As a university faculty, I value the mission to achieve excellence in the interrelated areas of education, research and public service. I believe the importance of purpose to empower the young generation with the knowledge, insight, and self-confidence to serve and lead. I have strived to enhance the students’ learning and growth when I teach beyond just fulfilling teaching requirements. I mean learning not only by transferring of new facts by an instructor to students, but also by instilling the new insights, experience, and perspectives in viewing the world that may lead to transforming their lives. I believe it is critically important to guide the students to their own motivation for learning in higher education so they can continue to further their knowledge and awareness even after they graduate the school. I believe this can be done by inspiring students with educators’ appropriate attitudes. One-way communication approach of feeding the students with information or dragging them to a certain objectives may not help them to grow for successes in the long run, unless they find it interesting and worth doing so. I value the vision to lead students as 'accomplished learners'* through teaching and guidance.
I have aspired to be a poet in teaching, so to speak, for the students, so the audiences and readers can get inspired by the poems and experience a new world envisioned in them beyond the described text. I would like to help and encourage students "to learn in ways that make a sustained, substantial and positive difference in the way they think, act, or feel -- without doing them any major harm." +
* adopted from Robert Duke, + adopted from "What The Best College Teachers Do" by Bain (2004)
Undergraduate:
Introduction to Oceanography
MNS/GEO307 (Austin) 3 credits
The
primary goal of this course is to foster an appreciation for the ocean
and its precious resources. Additionally, by enhancing their
knowledge of ocean processes and marine resources, students can think
critically about the important environmental issues facing our society
including climate change, overfishing, and water pollution. This course
is designed for non-science majors as an introductory and
multi-disciplinary exploration of the marine environment. We
will
explore the physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes
that influence ocean
characteristics and discuss how the ocean directly influences human
society including its connections with climate and coastal economics.
We use i-clickers in the class.
- taught at 2006 Spring and Fall, 2008 Spring and Fall, 2009 Fall, 2010 Fall, and 2011 Fall semesters (2012 Fall scheduled)
- taught at 2006 Spring and Fall, 2008 Spring and Fall, 2009 Fall, 2010 Fall, and 2011 Fall semesters (2012 Fall scheduled)
(Syllabus - 2011F: HTML,
PDF)
(Some pictures)
(Students' course blogs - 2011F: weekly part 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) over 2500 entries!
(Students' course blogs - 2011F: weekly part 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) over 2500 entries!
Marine Environmental Science
MNS f354Q (Port Aransas) 3 credits
This
course is taught in Port Aransas and is NOT offered over the video
link. Application of the principles of marine science to the
study of environmental issues: toxicology, biogeochemical cycles, and
biological and ecological impacts of zenobiotic materials in the
coastal zone. I will be primarily responsible for the lab component of
the course.
- taught at 2011 Summer (with Dr. Shank), and scheduled at 2012 Summer
- taught at 2011 Summer (with Dr. Shank), and scheduled at 2012 Summer
(Syllabus - 2011
Summer: HTML,
PDF)
(Students' lab blogs
with photos -
2011 Summer: part 1,
2,
3,
4)
Coastal Environmental Science in Texas Bays
MNS 152T (Port Aransas) 1 credit
Practical
studies of Texas coastal environments with various analytical and
observation methods to better understand the health and functioning of
coastal ecosystem. Specifically, the main foci of the class would be
understanding of (i) primary productivity, (ii) redox condition, and
(iii) carbon system, and (iv) gaining better insights of relevant
environmental issues of the local bays and estuaries. The course will
address analysis and measurement techniques of dissolved oxygen, carbon
dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and other environmental parameters, field
sample collections, utilization and interpretation of data.Two boat
trips and one kayak survey.
