Initial Publication Date: April 21, 2023

Nathan Ruhl

Dr., Rowan University

About Me

I am an aquatic ecologist and eco-educator in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences Department at Rowan University.

Focus of current FEW-Nexus-based education work

I recently led the redevelopment of the Introduction to Ecology course at Rowan University, which is now aligned with the Ecological Society of America's Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework through the implementation of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). We did not explicitly consider FEW as part of that reorganization (FEW is not an explicit part of 4DEE), but we did emphasize the importance of humans in shaping ecological patterns/processes, meaning that there is an opportunity to incorporate FEW into the course and I would like to explore doing so. Our Introduction to Ecology course is taken by all Biology (n=~250 per year) and Environmental Science majors (n=~20 per year) at Rowan University and serves as the capstone to our introductory biology curriculum. I have extensive experience in curriculum development and bring an Ecology and Eco/Science-Education perspective to NC-FEW community.

FEW-Nexus-based education experience, expertise and interests

In addition to the Introduction to Ecology course at Rowan University, which I both teach and coordinate, I also teach a place-based course on Pine Barrens Ecology and a course in Climate Change Biology. I would like to see FEW concepts integrated into these courses (these concepts are poorly represented right now) and am looking to both facilitate doing so (develop/implement new materials) and to share those new materials/techniques with the broader sustainability and science-education communities.

Publications, presentations, and other references

  • https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2684-4573
  • Ruhl, N., Crumrine, P., Oberle, J., Richmond, C., Thomas, S., and Wright, S.. 2022. Harnessing the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education Framework to redesign an introductory ecology course in a changing higher education landscape. Ecosphere 13(2):e03857. 10.1002/ecs2.3857