News & Updates

Talk About Teaching Features Carolyn Dash

By Lisa Forrest

January 5, 2015

Carolyn Dash, Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies will present an innovative approach for teaching an upper-level seminar that focuses on developing skills such as interpreting data, critical thinking, and finding and reading primary scientific literature through class discussions and a large peer-reviewed grant proposal project. The skills that students develop as part of this course all directly contribute to their senior thesis projects.  This course structure has already been successfully used with the theme of "Global Climate Change" at Hamilton (Fall 2014) and "Disturbance Ecology" at Syracuse University (Spring 2014).

Join us on Tuesday, February 10 at noon in Burke Library's All Night Reading Room. Lunch will be served.  Talk About Teaching: Ways We Teach is sponsored by Library and Information Technology Services and the Dean of Faculty's Office.

Carolyn Dash recently joined the faculty as a Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies (hosted by Geosciences).  She received her B.A. in Biology from Kenyon College in Gambier, OH and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Carolyn’s research focuses on understanding the patterns and controls of ecosystem change across multiple spatial and temporal scales. She is specifically interested in the interactions between vegetation communities, landscape, climate change, and disturbance regimes and in applying this knowledge to anticipate and plan for future change. At Hamilton, Carolyn teaches environmental science focused courses cross-listed in Environmental Studies Program and the Geosciences, Biology, and Government Departments.