Outreach

​Science communication
We are big supporters of science outreach at UNCW and in the community. From Darwin Day which inspires people  to reflect and act on the principles of intellectual bravery, perpetual curiosity and scientific thinking, to public lectures on the origins of pandemics (because they've been kind of a big deal lately), to more casual biology trivia at our local breweries, it's important to get the word out! Plus I make ridiculous faces when I talk so...enjoy. 

Science Fair
Our lab participates in science fairs from elementary to high school and at local, regional, state and international levels. We have also mentored students in several different projects. These students have competed at national and international science fairs and have been wonderful ambassadors for the ecologically and economically important coastal ecosystems of North Carolina.

K - 12 Education
Our lab is also developing science modules for UNCW MarineQuest’s Ocean 17, an intensive three-week long program for highly motivated teen marine scientists-in-training, which serves as their capstone course. Modules will focus on how snail behavioral responses influence their probability of predation, and particularly the effects of collective behavior. This module is intended to get students to think about the impacts of social behavior not only within a marsh setting, but more broadly as it relates to group decision making and social learning. 

I am also the Graduate Coordinator for the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at UNCW, with over 90 students across three degree programs (M.S. Marine Biology, M.S. Biology and Ph.D. Integrative, Comparative and Marine Biology).
​Take a look at our Fall 2021 newsletter which I created to highlight our students' amazing accomplishments!