| Teaching Goals: Describe your teaching and professional goals for the next year. From year two onward, provide a brief update on your progress. |
Year One
As I look ahead to the coming year, my primary goals center on deepening my connection to the College of Marin community, enhancing student learning and engagement, and continuing to grow as an educator and colleague. Many of these goals are already underway, and my focus moving forward is on building thoughtfully and sustainably on that momentum. Broadly, these goals fall into four areas: community integration, teaching and course development, student engagement beyond the classroom, and professional collaboration and service.
Campus Integration
As a relatively new faculty member, one of my key goals is to become fully integrated into the College of Marin community. Over the past semester, I have been familiarizing myself with the physical campus and deepening my understanding of the College’s culture, structures, and values. Building relationships with colleagues, staff, and students is central to this goal.
I have already begun participating in campus activities and shared governance in ways that are meaningful and useful, particularly where my skills and experience can best serve the institution. I currently serve on the Governance Review Committee (GRC) and the AI Collective, and I hope to join the Environmental Action Committee (EAC) when a faculty seat becomes available.
In addition to my academic work, I have joined the Marin Oratorio, the campus’s large choral ensemble. This involvement has expanded my relationships beyond the sciences and strengthened my sense of connection to the broader campus community.
Teaching and Course Development
My teaching goal is to empower students to succeed by providing structure, support, and clear expectations while encouraging them to take ownership of their learning. I will continue refining my pedagogy to promote active, equitable learning environments that support a diverse student population.
A major focus for the coming year has been the development of the new course BIOL 111A: Organismal Biology, Evolution, and Ecology, with its first offering scheduled for Spring 2026. My goal is to make this inaugural iteration engaging and effective through thoughtful course design, inclusive pedagogy, and the use of narrative frameworks to help students internalize complex ideas (for example, exploring evolution through the lens of Bahamian anole lizards). Students will complete a greenhouse experiment at the Indian Valley campus and write a research paper documenting their process, and the course will include several field experiences, including a visit to the Bolinas Field Station.
Looking ahead, I also plan to begin conceptual work on a new course in Sustainable Agriculture, in collaboration with Fernando Agudelo-Silva, to be offered at the Indian Valley campus. This course will connect biological principles to real-world issues of sustainability and food systems, providing students with hands-on, applied learning opportunities.
Student Engagement and Mentorship
Beyond the classroom, I am committed to supporting student leadership and community-building through my advisory roles with the Audubon Nature Conservation Club and the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society. In the coming year, I plan to continue sponsoring and hosting field-based experiences such as birding, mushrooming, and tidepooling trips that connect students directly with local ecosystems. These experiences foster a sense of community, promote environmental literacy, and provide authentic contexts for applying biological knowledge, particularly for students who may not otherwise have access to outdoor or field-based learning opportunities.
Collaboration, Service, and Innovation
I plan to continue contributing to the intellectual and collegial life of the College through professional development and collaborative projects that support inclusive and innovative teaching.
I recently co-presented a Flex Week session during Spring Flex 2026 with Stacey Lince and Anna Mills, focused on equitable and ethical uses of artificial intelligence in education. In particular, I developed and shared a tool to assist faculty in crafting syllabus statements around the use of AI in their courses. Building on this work, I will continue collaborating with colleagues to support faculty and staff in developing thoughtful, inclusive approaches to emerging technologies. During the Spring semester, I will co-present a related session with Stacey Lince for classified employees, exploring practical ways AI tools might be used on or off the job.
Looking ahead to Fall Flex 2026, I will co-present a session with Music faculty Laura Wiebe on the anatomy of singing, combining an overview of vocal biology with a participatory singing experience. This session reflects my interest in interdisciplinary teaching and in creating engaging, accessible learning experiences for faculty.
I am also continuing my work with the Transformative Inclusion in Postsecondary STEM (TIPS) program with faculty in the California State University system. My goal is to bring this work more directly to the College of Marin by collaborating with the existing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy initiative to help build a locally grounded, equity-minded STEM teaching community.
In addition, I am collaborating with Mary Gomes and Stacey Bosick, both at Sonoma State University, on the early development of a summer workshop in sustainability at the university’s Galbreath Preserve in Mendocino County. While this workshop is tentatively planned for Summer 2027, my focus this year will be on developing the curriculum and logistical framework needed to bring this collaboration to fruition.
Reflection and Ongoing Growth
Ultimately, my overarching goal is to continue growing as an educator, colleague, and campus citizen. I seek to align my teaching and professional contributions with the College’s mission of equitable, student-centered learning and environmental responsibility. By building on current initiatives, refining courses, and strengthening community connections, I aim to enhance both my own practice and the learning experiences of my students.