The Hamel Lab

PHILOSOPHY

I try to teach science as a process, to develop students’ thinking and communication skills, and to reward care, attention, and quality. I want students to understand what science is and how it works. I engage students with demonstrations and group activities and aim to make science relevant for them. I link class topics to current events and stress the importance of science literacy, critical assessment of media reporting and voter decision-making. For many students, the opportunity to apply learning in nature does what no lecture or traditional laboratory can do in terms of engaging the mind. I create this opportunity for students whenever possible.

COURSES

Biodiversity (BIO 131, lecture/lab), Fall 2014 – present
Integrated lab/lecture course in which students learn foundational biology about all groups of living organisms and explore evolutionary relatedness, ecology, and physiology of example organisms from each group.

Population Biology (BIO 212, lecture), Spring 2015 – present
Students study the ecology and evolutionary processes of populations through readings from primary literature and course textbook, small- and large-group discussions, group activities, and written assignments.

Population Biology Lab (BIO 214, lab), Fall 2014 – present
Hands-on laboratory activities in estimating population parameters, measuring abiotic influences on and biotic indices of community assembly, and simulation of evolutionary processes acting in populations.

Introductory Seminar (BIO 261), Fall 2016 – present
Skills and communication seminar course for Biology majors in their second year. Students learn to search primary literature, paraphrase, build annotated bibliographies, and present work in oral and written form.

Animal Behavior (BIO 331, lecture/lab), Spring 2016 – present
Upper-level elective exploring the foundations of animal behavior. Hands-on laboratory activities in which students learn and practice research skills, culminating in independent research projects.

Invertebrate Biology (BIO 371, lecture), Winter 2017 - present
Upper-level elective in which students explore 98% of animal diversity, with an emphasis on local and freshwater taxa. Course includes field trip(s), lab activities, and an expression project.

Field Biology Panama (BIO 335, lecture/lab/ELR), Winter 2019
Upper-level Biology elective ELR. Students study ecology across several neotropical ecosystems, including cloud forest, lowland forest, and coral reef. At the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute at Barro Colorado Island, students contribute to an ongoing behavioral ecology research project.

Undergraduate Research (BIO 499/ENS 499/ECF 499, research), Spring 2015 – present
Students may register to conduct research for credit. If this is something that interests you, please read more about Research Opportunities in the lab and contact me.

Undergraduate Internship (BIO 481, internship), Spring 2015 – present
Many Elon Biology students gain internship experiences as part of their program. If this is something that interests you and you think I would be an appropriate mentor for your internship, contact me.