Ph.D. in Botany (Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology) from the University of Hawaii and Master's in Environmental Biology, from Brazil. My major interest in Biology is plant ecology. I have done research in the Brazilian Amazon and in Hawaii on forest hydrology, and, in the Tampa Bay area, studying plant communities on small islands. Currently, we are assessing mangrove leaf size at different latitudes in conjunction with a study abroad class. Classes Taught BSC 1005C - Biological Science for Non-Science Majors BSC 1005CH - Biological Science for Non-Science Majors Honors (aka Biology through Gardening) BSC 2011 - Biology 2 (Organisms, Ecology & Evolution) lecture BSC 2011L - Biology 2 Lab BSC 3931 and BSC 3931L - Special Topics Tropical Ecology Study Abroad Lecture and Lab Clubs Advisor to Food For Thought - the Garden Club at the SP/Gibbs campus Awards 2025 SPC/NISOD Outstanding Faculty Excellence Award 2020 League for Innovation Excellence Award recipient Grants 2025-2026 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: From Florida to the Equator: Involving Students in Multi-Site Comparative Research 2024-2025 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Growing Together: Establishing Accessible Garden Beds to Enhance Campus Inclusion 2024 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Seeding Success: Cultivating Community through Campus Gardening 2023 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Fostering a Sense of Belonging Through Food and Science at SPC 2021 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Supporting Remote Lab Classes in Biology 2020 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Increasing Active Learning in Biology Classes 2019 SPC Foundation Innovation Grant: Gardening As A Tool To Teach Biology For Non-Majors 2018 SPC Foundation Titan Achievement Grant: Learning Biology Through Gardening