I am a physiological ecologist, zoologist, and field biologist, and I specialize in studying hummingbirds. I recently completed my PHD in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto.... Before that, I studied biology at Loyola Marymount University, where I took a wide range of biology courses including field, lab, lecture, and research courses. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, I have gained extensive teaching and mentorship experience at the college and high school levels. I have expertise in a wide range of biology subjects including ecology, animal physiology, animal behavior, independent research, ornithology, urban ecology, methods of field biology and research, tropical field biology, temperature field biology, environmental science, microbiology, cell biology, genetics, etc. I love getting students engaged and excited about the amazing world we live on! As an active researcher and passionate educator, I think I bring a unique perspective to communicating what we know about biology, but also HOW we know that, and what is still a mystery! In recent years, I have taught and mentored several courses and students remotely, so I have developed strategies to encourage engagement while communicating via video call. I also have extensive experience in the writing process and in guiding others in it. I hope my passion for experiencing and studying nature will inspire fascination with life and help make biology my students’ favorite subject! read more

I am a PhD biologist and academic coach with a passion for sharing my knowledge of and wonder for the natural world with students and fellow nature-enthusiasts. I have extensive experience guiding hig... h school and undergraduate students in biology, independent research, and writing. I have mentored and taught hundreds students in all different subjects of biology, including ecology, animal physiology, animal behavior, earth and environmental sciences, field courses, evolution, cell biology, genetics, and microbiology. I aim to excite students about what we KNOW about nature, actually HOW we know what we know, and what still remains a mystery. I do this by discussing stories about the life history of organisms and the environments they live in, and by using real-world examples of how science is constantly expanding and evolving our understanding of the complex world we live in! I think research is one of the best ways to become fascinated by the natural world while developing critical thinking, project management, and communication skills. I invite you to join me on a scientific journey, on which you will identify a question that excites you, briefly explore published literature on that topic, design your own study to address a specific hypothesis, perform data collection and statistical analysis, and finally tell your story in a poster presentation, slideshow presentation, and/or written essay. I have also mentored countless of students on various forms of writing (including college essays, short-form assignments, and research papers). I teach that good writing is about finding the sweet spot where the big picture and specific points supporting that big picture are balanced and complementary. The most basic piece of advice I give my students (and myself) is to tell a story, and most of the time that quickly turns a would-be daunting assignment into a fun and fruitful exercise!read more