Primary Areas of Research
Facilitating Critical Thinking in Introductory Biology Classes
Many students enter the University with excellent memorization skills, but struggle to make the transition to critical thinking and problem solving. In contrast to memorization, which is based on more or less passive consumption of the class material, critical thinking requires active processing of information, and includes thinking skills such as application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These thinking skills not only help our students succeed in College, but are also considered life-long learning skills that inform educated decisions, and are crucial for a successful career in any field.
My main interest in pedagogical research is guided by an effort to facilitate active learning and critical thinking in introductory biology classes. I am trying to understand why so many students have such difficulty to adopt a more active learning style, and to investigate how different teaching methods and/or learning supports can help my students to make the transition from passive to active learning (and critical thinking) more easily.
Signal Evolution in Lampyrids (‘fireflies’ or ‘lightningbugs’)
We are using molecular data to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of lampyrids, with a special emphasis on the 120+ species present in North America. These phylogenies serve as a tool to investigate light signal evolution in this group. Our research illuminates the evolution of species-specific flash patterns as well as light color. We have begun sequencing genes involved in light production, and will examine how signal evolution relates to molecular evolution in this group. In addition, we are doing fieldwork to investigate how individual firefly communities divide up the signaling space between species to reduce mistakes in species identification and mate choice.
Philosophy of Science
I am interested in how different views of the scientific process affect our approach to science (e.g. accommodation of hypotheses versus testing of hypotheses) and the interpretation of our data.
- Past Areas of Research:
- Signal Evolution in Malagasy Primates (lemurs)