Experience

Bieler School of Environment
• Canada
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Faculty Lecturer

  • Aug 2022 - Present


McGill University

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Course Lecturer - Biochemistry I (LSCI 211)

  • Jan 2022 - Feb 2023

  Freshman level course in general biochemistry, required by a diverse group of different majors. Co-taught.

• Course Lecturer - Wildlife Conservation (WILD 421)

  • Jan 2022 - Feb 2023

  Focused senior level course on applied wildlife conservation. Includes a major research project addressing a wildlife conservation issue in the local community.

• Course Coordinator - The Evolving Earth (ENVR 202-51)

  • Jan 2022 - Feb 2023

  Multidisciplinary course covering the abiotic and biotic factors resulting in the evolution and progression of life and human civilization. Part of a teaching team. My responsibilities in the course include coordination of all administrative aspects and content organization in the course, as well as the biotic lecture topics and solar system formation.

• Researcher - Tissue Culture

  • Sep 2009 - Feb 2023

  Trained in running and maintaining a tissue culture facility, including ordering and maintenance.Experienced with training and supervising staff. Trained in culture induction, axillary shoot culture, somatic embryogenesis, meristem tip culture, Agrobacterium transformation, Stage IV rooting and transfer, and slow growth techniques.Experience in developing Stage II axillary shoot and somatic embryogenesis cultures, and Stage IV protocols for novel species in culture.Experience in optimizing protocols at the level of genotype (or line) within a species.Experience with a range of herbaceous and woody plant species, including Solanum tuberosum, Rosa rugosa, Castanea sp., Ulmus americana, Quercus robur, Phalenopsis sp., Vanilla planifolia, Passiflora sp., Hylocereus undatus, Drosera sp., Crassula ovata, and Dionaea muscipula. Axillary shoot culture rate of ~ 100 microcuttings per hour, contamination rate of < 0.001%. Show less

• Course Lecturer - Fisheries and Wildlife Management (WILD 401)

  • Sep 2021 - Dec 2021

  Focused senior science course in management of wildlife populations. Co-taught with a team of three other lecturers.

• Course Lecturer - Ornithology (WILD 420)

  • Sep 2021 - Dec 2021

  Class of 36 students in a senior focused course in Ornithology.Taught as part of a teaching team.

• Course Lecturer - Plant Propagation (PLNT 310)

  • Jan 2020 - May 2020

  Practical course for propagation skills and theory. Shifted assessments and laboratory sessions for emphasis on problem solving and long term retention of propagation skills.

• Course Lecturer - Mammalology (WILD 350)

  • Jan 2019 - May 2020

  Class of 20 - 25 students, purely science background. One 2 hour lecture sessions, two separate 3 hour lab sessions per week, and a field weekend.Responsibilities: Responsible for all lectures, labs, and the field component.

• Course Lecturer - Evolution and Phylogeny (AEBI 212)

  • Jan 2018 - May 2020

  Course lecturer for a 200-level course on evolution and phylogeny. Class consists of 75 - 110 students, divided into biweekly 1.5 hour lectures and three separate 3 hour lab sessions. This course has been given previous years at McGill. However in order to teach to my standards in education, the course was completely redesigned from the ground up. This new course emphasizes the flexibility of evolutionary theory when applied to the real world, and promotes the use of critical thinking and problem solving in students. It is the goal of this course not only to teach evolutionary theory and phylogenetics, but to introduce students to the kind of problem solving and flexible thinking that make up the foundation of a career in science. In the university system, we are excellent at making science students. I want my courses to prepare science students to also be scientists. Show less

• Course Lecturer - The Evolving Earth (ENVR 202-01)

  • Jan 2018 - May 2020

  Part of a multidisciplinary teaching team responsible for the Evolving Earth, a course of 150 students in the Bieler School of the Environment. This course is a synthesis of all aspects of life on the planet, from planet formation and the rise of life, to the diverse and complex issues which define the Anthropocene. Members of the teaching team specialize in different fields, and each bring both their knowledge and perspective to the course. Lectures are designed to synthesize information from all backgrounds, and provide students with a perspective on each topic which includes all biotic, abiotic, and human factors. My lectures focus on early life, biochemistry, plant evolution, extinction, global weather, and specific relevant events in history (such as the formation of the Isthmus of Panama) which can be used to demonstrate how abiotic, biotic, and human factors can all intersect in a single space over time. Show less

• Course Lecturer - Plant Ecology (PLNT 460)

  • Aug 2019 - Dec 2019

  Class of 20 students, majority science background. Two 1.5 hour lecture sessions and one 3 hour lab sessions per week.

• Course Lecturer - Organisms I - Plants (AEBI 210)

  • Aug 2019 - Dec 2019

  Class of 150 students, majority science background. Two 1.5 hour lecture sessions and three separate 3 hour lab sessions per week.

• Teaching Assistant

  • Jan 2011 - Dec 2018

  From the beginning of my graduate work at McGill in September 2011, I have held 14 TA-ships at the university. Courses taught range from CÉGEP-level courses for the Farm Management Technologies Program on plant science and landscape design, to first level undergraduate courses on ecological agriculture, and plant biology and evolutionary history, and finally advanced undergraduate courses on urban horticulture, plant propagation, and tissue culture. Class size ranged between 15 and 143 students. Responsibilities include preparing lesson plans, giving in-class lectures, preparing material and running labs, and ensuring learning outcomes were met through assignments, exams, and one-on-one mentorship in research projects. Show less

• Exam Invigilator

  • Dec 2012 - Apr 2015

  Invigilated exams for students ranging from class sizes of 6 people to 150 people. Responsible for maintaining the academic integrity of McGill University by monitoring and documenting cheating.Also responsible for mental and physical health of students, such as talking students through panic attacks and finding them medication when necessary. Invigilation has been conducted both at the downtown and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue campuses of McGill University.



