Teaching Philosophy: My primary goal as an instructor is to develop interest and curiosity in the students that take my courses in order to maximize their engagement in understanding how plants respond to changes in their environment and how that impacts the spatial distribution of plants and plant communities.  I have learned how to create a fun and engaging classroom experience for many learning styles by constructing a student-centered classroom. I utilize active-learning exercises to help students take ownership of the course material and to gain experience implementing the newly learned information and techniques. I consistently receive high marks for my teaching and course material and students frequently list my course as a highlight of their education during exit interviews.  As further evidence of effective teaching that has made an impact on students, I was awarded the Outstanding Instructor in Rangeland Ecology in 2015 and 2018, an award given by the student body.