EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
2019 − present NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow – University of Montana, Missoula, MT.
2011−2018 Ph.D. in Zoology – Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Advisors: Dr. Cameron K. Ghalambor & Dr. W. Chris Funk
2002−2007 B.A. in Biology – University of Texas, Austin, TX.
2002-2007 B.A. in Journalism (print) – University of Texas, Austin, TX.
2019 − present NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow – University of Montana, Missoula, MT.
2011−2018 Ph.D. in Zoology – Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Advisors: Dr. Cameron K. Ghalambor & Dr. W. Chris Funk
2002−2007 B.A. in Biology – University of Texas, Austin, TX.
2002-2007 B.A. in Journalism (print) – University of Texas, Austin, TX.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Comparative physiology, thermal adaptation, ecological physiology, stream ecology, evolutionary ecology, species response to climate change, conservation biology, tropical ecology
Comparative physiology, thermal adaptation, ecological physiology, stream ecology, evolutionary ecology, species response to climate change, conservation biology, tropical ecology
PUBLICATIONS
12. Shah AA, Havird JC, Woods HA, Encalada A, Flecker AS, Funk WC, Guyasamin JC, Kondratieff B, Poff NL, Thomas SA, Zamudio K, Ghalambor CK 2020. Temperature-dependence of metabolic rate in tropical and temperate aquatic insects: support for the Climate Variability Hypothesis in mayflies but not stoneflies. Global Change Biology In press
11. Birrell JH (graduate mentee), Shah AA, Hotaling S, Giersch JJ, Williamson CE, Jacobsen D, Woods HA. 2020. Insects in high elevation streams: life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change. Global Change Biology In press.
10. Hotaling S*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Dillon ME, Giersch JJ, Tronstad LM, Finn DS, Kelley JL. 2020. Supercooling points of alpine stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) vary across species, habitats, and populations in the Rocky Mountains. Western North American Naturalist In press (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.171934v1)
9. Shah AA*, Bacmeister EM§* (*co-lead authors, undergrad mentee), Rubalcaba JG, Ghalambor CK. 2020. Divergence and constraint in the thermal sensitivity of aquatic insect swimming performance. Current Zoology In press. (https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoaa040)
8. Hotaling S*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Tronstad LM, Giersch JJ, Finn DS, Dillon ME, Kelley JL. 2020. Mountain stoneflies may tolerate warming streams: evidence from organismal physiology and gene expression. Global Change Biology 26 (10): 5524-5538.
7. Shah AA, Dillon ME, Hotaling S, Woods HA. 2020. High elevation insect communities face shifting ecological and evolutionary landscapes. Current Opinion in Insect Science 41: 1-6.
6. Havird JC, Neuwald JL, Shah AA, Mauro A, Marshall CA, Ghalambor CK. Distinguishing between active plasticity due to thermal acclimation and passive plasticity due to Q10 effects: Why methodology matters. 2020. Functional Ecology 34: 1015-1028.
5. Havird JC, Shah AA, Chicco AJ. 2019. Powerhouses in the cold: Mitochondrial function during thermal acclimation in montane mayflies. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 375(1790), 20190181
4. Polato NR*, Gill BA*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Gray MM, Casner KL, Barthelet A, Messer PW, Simmons M, Guayasamin JM, Encalada AC, Kondratieff BC, Flecker AS, Thomas SA, Ghalambor CK, Poff NL, Funk WC, Zamudio KR. 2018. Narrow thermal tolerance and low dispersal drive diversification along tropical elevation gradients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115(49): 12471-12476.
3. Shah AA, Encalada A, Flecker AS, Funk WC, Gill BA, Guyasamin JC, Kondratieff B, Poff NL, Thomas SA, Zamudio K, Ghalambor CK. 2017. Climate variability predicts thermal limits of aquatic insects across elevation and latitude. Functional Ecology 31(11): 2118-2127.
2. Shah AA, Funk WC, Ghalambor CK. 2017. Thermal acclimation ability varies in temperate and tropical aquatic insects from different elevations. Integrative & Comparative Biology 57(5): 977-987 Invited contribution
1. Shah AA*, Ryan MJ, Bevilacqua E, Schlaepfer MA. 2010. Prior experience alters the behavioral response of prey to a nonnative predator. Journal of Herpetology 44: 185-192. (*my undergraduate independent research paper)
Manuscripts in revision/review/advanced prep
Frakes JI (graduate mentee), Birrell JH, Shah AA, Woods HA. Water flow increases heat and hypoxia tolerance of an aquatic insect. In prep.
