Philosophy

I primarily teach courses as faculty in Denison University’s interdisciplinary Data Analytics Program. Students take core courses in Data Analytics, and identify a domain area in which they take additional courses to learn expertise in a field in which they can apply their advanced skills. This means I get to teach students with vastly different interests, backgrounds, and knowledge areas every day, from introductory to advanced levels.

Fundamentally, I teach students programming in R, python, SQL, foundational statistics, data visualization, project design and management, team collaboration, frameworks for inclusive and ethical decision making, and research principles. From a human perspective, I model my teaching around 3 intersecting core principles: relationships and collaboration, taking calculated risks, and ethical choices. We engage in learning through project-based learning, including class discussions, mini-hackathons, consulting with outside partners, and multi-week lab exercises.

Whether we’re in person, remote, or hybrid, my goal is help students be intellectually brave, learn to collaborate with diverse groups, and to feel able to lead with the heart and follow their passions. My previous experiences as an undergraduate at a small liberal arts college, a graduate instructor, and a volunteer instructor for The Carpentries have led me to develop a strong philosophy of learning as an interactive process between teachers and students, where students should be able to connect with material in a way that is relevant to their lives. I hope that students leave the classroom with increased curiosity, self-confidence, ability to engage in deep and thoughtful discussion, and a new appreciation for how the world around them works.

I believe that an important role for scientists is to give back and I see training students and fellow scientists as a major component of this. I have enjoyed my teaching and mentorship activities and I look forward to mentoring young scientists in the future, whether they choose to pursue research or seek alternate careers.

Student News

Biana Qiu (’26) led a poster presentation at the Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, in Baltimore, MD August 2025, titled “Tracking incidence classification changes across disturbances at the Konza Prairie LTER”. The poster was also co-authored by student Nancy Tran (’26).

Nancy Tran (’26) led a poster presentation at the Ecological Society of America, Regional Midwest Meeting, in April 2024, on our collaborative research project, titled “Species Incidence and trait changes in a long-term ecological grazing and fire experiment”. The poster was also co-authored by student Biana Qiu (’26).

Nancy Tran (’26) and Maya Parker-Smith traveled with Sarah Supp to Kansas State University and the Konza Prairie Biological Station to present a graduate seminar, meet staff scientists, and visit the long-term ecological research site, as part of their ongoing NSF-funded collaborative research project investigating a novel population classification method.

Maximilian Wisnefski (’24) won Honorable Mention for his Senior Capstone research project, entered in the USRESP Fall 2023 competition. He completed his paper, “Corroborating/Controverting Conventional Wisdom: an Analysis of the Impact of the Tony Awards on the Success of Broadway Productions”, during our Fall 2023 DA 401 class. Congratulations, Max!

Che Hoon Jeong (’22) won 3rd prize for his Senior Capstone research project, entered in the USRESP Fall 2022 competition. He completed his paper, “Investigation Of NCAA Basketball’s Three Point Strategy Using Logistic Mixed Effects Regression Model”, during our Fall 2022 DA 401 class. Congratulations, Che!

Ming Chen (’21) won 1st prize for his Senior Capstone research project, which he entered in the Undergraduate Research Statistics Project in the American Statistical Association and CAUSEweb Fall 2020 competition! He completed his paper, “Analysis on U.S. online shopping behavior under COVID in relation to consumer behavior factors”, during our Fall 2020 DA 401 class. Congratulations, Ming!

Courses

Associate Professor at Denison University

Introduction to Data Analytics (DA 101)
Data Analytics Colloquium (DA 200)
Data Systems (CS 181 / DA 210)
Dynamic Ecology (DA 245 / BIOL 356)
Theory and Practice of Data Visualization (DA 271)
Practicum in Data Analytics (DA 301)
Directed Study Research (DA 362)
Data Analytics Seminar (DA 401)
Senior Research with Distinction (DA 451/452)
Advising Circle (AC 101)

Instructor

Evolutionary Biology, developed & taught undergrads (Utah State University, BIOL 5250)
Software Carpentry Workshops (Washington University, Boston WiSE, NYU, University of Michigan WiSE), developed and taught course material on programming concepts to undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty at various institutions.
Data Carpentry Workshops (University of Wisconsin-Madison), developed and taught course materials on data hygiene and management to undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty.

Guest Lecturer:

Evolutionary Biology, Macroecology

Educational Outreach:

K-6 environmental education, Valparaiso, IN
“What is a scientist”, K-6 presentation, Hastings, NE
“Women in science who code”, all-girls high school discussion for CS Education week, Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA
Girls STEAM Ahead, The Works, Newark, OH

Educational Blog: Teaching Software Carpentry, Portal Project

Pedagogical Training

CIRTL alumni engagement (2020-2023)
Center for Teaching and Learning at Denison University (2017-present)
Research Mentor Training Course, Center for Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (2016)
An Introduction to Evidence-based Undergraduate STEM Teaching, Center for Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (2015)
Software Carpentry Instructor Training (2012)
Teaching Assistant Training, Utah State University (2007)