Some things become obvious when traversing the world of academia, both by learning, and teaching, in it: you can’t teach someone something they don’t want to learn. Thus, it’s imperative as educators that we engage and make our lessons interesting with different engagement styles and different media. My teaching endeavours to incorporate multimedia during lectures, hands-on lab work, peer-to-peer discussion/tutorials, and field courses where students receive experiential learning.
It’s further important that we strive to teach a general core knowledge-base, while simultaneously instilling how to learn, and how to developing skills no matter the field of interest (e.g. self-learning and reliance are important life skills no matter what future career goals a student may have).
Below I have included a list of courses that I have designed, taught (or co-taught) at various institutions throughout my tenure in academia, including some didactical training as a teaching assistant.
Leiden University:
Governance of Water and Toxicity. Co-lecturer (2022), coordinator and co-lecturer (2023); 1st year MSc course for Governance of Sustainability.
Environmental Science. Co-lecturer (2022 & 2023); 1st year Biology undergraduate course.
Global Challenges: Sustainability. Co-lecurer (2021 & 2022); 1st year undergraduate course for Leiden University College.
University of Amsterdam:
World Food and Ecosystems. Coordinator (2020) or Co-coordinator (2019; designed and implemented), and co-lecturer. 2nd year undergraduate course. Future Planet Studies. (Fall 2019 & 2020). (https://www.uva.nl/programmas/bachelors/future-planet-studies/future-planet-studies.html)
Tongji University:
Environmental Molecular Microbiology. Coordinator, Co-lecturer (Spring 2016). UNEP MSc course (http://unep-iesd.tongji.edu.cn/index.php?classid=900)
Ecology and Environmental Science. Coordinator, Co-lecturer, 2nd year undergraduate course. College of Environmental Science and Engineering (Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016). (https://www.sicas.cn/School/99/Contents/110716110907197.shtml)
Human Activities and Climate Change. Coordinator, Co-lecturer, 2nd year undergraduate course. College of Environmental Science and Engineering (Spring 2015).
Queen’s University:
Aquatic Biodiversity and Environmental Assessment. Co-coordinator, Co-lecturer, 3rd/4th year undergraduate field-course (Summer 2014). (http://queensu.ca/wanglab/teaching/biol-307317-canada-china-exchange-field-course/previous-field-course-2005-2014/2014-field)
Ecology of Reptiles and Amphibians. Co-lecturer, Teaching Assistant, 3rd year undergraduate field course. (Summer 2013). (https://qubsherpetology.wordpress.com/)
Evolutionary Genetics. Teaching Assistant, 2nd year undergraduate course. (Spring 2013) (http://post.queensu.ca/~biol206/)
Theoretical Foundations of Biology. Teaching Assistant, 4th year undergraduate course. (Winter 2013). (https://biology.queensu.ca/default/assets/File/Undergraduate/Syllabi%202013-14/BIOL433syllabus2013.pdf)
Macroevolution and Speciation. Teaching Assistant, 3rd year undergraduate course. (Fall 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008). (http://post.queensu.ca/~biol440/)
University of Western Ontario:
Scientific Method in Biology. Teaching Assistant, 2nd year undergraduate course. (Fall 2007, 2006).
Laurentian University:
Principles of Ecology. Teaching Assistant, 2nd year undergraduate course. (Fall 2005).