Landeira-Dabarca A, Rugenski A, Poff NL, Flecker AS, Thomas SA, Atkinson CL, Funk WC, Guayasamin JG, Ghalambor CK, Herrera N, Kondratieff BC, Shah AA, Zamudio KR, Encalada AC. Experimental warming shows opposing vulnerability responses between temperate and tropical stream mayfly populations along elevation gradients. In prep.
12. Shah AA, Havird JC, Woods HA, Encalada A, Flecker AS, Funk WC, Guyasamin JC, Kondratieff B, Poff NL, Thomas SA, Zamudio K, Ghalambor CK 2020. Temperature-dependence of metabolic rate in tropical and temperate aquatic insects: support for the Climate Variability Hypothesis in mayflies but not stoneflies. Global Change Biology In press
11. Birrell JH (graduate mentee), Shah AA, Hotaling S, Giersch JJ, Williamson CE, Jacobsen D, Woods HA. 2020. Insects in high elevation streams: life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change. Global Change Biology In press.
10. Hotaling S*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Dillon ME, Giersch JJ, Tronstad LM, Finn DS, Kelley JL. 2020. Supercooling points of alpine stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) vary across species, habitats, and populations in the Rocky Mountains. Western North American Naturalist In press (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.171934v1)
9. Shah AA*, Bacmeister EM§* (*co-lead authors, undergrad mentee), Rubalcaba JG, Ghalambor CK. 2020. Divergence and constraint in the thermal sensitivity of aquatic insect swimming performance. Current Zoology In press. (https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoaa040)
8. Hotaling S*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Tronstad LM, Giersch JJ, Finn DS, Dillon ME, Kelley JL. 2020. Mountain stoneflies may tolerate warming streams: evidence from organismal physiology and gene expression. Global Change Biology 26 (10): 5524-5538.
7. Shah AA, Dillon ME, Hotaling S, Woods HA. 2020. High elevation insect communities face shifting ecological and evolutionary landscapes. Current Opinion in Insect Science 41: 1-6.
6. Havird JC, Neuwald JL, Shah AA, Mauro A, Marshall CA, Ghalambor CK. Distinguishing between active plasticity due to thermal acclimation and passive plasticity due to Q10 effects: Why methodology matters. 2020. Functional Ecology 34: 1015-1028.
5. Havird JC, Shah AA, Chicco AJ. 2019. Powerhouses in the cold: Mitochondrial function during thermal acclimation in montane mayflies. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 375(1790), 20190181
4. Polato NR*, Gill BA*, Shah AA* (*co-lead authors), Gray MM, Casner KL, Barthelet A, Messer PW, Simmons M, Guayasamin JM, Encalada AC, Kondratieff BC, Flecker AS, Thomas SA, Ghalambor CK, Poff NL, Funk WC, Zamudio KR. 2018. Narrow thermal tolerance and low dispersal drive diversification along tropical elevation gradients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115(49): 12471-12476.
3. Shah AA, Encalada A, Flecker AS, Funk WC, Gill BA, Guyasamin JC, Kondratieff B, Poff NL, Thomas SA, Zamudio K, Ghalambor CK. 2017. Climate variability predicts thermal limits of aquatic insects across elevation and latitude. Functional Ecology 31(11): 2118-2127.
2. Shah AA, Funk WC, Ghalambor CK. 2017. Thermal acclimation ability varies in temperate and tropical aquatic insects from different elevations. Integrative & Comparative Biology 57(5): 977-987 Invited contribution
1. Shah AA*, Ryan MJ, Bevilacqua E, Schlaepfer MA. 2010. Prior experience alters the behavioral response of prey to a nonnative predator. Journal of Herpetology 44: 185-192. (*my undergraduate independent research paper)
Manuscripts in revision/review/advanced prep
Frakes JI (graduate mentee), Birrell JH, Shah AA, Woods HA. Water flow increases heat and hypoxia tolerance of an aquatic insect. In prep.
