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  Dr Shawn P Devlin
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Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy has been shaped and crafted by my experiences as a student, a teaching assistant, a guest lecturer, and a mentor. I believe that in order for students to learn effectively, teaching must be a conversation, not a monologue. Each course, laboratory, and one-on-one meeting provides an opportunity to make connections with students and to foster not only understanding of the subject at hand, but also the chance to instill values and attitudes that shape future scientists, teachers, and citizens. Teachers must recognize that these opportunities will have an impact on students’ lives. It is critical to strive to make these relationships significant, influential, and productive. I am passionate about teaching science because the interdisciplinary nature of ecology and the diversity of content within biology provide many different ways to make profound connections and ensure that students have a chance to become informed, aware, and pro-active. In order to understand ecological science, students must learn by doing. Ecology naturally lends itself to experiential education and I feel that when students are given a forum where individuals and groups are presented tasks that are based on real-world global problems yet are tied directly to local service-based and concept-based outcomes, learning will be inherently driven by communication, problem solving, and dedication.


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Laboratory Courses Taught
BIO 105-Biology of Food                                                                                                                            
BIO 107-Biology of Disease                                                                                                                      
BIO 346-Concepts in Biology II                                                                                                                  
BIO 411-Aquatic Communities                                                                                                                       

                        
Lectures- Shared/Guest Lecturer
WETs 101 Introduction to Aquatic Research                                                                                            
BIOa 903 Introduction to Env Science                                                                      
BIO 406 Aquatic Environment                                                                                                                  
BIO 411 Aquatic Communities                                                                                                                                         

Academic Mentoring

University of Jyväskylä- Supervised Graduate Students


• Jussi Vesterinen - 2013-
                  Littoral primary and bacterial production in humic lakes 
                   PhD thesis in progress 
• Naren Koju - 2013
                   Odonate resource use in a complex littoral environment. 
                   MSc thesis in progress
• Satish Basnet - 2012
                   Measuring anaerobic production in humic lakes. 

                   MSc thesis completed
• Jussi Vesterinen - 2012
                  Littoral primary production in a highly humic boreal lake. 
                  MSc thesis completed.
• Juan Carlos Zuniga - 2011
                  Responses of littoral macroinvertebrates in a small humic                                   lake to different fish predation regimes. 

                  MSc thesis completed.

NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Mentees


• Karen Pedersen, Wright State University - 2008
                  Employing a Diving-PAM to measure light response curves                                 of periphyton in northern oligotrophic lakes. 

                  Master’s student at WSU 
                  Peace Corp Volunteer
• Ben Clifford, St. Olaf College - 2007
                  Benthic primary production responses to bioturbation                                         caused by an invasive crayfish. 

                  Currently PhD student at Notre Dame
• Jim McCormick, Wright State University - 2006
                  The influence of groundwater discharge and recharge on 
                   benthic primary production in Sparkling Lake, WI.  

Supervised 12 undergraduate and 3 graduate laboratory research assistants
Supervised 12 undergraduate and 2 graduate field research assistants 
Mentored 4 undergraduate independent projects
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 "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." ~William Arthur Ward
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