Hello! My name is Emma Jourdain. I am from Becket, Massachusetts and did my undergraduate degree in Marine Science at the University of Maine. I came to Vancouver for a Master’s degree in Patrick Martone’s lab in the Botany department and later transferred into the PhD program. My thesis focuses on the impacts of climate change on a group of calcifying red algae called coralline algae and in general I am interested in all aspects of seaweed biology and ecology. I am in my 5th year and I hope to be graduating next year.
During my degree I have served as a teaching assistant for eight terms across five different courses including Biol 111 (Introduction to Modern Biology), 209 (Biodiversity of Algae, Fungi and Bryophytes), 230 (Fundamentals of Ecology), 320 (Survey of Algae) and 307 (Natural History Collections and Biodiversity Science).
What do you enjoy most about being a TA?
There are so many aspects of TAing that I enjoy! My favorite types of courses to TA are lab-based courses, especially Biol 209 and Biol 320 as the material is focused on seaweed biology and ecology! I enjoy these small lab courses as they allow me to get to know my students and see their excitement and interests grow throughout the term. This is especially noticeable in labs where students often feel stressed being in a lab environment at first and are overwhelmed with using a microscope and specimen prep. But after a couple short weeks students become much more confident in their skills and can focus their excitement on learning the material.
I also really enjoy learning from my students. I find their questions often challenge me to think about the material deeper and find different ways to explain the topics.
What has being a TA brought to your graduate experience?
To be honest, when I first started graduate school TAing was something I was very intimidated by. However, my TA experiences in graduate school have made me a much more confident person by strengthening my communication skills and exposing me to many different scenarios. I have also really appreciated being able to learn pedagogical practices from some amazing professors throughout my TAships. Being able to see first-hand and participate in evidence-based practices in the classroom, like active learning activities, has taught me a lot about how people learn information and given me many tools to use in my own teaching to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
What was your most memorable moment as a TA?
My most memorable moments from TAing come from bringing students into the field. Biol 209 and Biol 320 both include field trips to the beach to survey local seaweed diversity and I love seeing students make the connections between what we have talked about in class and lab and then what they see in real life. We do our best to bring as much fresh material and live organisms into the classroom, but it can’t match the experience of actually being outside and fully immersed in the beauty of nature. I find through these field trips students can gain a better appreciation for the diversity and beauty that is in their own backyard.
Also, I was very fortunate to grow up with a lifestyle where I was constantly outside, but I recognize this is not how everyone grew up and being outside may make some people uncomfortable. I find these field trips can sometimes push people slightly outside their comfort zone. I enjoy trying to help these students feel safe in outdoor environments with the hope they will want to return outside of class.
What opportunities relating to teaching and learning have you been a part of?
This past fall, I co-developed and instructed a two day workshop called “The Wonders of Seaweed” that taught sea kayak guides and naturalists about the ecology and biology of seaweeds. The workshop combined classroom lectures on seaweed biology, reproduction, ecology, and cultural and economic importance with a trip to the intertidal zone to practice species identification. We also had several hands-on activities including seaweed pressing and cyanotyping. Watching the guides become passionate about seaweed and confident in their identification skills throughout the two days was a very rewarding experience.
What is something you are currently doing that you are excited about?
I am preparing to TA a field course based at Bamfield Marine Science Center this fall. The course is called Ecological Adaptations of Seaweed and I am really looking forward to sharing my love of seaweed with a new group of students through an intensive lab and field based course!
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is centered on active learning and connecting course material to real-world relevance to engage students and build transferable skills.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I try to spend as much time outside as I can! This involves lots of running, hiking, walking my friends dogs and hanging out at the beach.