Bio

By training I am a marine fisheries ecologist. I completed my Bachelor’s Degree at the University of South Carolina in Marine Science, Master’s of Science and PhD in Zoology at North Carolina State University. I have held research, teaching and administrative posts in my career. I have taught at Shaw University, Hampton University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of South Carolina Columbia Campus, and have taught at the University of South Carolina Lancaster since 2009.

As an ecologist with NOAA Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, my research focused on the feeding habits of a pelagic coastal fish species of major ecological and commercial importance. I also managed a fish impingement monitoring program for a private consulting firm serving Duke Energy Corporation.

At Hampton University I taught and helped develop a BS Marine Science program. At the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, I taught marine science and served as the Director of a five year BS / MS Marine and Environmental Science curriculum. At the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, I later served as the Director of the Living Marine Research Cooperative Science Center, funded by NOAA. This program is a research cooperative of five universities that is designed to recruit and train students in the field of marine fisheries. I also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of South Carolina Columbia campus

I have been engaged in teaching students from high school through graduate degree programs for over 25 years. I have taught several undergraduate courses and graduate courses over my career as an educator.