Landeira-Dabarca A, Rugenski A, Poff NL, Flecker AS, Thomas SA, Atkinson CL, Funk WC, Guayasamin JG, Ghalambor CK, Herrera N, Kondratieff BC, Shah AA, Zamudio KR, Encalada AC. Experimental warming shows opposing vulnerability responses between temperate and tropical stream mayfly populations along elevation gradients. In prep.
RESEARCH GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
Major grants (Total $327,760)
2019 MPG Ranch Research Grant (Co-PI) ($32,000)
2019-2020 NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology - PRFB($138,000)
2016-2017 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant - DDIG ($19,760)
2011-2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship - GRFP ($138,000)
Minor grants (Total $14,500)
2019 Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit ($6,000)
2018 U. of Wyoming-National Park Service Grant (Co-PI) ($5,000)
2018 SICB Grants-in-Aid-of-Research ($1,000)
2017, 2018 Colorado State University Biology Department Travel Award (2,000)
2016 Turner Designs Travel Award ($500)
HONORS & AWARDS
2020 NSF STEM Diversity travel award to International Congress on Entomology in Helsinki, Finland (conference cancelled due to COVID-19, rescheduled for July 2021).
2018 Raymond B. Huey Award for Best Oral Student Presentation in the Division of Ecology & Evolution at Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
2017 School of Global Environmental Sustainability Fellowship, Colorado State University
2015 1st Place Best Poster in Ecology at Colorado State University Graduate Student Showcase
Undergraduate (University of Texas at Austin) and earlier
2007 UT-Austin College Scholar Award for Academic Excellence
2006−2007 UT-Austin College of Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Fellowship ($900)
2003−2007 National Society for Collegiate Scholars Univ. of Texas CNS Dean’s Honor List
2002 Austin Rotary Club Scholarship for university freshmen ($2,000)
Major grants (Total $327,760)
2019 MPG Ranch Research Grant (Co-PI) ($32,000)
2019-2020 NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology - PRFB($138,000)
2016-2017 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant - DDIG ($19,760)
2011-2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship - GRFP ($138,000)
Minor grants (Total $14,500)
2019 Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit ($6,000)
2018 U. of Wyoming-National Park Service Grant (Co-PI) ($5,000)
2018 SICB Grants-in-Aid-of-Research ($1,000)
2017, 2018 Colorado State University Biology Department Travel Award (2,000)
2016 Turner Designs Travel Award ($500)
HONORS & AWARDS
2020 NSF STEM Diversity travel award to International Congress on Entomology in Helsinki, Finland (conference cancelled due to COVID-19, rescheduled for July 2021).
2018 Raymond B. Huey Award for Best Oral Student Presentation in the Division of Ecology & Evolution at Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
2017 School of Global Environmental Sustainability Fellowship, Colorado State University
2015 1st Place Best Poster in Ecology at Colorado State University Graduate Student Showcase
Undergraduate (University of Texas at Austin) and earlier
2007 UT-Austin College Scholar Award for Academic Excellence
2006−2007 UT-Austin College of Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Fellowship ($900)
2003−2007 National Society for Collegiate Scholars Univ. of Texas CNS Dean’s Honor List
2002 Austin Rotary Club Scholarship for university freshmen ($2,000)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE & UNDERGRADUATE MENTORSHIP
2017, 2018 Course instructor – Animal Behavior summer course
(Instructor score averaged across 42 student surveys: 4.9/5)
2012, 2017, 2018 Lab teaching assistant – Introduction to Ornithology
(Instructor score averaged across 146 student surveys: 4.4/5)
2013, 2017 Guest lecturer – Tropical Ecology
2014, 2015 Guest lecturer – Introduction to Stream Ecology
Students mentored in independent research:
Tylor Keeley (University of Montana) – “Do alpine stoneflies trade off flight performance for growth at high temperatures?”
Eva Bacmeister (Colorado State University) – “Aquatic insect thermal performance: A study of climate variability” (winner of best undergraduate oral presentation at Front Range Students of Ecology Symposium, Colorado State University 2017).
Co-authored manuscript on this study in prep.
