Teaching
Lehigh University
Assistant Professor, Earth & Environmental Science
Observing and Studying Nature (EES 097)
Introduction to the basics of studying nature, focusing on regional biodiversity. This course will familiarize participants with the common plants and animals in the Lehigh Valley and provide tools to interact with natural ecosystems and conserve biodiversity. A combination of lectures, classroom discussion, and outdoor activities.
Observing and Studying Nature (EES 097)
Introduction to the basics of studying nature, focusing on regional biodiversity. This course will familiarize participants with the common plants and animals in the Lehigh Valley and provide tools to interact with natural ecosystems and conserve biodiversity. A combination of lectures, classroom discussion, and outdoor activities.
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Yale University
Contributing Instructor, Yale School of the Environment
Environmental Leadership and Training Initiative (ELTI)
Fundamentals: Ecological and social concepts (ELTI-1) (Enrollment: 89)
Strategies: Implementing and monitoring techniques (ELTI-3) (Enrollment: 76)
Developed content, managed discussion boards, let synchronous discussions, and assessed final ecology projects for online professional certification courses in tropical forest restoration (Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Use).
Environmental Leadership and Training Initiative (ELTI)
Fundamentals: Ecological and social concepts (ELTI-1) (Enrollment: 89)
Strategies: Implementing and monitoring techniques (ELTI-3) (Enrollment: 76)
Developed content, managed discussion boards, let synchronous discussions, and assessed final ecology projects for online professional certification courses in tropical forest restoration (Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Use).
University of Pittsburgh
Instructor-of-Record and Course Developer, Department of Bioethics
Sustainability in Latin America (BIOETH 2668)
Self-developed interdisciplinary seminar course focusing on the issues surrounding environmental sustainability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cross-listed upper-level undergraduate and graduate course, run in-person (2019) and fully online (2020-2021). Enrollments: 5, 5, 4 students.
Sustainability in Latin America (BIOETH 2668)
Self-developed interdisciplinary seminar course focusing on the issues surrounding environmental sustainability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cross-listed upper-level undergraduate and graduate course, run in-person (2019) and fully online (2020-2021). Enrollments: 5, 5, 4 students.
Teaching Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences
Ecology Laboratory (BIOSC 0390) (Enrollment: 27, 30)
Primary instructor for ecology laboratory class; led lectures and field experiments, developed 4 quizzes and podcast-based discussion activity, graded and managed all assignments on CourseWeb.
Wildlife Management (BIOSC 1420) (Enrollment: 15)
Conservation biology (BIOSC 1610) (Enrollment: 16)
Ecology of Fishes (BIOSC 1270) (Enrollment: 18)
Ornithology (BIOSC 1230) (Enrollment: 10, 12)
Forest Ecology (BIOSC 1160) (Enrollment: 6)
Intensive 3-week field courses run out of Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. Assisted in laboratory setup and coordinated field excursions. Graded all or most written assignments, laboratory activities, field notebooks, quizzes, and exams. For Forest Ecology, gave 2 lectures, led independent student projects, and was primary instructor for last week of course.
Ecology of the Napo Valley (BIOSC 0825) (Enrollment: 12)
Field-based spring break course in the Andes Amazon Field School, Napo, Ecuador. Gave lecture “Tropical terrestrial ecology: An introduction to the distribution, abiotic drivers, and biodiversity of tropical forests.” Translated for students communicating with indigenous peoples for final research projects.
Ecology Laboratory (BIOSC 0390) (Enrollment: 27, 30)
Primary instructor for ecology laboratory class; led lectures and field experiments, developed 4 quizzes and podcast-based discussion activity, graded and managed all assignments on CourseWeb.
Wildlife Management (BIOSC 1420) (Enrollment: 15)
Conservation biology (BIOSC 1610) (Enrollment: 16)
Ecology of Fishes (BIOSC 1270) (Enrollment: 18)
Ornithology (BIOSC 1230) (Enrollment: 10, 12)
Forest Ecology (BIOSC 1160) (Enrollment: 6)
Intensive 3-week field courses run out of Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. Assisted in laboratory setup and coordinated field excursions. Graded all or most written assignments, laboratory activities, field notebooks, quizzes, and exams. For Forest Ecology, gave 2 lectures, led independent student projects, and was primary instructor for last week of course.
Ecology of the Napo Valley (BIOSC 0825) (Enrollment: 12)
Field-based spring break course in the Andes Amazon Field School, Napo, Ecuador. Gave lecture “Tropical terrestrial ecology: An introduction to the distribution, abiotic drivers, and biodiversity of tropical forests.” Translated for students communicating with indigenous peoples for final research projects.
Lehigh University
Teaching Assistant, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Ecology and Ecology Laboratory (EES 152) (Enrollment: 34, 32)
Exploring Earth (EES 022) (Enrollment: 34, 32)
Science of Environmental issues (EES 004) (Enrollment: 86)
Primary instructor for introductory earth and environmental sciences laboratory class; taught ecology, geology and hydrology topics via weekly lecture and hands-on labs. Helped students with material during weekly office hours. Edited, administered and graded quizzes, examinations and homework, managed all assignments on CourseSite.
