I teach Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Herpetology in alternating semesters at FIU. I also teach a three-week course in Field Herpetology at Mountain Lake Biological Station, which is part of the University of Virginia. Teaching is a core aspect of what I do, and I think about teaching philosophy and practice quite a bit.
Outside of my job, I like most hobbies that have anything to do with nature- hiking, birding, herping (like birding but with reptiles and amphibians), fishing, and hunting. I also love to travel, both for my job and for fun, hence the name of this blog.
I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. FIU is a major research university (R1), which means I run a lab with PhD students and there are substantial expectations for funding and publications. I started at FIU in January 2020, basically weeks before the world shut down for the COVID epidemic. Before FIU, I was an assistant professor for four years at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. GSU is a large, moderate research university that at the time had Master’s students and not PhD students. Hence, I ran a lab with M.S. students, taught a fair amount (three classes per semester) and had moderate expectations for teaching and research. I am also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, where much of my current research takes place.
Like most university professors, research is a big part of what I do, and promotions are largely based upon research funding and productivity. Also like most professors, teaching is also a big part of what I do. I have taught a variety of courses over the years, including Physiology, Comparative Physiology, Evolutionary Ecology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Vertebrate Zoology, and Herpetology. Currently, I teach Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Herpetology in alternating semesters at FIU. I also teach a three-week course in Field Herpetology at Mountain Lake Biological Station, which is part of the University of Virginia. Teaching is a core aspect of what I do, and I think about teaching philosophy and practice quite a bit.
Outside of my job, I like most hobbies that have anything to do with nature- hiking, birding, herping (like birding but with reptiles and amphibians), fishing, and hunting. I also love to travel, both for my job and for fun, hence the name of this blog.
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