Lauren Kremer (Colorado State University) – “Temperature-mediated predator-prey relationships in Rocky Mountain aquatic insects” (Now a graduate student at New Mexico State University)
Students mentored in lab and field research:
E = Ecuador; C = Colorado; M = Montana, * = now a graduate student
Rachel Bingham M, Ben Choat C *, Juan Dueñas E, Javier Fajardo E *, Luis Granizo E, Ashley Janich C *, Adam Jordan C, Lauren Nagle C, Scott Morton C, Marisa Rojas E *; Gus Waneka C *
2017, 2018 Course instructor – Animal Behavior summer course
(Instructor score averaged across 42 student surveys: 4.9/5)
2012, 2017, 2018 Lab teaching assistant – Introduction to Ornithology
(Instructor score averaged across 146 student surveys: 4.4/5)
2013, 2017 Guest lecturer – Tropical Ecology
2014, 2015 Guest lecturer – Introduction to Stream Ecology
Students mentored in independent research:
Tylor Keeley (University of Montana) – “Do alpine stoneflies trade off flight performance for growth at high temperatures?”
Eva Bacmeister (Colorado State University) – “Aquatic insect thermal performance: A study of climate variability” (winner of best undergraduate oral presentation at Front Range Students of Ecology Symposium, Colorado State University 2017).
Co-authored manuscript on this study in prep.
Lauren Kremer (Colorado State University) – “Temperature-mediated predator-prey relationships in Rocky Mountain aquatic insects” (Now a graduate student at New Mexico State University)
Students mentored in lab and field research:
E = Ecuador; C = Colorado; M = Montana, * = now a graduate student
Rachel Bingham M, Ben Choat C *, Juan Dueñas E, Javier Fajardo E *, Luis Granizo E, Ashley Janich C *, Adam Jordan C, Lauren Nagle C, Scott Morton C, Marisa Rojas E *; Gus Waneka C *
PRESENTATIONS
INVITED TALKS
Shah, A.A. “Evolutionary Ecology of Aquatic Insects Range Limits: A Mechanistic Perspective Using Thermal Tolerance.” Departmental Seminar Speaker, University of Montana, MT, October 16th, 2019
Shah, A.A. “Evolutionary Ecology of Aquatic Insects Range Limits: A Mechanistic Perspective Using Thermal Tolerance.” Integrative Biology Departmental Seminar Speaker, University of Texas at Austin, TX, November 19th, 2018
Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Climate Variability Explains Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects Across Elevation and Latitude: Mountain Passes are 'Higher' in the Tropics. Ecology Departmental Seminar Speaker, Universidad San Fransisco de Quito, Ecuador, December 2nd, 2016
Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Using Thermal Tolerance to Predict Aquatic Insect Vulnerability Across Elevation & Latitude. Invited speaker for session: “Quantifying ecological traits to predict species, community and ecosystem responses to changing environments”; Society for Freshwater Sciences. Milwaukee, WI. 2015
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Do Temperature-Mediated Predator-Prey Interactions Explain Temperate and Tropical Mayfly Distributions? Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. San Francisco, CA 2018. (Ray Huey Award for Best Student Presentation)
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Does Climate Variability Predict Thermal Tolerance? A Comparison of Thermal Breadths in Aquatic Insects Across Elevation and Latitude. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. New Orleans, LA 2017.