Ecology and Ecology Laboratory (EES 152) (Enrollment: 34, 32)
Exploring Earth (EES 022) (Enrollment: 34, 32)
Science of Environmental issues (EES 004) (Enrollment: 86)
Primary instructor for introductory earth and environmental sciences laboratory class; taught ecology, geology and hydrology topics via weekly lecture and hands-on labs. Helped students with material during weekly office hours. Edited, administered and graded quizzes, examinations and homework, managed all assignments on CourseSite.
Outreach
“From the farms of upstate NY to the treetops of Panama: The roots and journey of an ecology PhD.” Invited speaker for Edinboro chapter of TriBeta National Viological Honor Society. 2 Oct 2019.
“Microbes can change how spiders mate:scientists show that bacteria have unexpected effects in spider sex.”Interview forInsider Science. Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. 20 Aug 2019. Article.
Taylor Allerdice High School Outreach Event. Lab tour and paper discussion at the University of Pittsburgh. 26 Sep 2017; 3 Oct 2018.
“Deer, forests, and biodiversity.” Podcast interview on Go West, Young Podcast.1 Nov 2017. Podcast transcript.
“How have we changed the forest? A discussion of a few human-caused problems in the eastern deciduous forest and what scientists are trying to do about it.”60 minute presentation and discussion at Powdermill Nature Reserve’s Science and Nature Series. 8 Aug 2017.
“Microbes can change how spiders mate:scientists show that bacteria have unexpected effects in spider sex.”Interview forInsider Science. Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. 20 Aug 2019. Article.
Taylor Allerdice High School Outreach Event. Lab tour and paper discussion at the University of Pittsburgh. 26 Sep 2017; 3 Oct 2018.
“Deer, forests, and biodiversity.” Podcast interview on Go West, Young Podcast.1 Nov 2017. Podcast transcript.
“How have we changed the forest? A discussion of a few human-caused problems in the eastern deciduous forest and what scientists are trying to do about it.”60 minute presentation and discussion at Powdermill Nature Reserve’s Science and Nature Series. 8 Aug 2017.
Mentorship of Young Scholars
I find mentoring greatly fulfilling, in addition to being integral to my research program. To date, I have mentored 39 young scholars, in the field, in the lab, and with data- and photo-analysis research experiences from wherever they live. Many undergraduates I mentored did additional research after their first field or lab experience; several went on to study a similar topic in graduate school, presented their research at conferences, or were co-authors on resultant papers.
Academic presentations
Invited Presentations
Spicer ME, Carson WP, Royo AA, Nuttle T, Adams B, Muzika R-M, & Pasquini S. “Biodiversity collapse and the future of the eastern deciduous forest biome.” Virginia Native Plant Society Workshop. 2019.
Spicer ME, Wenzel J, Royo AA, & Carson WP. “How do diverse forest understories regenerate after a tornado? A large-scale experimental evaluation of community reorganization in a human-modified landscape.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Organized Oral Session 12. 7 Aug 2018. Abstract.
Spicer ME. “Discovering the forest amongst the trees: Community assembly and regeneration patterns in diverse yet understudied forest strata.” Monthly Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania Meeting. 8 Jan 2018.
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Human legacies in forest ecosystems: A discussion of how deer overabundance and logging practices have shaped eastern deciduous forests in the past century.” Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. 5 Oct 2017.
Contributed Talks
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Substrate texture mediates vascular epiphyte establishment: Experimental evidence from a Panamanian cloud forest.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Louisville, KT. 13 Aug 2019.
Spicer ME, Mellor H, Yang Y, Sutton S, & Carson WP. “Seeing beyond the trees: A comparison of the relative abundance of plant life forms and their vertical distribution in New World temperate and tropical forests.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. 8 Aug 2017.
Spicer ME. “A triad of trouble for northeastern forest communities: Testing the combined effects of overbrowsing, woody competitors, and propagule limitation on herbaceous plant diversity and reproduction.” Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Summer Seminar Series, Linesville, PA. 27 Jul 2016.
Spicer ME, Pendergast IV TH, & Carson WP. “The legacy of deer overabundance: Long term delays in herbaceous community recovery.” The Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA. 23 Apr 2016. Abstract.
Poster Presentations
Spicer ME, Mellor H, & Carson WP. “A comparison of tropical and temperate plant growth-forms and strata distributions.” AAAS Annual Conference, Seattle, WA. 2020. Honorable Mention: Graduate Student E-Poster Competition in Ecology & Evolution.
Spicer ME.“Assembly in the air: Experimentally testing colonization versus niche hypotheses in aerial plant communities.” SACNAS, the National Diversity in STEM Conference. 30 Oct 2019.
Spicer ME, Royo AA, Wenzel J, & Carson WP. “Salvage logging is not the Darth Vader of forestry: Rapid understory recovery following catastrophic disturbances.” Science 2019: Question, Pittsburgh, PA. 17 Oct 2019.
Spicer ME, Mellor H, & Carson WP. “Seeing beyond the trees: A comparison of tropical and temperate plant life forms and their vertical distributions.” Science 2018: From A to Z, Pittsburgh, PA. 18 Oct 2018.