Vanier College

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Teacher

  • Jan 2021 - Feb 2023

  Currently teaching a wide range of biology concepts including General Biology, General Biology II, and a science option course in nutrition called Food for Thought. Currently teaching a wide range of biology concepts including General Biology, General Biology II, and a science option course in nutrition called Food for Thought.



Self-employed consultant

• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Speaker and Consultant on Scientific Concepts

  • Apr 2011 - Feb 2023

  Presentations and hands-on workshops on a range of plant and biology topics. Organizations involved include the SHAD: Uncommon Purpose student program, South China Agricultural University and Macdonald College Exchange Program, Vanier College, John Abbott College, John Rennie High School, Hudson Garden Club, the Dorval Garden Club, the Pointe-Claire Horticultural Society, the Beaconsfield Garden Club, the McGill Alumni Society of Montreal, the McGill Health and Wellbeing Series, the Post Graduate Student Society of McGill, St. Lambert Horticultural Society, Brossard Municipal Library, and Cirque du Soleil. Show less



Cegep John Abbott College

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Research Mentor and Lecturer

  • Sep 2014 - Dec 2019

  Part of a multidisciplinary team of teachers and research coordinators for the MAC Mentoring Program of John Abbott College. My involvement in the program entails working as a teaching team to design and implement research projects which allow CÉGEP students to conduct novel research destined for publication. To date we have designed and implemented one long term project concerning the invasive Phragmites australis, and several short term projects involving the endangered American chestnut (Castanea dentata). These projects introduced students to ecological concepts such as population sampling, ecosystem functioning, phenotype plasticity, mycorrhizae symbioses, functional extinction, and invasive species. As well, they learned laboratory skills including plating fungal cultures, spore identification, cell staining, organogenesis, micropropagation, and ex vitro acclimatization. Show less



AGSEM

• Travel Arrangements

• Chief Delegate

  • Sep 2014 - Jul 2019

  Union delegate for teaching assistants (TAs) of the Plant Science Department of McGill University. Chief delegate for the entire Macdonald Campus of McGill University. Responsible for all union activities at the Macdonald campus. Accountable for recruiting new departmental delegates. In charge of ensuring that hiring units at the Macdonald campus respect hiring seniority, and protecting the rights and working conditions of TAs. Union delegate for teaching assistants (TAs) of the Plant Science Department of McGill University. Chief delegate for the entire Macdonald Campus of McGill University. Responsible for all union activities at the Macdonald campus. Accountable for recruiting new departmental delegates. In charge of ensuring that hiring units at the Macdonald campus respect hiring seniority, and protecting the rights and working conditions of TAs.



McGill University School of Continuing Studies

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Course Lecturer - International Exchange

  • Sep 2018 - Oct 2018

  Class of 30 undergraduate students on exchange from Nanjing Agricultural University. One week of condensed courses, 7 – 8 hour lecture days. Responsibilities included course design, course content, assignment design and implementation, all lectures, organizing and leading field trips. This was the first iteration of this exchange, and was considered a success. A second was planned, however it was cancelled for the 2019 semester after political difficulties. This program will be restarted in 2020. Show less



McGill's Greening Indoor McGill Initiative

• Public Speaker and Founder

  • Apr 2012 - Jul 2017

  Extremely popular bi-monthly informational and hands-on workshops given to McGill staff on a range of plant topics. This seminar series is extremely popular, with over 450 individual subscribers currently active on our mailing list. Workshops consistently fill up within 24 hours. Out longest waiting had 124 individuals. For more information in GIMI, please see http://blogs.mcgill.ca/gimi/. Extremely popular bi-monthly informational and hands-on workshops given to McGill staff on a range of plant topics. This seminar series is extremely popular, with over 450 individual subscribers currently active on our mailing list. Workshops consistently fill up within 24 hours. Out longest waiting had 124 individuals. For more information in GIMI, please see http://blogs.mcgill.ca/gimi/.



University of the West Indies: Cavehill

• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Teaching Assistant

  • May 2012 - Aug 2012

  A teaching assistant for 4 months for the Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies Program (BITS) of McGill, a summer semester program taking place entirely in Barbados. This field semester is unique at McGill, in that classes consist of both McGill students and students from the University of the West Indies in Barbados. Spent 4 months living in Barbados with my students. Responsible for maintaining discipline at the dormitories, ensuring common spaces and rooms were well maintained, and helping students adjust to life in a foreign country. Lectured, ran labs, and corrected assignments for a 400 level class of 30 students. Also responsible for one-on-one project mentorships with students. Show less



McGill University's Urban Nature Inforamtion Service (UNIS)

• Consultant and Media Liaison

  • May 2007 - Aug 2009

  Responded directly to 1500 calls, e-mails, and drop-in questions concerning horticultural and wildlife problems from over 67 Quebec municipalities. Personally acted as a consultant to the municipalities of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Baie d’urfe and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue on several environmental programs. Worked in conjunction with John Abbott College to increase bike access to students on the campus. Provided information and interviews for various media outlets including CBC radio, the Gazette, and Maclean’s Magazine. Was responsible for soliciting funding for the non-for-profit organization from granting agencies and local municipalities. Please visit http://unis.mcgill.ca/ to see what is left of the program, which was cut in fall of 2010 after nearly 30 years of service to the community. Show less

• Biology and English Tutor

  • Sep 2005 - Dec 2005

  Tutored CEGEP-level biology and English through the Learning Center of John Abbott College. Tutored CEGEP-level biology and English through the Learning Center of John Abbott College.