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Thermal Tolerance Explains Mayfly Distributions Across Elevation and Latitude: Mountain Passes are Higher in the Tropics. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Portland, OR. 2016
Poster presentation, Shah, A, A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Hot Bugs, Cold Bugs: Assessing vulnerability to climate change. Graduate Student Showcase. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 2015 (1st Place: Best Poster in Ecology)
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Comparing Acclimation Ability in Temperate and Tropical Aquatic Insects. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Portland, OR. 2014
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A., Funk, W. C., Poff, N.L., and Ghalambor, C.K. Patterns of Thermal Tolerance in an Ecuadorian Mayfly. Society for Freshwater Sciences. Jacksonville, FL. 2013
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A., Harrington, R.A. Evolutionary and Ecological Variability in Organismal Trait-Response with Altitude and Climate. Colorado State University Annual River Retreat. Tamasag Conference Center, Bellvue, CO. 2012
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. Oxygen-Limited Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects in Temperate and Tropical Stream Habitats: Are There Differences in Vulnerability? European Science Foundation: Effects of Climate Change on Vulnerable Traits Conference. Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany 2012
INVITED TALKS
Shah, A.A. “Evolutionary Ecology of Aquatic Insects Range Limits: A Mechanistic Perspective Using Thermal Tolerance.” Departmental Seminar Speaker, University of Montana, MT, October 16th, 2019
Shah, A.A. “Evolutionary Ecology of Aquatic Insects Range Limits: A Mechanistic Perspective Using Thermal Tolerance.” Integrative Biology Departmental Seminar Speaker, University of Texas at Austin, TX, November 19th, 2018
Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Climate Variability Explains Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects Across Elevation and Latitude: Mountain Passes are 'Higher' in the Tropics. Ecology Departmental Seminar Speaker, Universidad San Fransisco de Quito, Ecuador, December 2nd, 2016
Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Using Thermal Tolerance to Predict Aquatic Insect Vulnerability Across Elevation & Latitude. Invited speaker for session: “Quantifying ecological traits to predict species, community and ecosystem responses to changing environments”; Society for Freshwater Sciences. Milwaukee, WI. 2015
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Do Temperature-Mediated Predator-Prey Interactions Explain Temperate and Tropical Mayfly Distributions? Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. San Francisco, CA 2018. (Ray Huey Award for Best Student Presentation)
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Does Climate Variability Predict Thermal Tolerance? A Comparison of Thermal Breadths in Aquatic Insects Across Elevation and Latitude. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. New Orleans, LA 2017.
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Thermal Tolerance Explains Mayfly Distributions Across Elevation and Latitude: Mountain Passes are Higher in the Tropics. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Portland, OR. 2016
Poster presentation, Shah, A, A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Hot Bugs, Cold Bugs: Assessing vulnerability to climate change. Graduate Student Showcase. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 2015 (1st Place: Best Poster in Ecology)
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. and Ghalambor, C.K. Comparing Acclimation Ability in Temperate and Tropical Aquatic Insects. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Portland, OR. 2014
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A., Funk, W. C., Poff, N.L., and Ghalambor, C.K. Patterns of Thermal Tolerance in an Ecuadorian Mayfly. Society for Freshwater Sciences. Jacksonville, FL. 2013
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A., Harrington, R.A. Evolutionary and Ecological Variability in Organismal Trait-Response with Altitude and Climate. Colorado State University Annual River Retreat. Tamasag Conference Center, Bellvue, CO. 2012
Oral presentation, Shah, A.A. Oxygen-Limited Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects in Temperate and Tropical Stream Habitats: Are There Differences in Vulnerability? European Science Foundation: Effects of Climate Change on Vulnerable Traits Conference. Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany 2012
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Judge – Invited to judge the Raymond B. Huey Best Student Oral Presentation competition, SICB, Austin TX. 2020
Symposium organizer – Organized symposium “Architects of Variation: How Climate & Physiology Shape Patterns of Biodiversity” at International Biogeographical Society Quito, Ecuador, 2019
Ad-hoc Reviewer – NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biology (Broadening participation), 2019
Reviewer for undergraduate fellowships – Reviewed proposals and selected awardees for Society for Freshwater Sciences “Instars” program to enable low-income undergraduates interested in research to attend the conference, 2017
Conference co-organizer – Guild of Rocky Mountain Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists, CSU Mountain Campus, 2013
Peer reviewer – Austral Ecology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Ecosphere, Freshwater Science, Frontiers in Ecology & the Environment, Journal of Thermal Biology
Professional affiliate – Society for Freshwater Sciences, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Sigma Xi, Graduate Women in Science
Judge – Invited to judge the Raymond B. Huey Best Student Oral Presentation competition, SICB, Austin TX. 2020
Symposium organizer – Organized symposium “Architects of Variation: How Climate & Physiology Shape Patterns of Biodiversity” at International Biogeographical Society Quito, Ecuador, 2019
Ad-hoc Reviewer – NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biology (Broadening participation), 2019
Reviewer for undergraduate fellowships – Reviewed proposals and selected awardees for Society for Freshwater Sciences “Instars” program to enable low-income undergraduates interested in research to attend the conference, 2017
Conference co-organizer – Guild of Rocky Mountain Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists, CSU Mountain Campus, 2013
Peer reviewer – Austral Ecology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Ecosphere, Freshwater Science, Frontiers in Ecology & the Environment, Journal of Thermal Biology
Professional affiliate – Society for Freshwater Sciences, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Sigma Xi, Graduate Women in Science
OUTREACH
Volunteer science tutor at Soft Landings
Volunteer with Soft Landings Missoula, a program that helps asylum seekers/refugees to assimilate into life in the U.S. Currently, all families are from countries in Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I tutor high school students from these families in science to help them keep up in school. Missoula, MT
STEM Exposure program developer for Native American middle school students
Created a program to teach Native American middle school children about stream ecology and biomonitoring using aquatic insects, Missoula, MT
Science fair project mentor for American Indian Traditional Science Experience
Serve as a mentor to 6th grade students at Ronan Middle School on the Flathead Indian Reservation, MT, as part of the AITSE program that seeks to expose American Indian students to STEM subjects. Spring 2019.