- taught at 2008, 2009, and 2010 Summer semesters
- taught at 2008, 2009, and 2010 Summer semesters
Concepts in Marine Conservation Biology Laboratory
MNSf152L (Port Aransas) 1 credit
-taught at 2007 Summer semester
Humans and a Changing Ocean
MNS 308 (Austin) 3 credit - scheduled for Spring 2013
Undergraduate Seminar in Marine Science
MNS f152S (Port Aransas) 1 credit
This
course is taught in Port Aransas. This course on current
topics
in marine science will include weekly seminar talks by distinguished
experts in their fields of research followed by a group session to
current faculty members and visiting scientists. The topics to be
covered will range from biology or physiology of marine organisms to
their chemical-physical interactions with the marine
environment. The students will be required to write
a short
summary (1 page) describing main objectives/questions addressed in each
talk and what they learned from it. The topics covered during the
session will be diverse because of the broad range of
research interests of the speakers.
- taught at 2011 Summer semester (2012 Summer class scheduled)
- taught at 2011 Summer semester (2012 Summer class scheduled)
Seminar in Marine Science
BIO101C (Austin) - each fall semester
UTMSI REU Program - Ethics Workshop
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Summer in Port Aransas, TX
Graduate:
Coastal Processes
MNS383 (Port
Aransas
& Austin, Video-Linked)
3 credits
Physical and biogeochemical processes in coastal and offshore regions in the Gulf ofMexico and other sites. The course addresses various physical, biological and geochemical processes, and transformations of carbon and nutrients in various types of coastal environments including beaches and tidal flats, mangroves and salt marshes, seaweed and seagrass ecosystems, coral reefs, and the coastal oceans. The first one half of the course, focusing on physical and chemical aspects, coastal observation, and climate change impacts is taught by Dong-HaMin. The second one half of the course focusing on biogeochemical transformations of carbon and nutrients in shallow coastal environments, and their interactions with global change is taught by Wayne Gardner. The students will have an opportunity (1) to delve into coastal process related issues with a broad and deep perspective, (2) to participate in active discussion sessions through leading as well as evaluating roles, and (3) to develop their own research ideas based on the topics addressed in this course.
Physical and biogeochemical processes in coastal and offshore regions in the Gulf ofMexico and other sites. The course addresses various physical, biological and geochemical processes, and transformations of carbon and nutrients in various types of coastal environments including beaches and tidal flats, mangroves and salt marshes, seaweed and seagrass ecosystems, coral reefs, and the coastal oceans. The first one half of the course, focusing on physical and chemical aspects, coastal observation, and climate change impacts is taught by Dong-HaMin. The second one half of the course focusing on biogeochemical transformations of carbon and nutrients in shallow coastal environments, and their interactions with global change is taught by Wayne Gardner. The students will have an opportunity (1) to delve into coastal process related issues with a broad and deep perspective, (2) to participate in active discussion sessions through leading as well as evaluating roles, and (3) to develop their own research ideas based on the topics addressed in this course.
(Syllabus) -
2007 Fall
Seminar in Marine Science: Student Research Presentation
MNS 191 (Port Aransas) 1 credit
The purpose of this class is to improve
scientific communication skills of graduate students. It is critical
for graduate students to learn and develop effective professional
communication skills to be able to materialize their potentials,
deliver core messages to the world, and ultimately be successful in
their academic careers. The research communication is, however, not
merely limited to oral or poster presentation, but it also includes
other activities such as publications, portfolios, or blogs. I will try
to help students to develop their senses in some of these aspects in
research communications with emphasis on 'reflection.' Students will
engage in group learning through various online
interactions, present their research presentations in short 5-min
storytelling format for general public, construct their career
development profiles, and develop their professional e-portfolios.
Seminar in Marine Science: Science Ethics
MNS 191 (Port Aransas) 1 credit
The
course was designed for the students to (1) review scientific writing
and ethics issues, (2) provide the students of opportunity to perform
presentation and abstract writing, (3) evaluate the peer’s work with
constructive comments, and (4) delve into scientific ethics issues by
studying some real cases. The students produced the ethics conduct
statement and information poster for the Marine Science Institute.
- taught at 2006 Spring semester
- Syllabus (HTML)
- taught at 2006 Spring semester
- Syllabus (HTML)
*** 'Guidelines for Ethical Research Conduct' proposed by the class is now formally accepted by MSI, and
the guideline is widely distributed (see guidelines).