ACTIVITIES
| In addition to my role as an educator and
researcher that consumes much of my passion and time, I also perform a
variety of related activities in the local community, the larger
professional organization of scientists and educators, and also take
time to enjoy life as a citizen of one of the most beautiful countries
on the planet.
Local and Regional Activities: I am a member of a couple organizations in the local area. I am the secretary to the Responsible Growth Management Coalition This group was formed in 1988 to promote responsible growth management in Lee County within the parameters of the Florida Statutes and Administrative Code through informed citizen participation. As member of the RGMC, I serve as its representative to the Estero Bay Agency on Bay Managment The ABM is a non-regulatory advisory committee to the South Florida Regional Planning Council. Its directive is to make comments and recommendations regarding the management of Estero Bay and its watershed. The ABM collects and maintains data and it reviews and comments to regulatory agencies on issues affecting the watershed. Also of local interest to me is the fate of the Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), a species of special concern. I am a member of the Gopher Tortoise Council which was formed in 1978 by a group of biologists and others concerned about the range-wide decline of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). The Council offers professional advice for management, conservation, and protection of gopher tortoises; encourages the study of the life history, ecology, and management of gopher tortoises and other upland species; conducts active public information and conservation education programs, and seeks effective protection of the gopher tortoise and other upland species throughout the southeastern United States. |
| Professional Activities:
Through the generous support of the Whitaker Center at FGCU, during the summer of 2005 I was able to attend a Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science and Education in Oxford, England. This was an exciting conference that introduced me to even more outstanding resources to help teach and understand science with visualization tools. Through the generous support of the FGCU Biotechnology program, during the summer of 2004 I was able to attend a Gordon Research Conference on Science and Technology Policy at Big Sky Montana. The opportunity was a wonderful way to learn more about all the factors that influence Science and Technology Policy. The experience enriches the way I teach both scientific and the interdisciplinary courses. In addition to membership on professional organization such as the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) and the ISDCI (International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology) I also review journal articles for the National Science Teacher's Association's Journal of College Science Teaching. Another group I am very pleased to be associated with is the Eastern Section of the Fish Health Society. Each year there is a workshop sponsored by the USGS Leetown Science Center where researchers and graduate students present their latest finding- this link will take you to the abstracts for past workshops. Topics include not only fish health, but also invertebrate and coral reef health topics . |
| Enjoy Life!
There are times when it is simply enough to stop and smell the roses, enjoy our Chihuahuas and simply watch the world go by. To that end, my husband and I both enjoy reading (he mostly reads about cooking and I read about science, history, mysteries and anything else that someone tells me about that the first sentence really grabs me)! We also love to swim and ride bikes. I have also always enjoyed taking photographs. We have also recently taken up the sport of disc golf. Fortunately this is a great way to merge our love of travel with some good exercise as there are over a thousand disc golf courses in the US (PDGA course directory)! |