"Tell Me A Story! A (non-expert) guide to giving a good scientific talk for undergrads"
Wrote and presented a 1-hour work shop to teach undergraduate researchers how to present at a scientific conference during the weekly Popsicle Hour. July 2018.
Teaching evolution through "Guppy Kits"
Involved in an ongoing effort to teach evolution in K-12 classrooms using hands-on teaching methods. Contributed to the development of the lesson plan which uses guppies as a model system to teach concepts including adaptation, ecotypes, and evolution. More information about this project can be found on Dr. Emily Kane's website.
Rivendell School Summer Camp, Fort Collins, CO.
Designed a 2-week summer camp to teach 4th-7th grade children about the importance of freshwater ecosystems. Children learnt how to identify major aquatic insect groups, use biomonitoring to assess river ecosystem health, and understand the relationship between riparian and river ecosystems. June 2015.
Annual Children’s Water Festival, Fort Collins, CO
Designed and presented talk, “Little Bugs, Big Jobs ” to teach elementary school children about the ecological of role aquatic insects in freshwater. May 2012, 2013.
National Geographic Society Biodiversity Festival, Estes Park, CO
Invited to teach AP Biology students, citizen scientists, and members of the public about the importance of freshwater aquatic ecosystems, sampling methods, and identifications during a two-day “bioblitz.” August 2013.
Volunteer science tutor at Soft Landings
Volunteer with Soft Landings Missoula, a program that helps asylum seekers/refugees to assimilate into life in the U.S. Currently, all families are from countries in Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I tutor high school students from these families in science to help them keep up in school. Missoula, MT
STEM Exposure program developer for Native American middle school students
Created a program to teach Native American middle school children about stream ecology and biomonitoring using aquatic insects, Missoula, MT
Science fair project mentor for American Indian Traditional Science Experience
Serve as a mentor to 6th grade students at Ronan Middle School on the Flathead Indian Reservation, MT, as part of the AITSE program that seeks to expose American Indian students to STEM subjects. Spring 2019.
"Tell Me A Story! A (non-expert) guide to giving a good scientific talk for undergrads"
Wrote and presented a 1-hour work shop to teach undergraduate researchers how to present at a scientific conference during the weekly Popsicle Hour. July 2018.
Teaching evolution through "Guppy Kits"
Involved in an ongoing effort to teach evolution in K-12 classrooms using hands-on teaching methods. Contributed to the development of the lesson plan which uses guppies as a model system to teach concepts including adaptation, ecotypes, and evolution. More information about this project can be found on Dr. Emily Kane's website.
Rivendell School Summer Camp, Fort Collins, CO.
Designed a 2-week summer camp to teach 4th-7th grade children about the importance of freshwater ecosystems. Children learnt how to identify major aquatic insect groups, use biomonitoring to assess river ecosystem health, and understand the relationship between riparian and river ecosystems. June 2015.
Annual Children’s Water Festival, Fort Collins, CO
Designed and presented talk, “Little Bugs, Big Jobs ” to teach elementary school children about the ecological of role aquatic insects in freshwater. May 2012, 2013.
National Geographic Society Biodiversity Festival, Estes Park, CO
Invited to teach AP Biology students, citizen scientists, and members of the public about the importance of freshwater aquatic ecosystems, sampling methods, and identifications during a two-day “bioblitz.” August 2013.