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Why do plants climb trees? Proposing the Epiphyte Enemy Escape Hypothesis for tropical epiphyte evolution.” Three Rivers Evolution Event Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. 9 Sep 2017.
Spicer ME. “Advocate, adversary, or bystander: Are lianas a driver of tropical epiphyte diversity?” University of Pittsburgh Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Grad Expo, Pittsburgh, PA. 24 Mar 2016. Outstanding Presenter Award.
Spicer ME & Carson WP. “Direct and indirect effects of excluding mammals in a tropical wet forest: Evidence from Costa Rica for altered seedling recruitment success.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. 11 Aug 2015. Abstract.
Spicer ME & Booth RK. “To plant or not to plant? Results from a century-long planting experiment.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Sacramento, CA. 12 Aug 2014. Abstract.
Spicer ME & Booth RK. “A century-long experiment in forest planting: Preliminary results from the Lehigh University Experimental Forest.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. 8 Aug 2013. Link to abstract: Abstract.
Spicer ME & Coleman D. “Education for the environment: Integrating the Earth Charter into the second-cycle science curriculum.” Lehigh University STEPS-Environmental Initiative Student Summer Internship Symposium, Lehigh University. 19 Sep 2012.
Spicer ME, Carson WP, Royo AA, Nuttle T, Adams B, Muzika R-M, & Pasquini S. “Biodiversity collapse and the future of the eastern deciduous forest biome.” Virginia Native Plant Society Workshop. 2019.
Spicer ME, Wenzel J, Royo AA, & Carson WP. “How do diverse forest understories regenerate after a tornado? A large-scale experimental evaluation of community reorganization in a human-modified landscape.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Organized Oral Session 12. 7 Aug 2018. Abstract.
Spicer ME. “Discovering the forest amongst the trees: Community assembly and regeneration patterns in diverse yet understudied forest strata.” Monthly Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania Meeting. 8 Jan 2018.
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Human legacies in forest ecosystems: A discussion of how deer overabundance and logging practices have shaped eastern deciduous forests in the past century.” Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. 5 Oct 2017.
Contributed Talks
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Substrate texture mediates vascular epiphyte establishment: Experimental evidence from a Panamanian cloud forest.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Louisville, KT. 13 Aug 2019.
Spicer ME, Mellor H, Yang Y, Sutton S, & Carson WP. “Seeing beyond the trees: A comparison of the relative abundance of plant life forms and their vertical distribution in New World temperate and tropical forests.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. 8 Aug 2017.
Spicer ME. “A triad of trouble for northeastern forest communities: Testing the combined effects of overbrowsing, woody competitors, and propagule limitation on herbaceous plant diversity and reproduction.” Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Summer Seminar Series, Linesville, PA. 27 Jul 2016.
Spicer ME, Pendergast IV TH, & Carson WP. “The legacy of deer overabundance: Long term delays in herbaceous community recovery.” The Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA. 23 Apr 2016. Abstract.
Poster Presentations
Spicer ME, Mellor H, & Carson WP. “A comparison of tropical and temperate plant growth-forms and strata distributions.” AAAS Annual Conference, Seattle, WA. 2020. Honorable Mention: Graduate Student E-Poster Competition in Ecology & Evolution.
Spicer ME.“Assembly in the air: Experimentally testing colonization versus niche hypotheses in aerial plant communities.” SACNAS, the National Diversity in STEM Conference. 30 Oct 2019.
Spicer ME, Royo AA, Wenzel J, & Carson WP. “Salvage logging is not the Darth Vader of forestry: Rapid understory recovery following catastrophic disturbances.” Science 2019: Question, Pittsburgh, PA. 17 Oct 2019.
Spicer ME, Mellor H, & Carson WP. “Seeing beyond the trees: A comparison of tropical and temperate plant life forms and their vertical distributions.” Science 2018: From A to Z, Pittsburgh, PA. 18 Oct 2018.
Spicer ME& Carson WP. “Why do plants climb trees? Proposing the Epiphyte Enemy Escape Hypothesis for tropical epiphyte evolution.” Three Rivers Evolution Event Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. 9 Sep 2017.
Spicer ME. “Advocate, adversary, or bystander: Are lianas a driver of tropical epiphyte diversity?” University of Pittsburgh Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Grad Expo, Pittsburgh, PA. 24 Mar 2016. Outstanding Presenter Award.
Spicer ME & Carson WP. “Direct and indirect effects of excluding mammals in a tropical wet forest: Evidence from Costa Rica for altered seedling recruitment success.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. 11 Aug 2015. Abstract.
Spicer ME & Booth RK. “To plant or not to plant? Results from a century-long planting experiment.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Sacramento, CA. 12 Aug 2014. Abstract.
Spicer ME & Booth RK. “A century-long experiment in forest planting: Preliminary results from the Lehigh University Experimental Forest.” Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. 8 Aug 2013. Link to abstract: Abstract.
Spicer ME & Coleman D. “Education for the environment: Integrating the Earth Charter into the second-cycle science curriculum.” Lehigh University STEPS-Environmental Initiative Student Summer Internship Symposium, Lehigh University. 19 Sep 2012.
