Teaching and mentoring
Developing independent thinkers
A creative, adaptable, and questioning frame of mind can confront challenges far beyond any single subject. I teach evolutionary biology to help students develop analytical skills, confidence, and the capacity to contribute to whatever fields they enter.
Making evolutionary theory accessible
My work in social evolution has led me to develop simple models that can be explored with spreadsheets and basic algebra. These provide an accessible route into population genetics, game theory, and social evolution while preserving the biological meaning of the quantities being modeled.
Students can investigate questions such as: What is relatedness? How does allele frequency change? How is breeding value calculated? How does the average effect of a gene substitution differ from its average excess? What does fitness maximization mean? How can discriminatory behavior and genetic cues be represented in a model?
Working through these questions allows students to derive and examine results themselves, connecting mathematical reasoning with biological interpretation.
Skills for discovery
Research and attention to anomalies
Knowing what is already known is the first requirement for discovering the unknown. I encourage students to read carefully, notice unexpected results, and identify questions that deserve closer examination.
Patience and flexibility
Difficult problems require sustained effort. They also require the willingness to change direction when evidence challenges an initial hypothesis. I aim to help students develop both persistence and flexibility.
Communication and argument
Students should learn to assemble evidence into clear conclusions, distinguish assumptions from results, and communicate an argument persuasively while acknowledging uncertainty.
History, philosophy, and evolutionary explanation
The history and philosophy of biology provide opportunities to examine how scientific questions are framed and how explanations change. My teaching interests include the relationship between natural selection and evolutionary progress, the origin of complex traits, and the connections between macroevolutionary and economic ideas.
These subjects invite students to evaluate arguments, trace the development of concepts, and ask which observations would distinguish competing explanations.
Teaching experience
Rice University
Evolutionary Biology · 2004 and 2005
Teaching assistant for courses taught by Barry Sullender and David Queller.
Tropical Ecology / Field Biology · 2006
Assisted teaching with Nancy Greig.
Freshman Seminar in Ecology and Evolution · 2010
Section leader and instructor.
Field ecology and undergraduate research
Helped with field-class trips to Brazoria Wildlife Refuge, mentored undergraduates in the Strassmann–Queller laboratory, and judged undergraduate research symposia.
University of Texas at Austin
Association theory · 2016
Led a six-week seminar examining association theory and major evolutionary transitions.
Additional teaching and outreach
Philosophy of biology · 2011
Guest lecture for a course taught by Melinda Fagan.
Fortis Academy · 2020
Led online discussions about science and evolutionary theory.
Across these roles, I have led discussions and study sessions, tutored students, prepared syllabi and assignments, formulated and graded assessments, and helped design field projects.
Courses I am prepared to teach
Evolutionary Biology
Animal Behavior and Behavioral Ecology
Social Evolution
Macroevolution
Advanced Evolutionary Theory
Major Transitions in Biological Organization
History and Philosophy of Biology
My interests span undergraduate and graduate teaching, with opportunities to connect theoretical models, empirical studies, and the intellectual history of the field.
Mentoring individual strengths
One of my primary goals is to help students recognize and develop their distinctive intellectual strengths. Science benefits from different kinds of minds, and mentoring should support students as they become independent thinkers.
I aim to provide the encouragement and guidance that my own teachers gave me, with additional support where it can build confidence and enable thoughtful intellectual risk. Teaching is both an honor and a responsibility: an opportunity to inspire new questions and discoveries.