PhD Univ. Biology Professor, Published Scientist, 16+ Years Exp.

Melissa L.

I am a university Biology professor and published research scientist with over 16 years of experience teaching undergraduate, graduate, and early college career high school students both in the classroom and online. I hold a PhD, as well as a Masters degree in Biology, and a Bachelors in Psychology.

I have taught Biology for Science Majors I & II lectures and labs and Developmental Biology for many years. I have also taught Environmental Science, Microbiology labs, Genetics labs, Cell Bio labs, Earth Science labs, and Biology for Educators. My research area and background are in Developmental Integrative Physiology. I also tutor students in scientific writing, thesis and dissertation writing, scientific ethics, animal physiology, zoology, animal behavior and intelligence, and biological psychology.

As a professor, I strive to provide a welcoming, stimulating, and inspiring environment for students in science. I want my students to learn and understand factual knowledge, but also develop critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills that will serve them in their future endeavors. I believe that the strongest quality a teacher can have is passion for the subject matter that they teach. When an instructor is enthusiastic about the material that they teach, it motivates and inspires the students to learn.

I believe in a multifaceted and multimedia approach to learning. When a student is presented with information in a variety of formats (lectures, photos, videos, animations, diagrams, clicker questions, text, etc.), they are more likely to understand and retain the information, as well as apply that information to relevant practical or future knowledge. Further, I feel that an instructor can inspire additional student interest in the subject matter by incorporating current relevant research articles, news stories, and little-known and interesting facts.