Interests: Developmental Biology, Cell Biology, Invertebrate Zoology and Natural History exploration.
Along with fellow faculty, I find it rewarding to introduce incoming students to the Biology Major by teaching Evolutionary Foundations of Diversity (Bio 150). I also thoroughly enjoy teaching our non-majors a January-course entitled, Stem Cells (one of our many Bio 121 offerings). In other semesters I’ve taught Invertebrate Biology (Bio 248), “Probing Life with Light” – (Investigative Microscopy, Bio 249), and each Spring, an advanced course in Developmental Biology (Bio 372). It has also been exciting to teach with members of the Philosophy and Religion departments, in our “Science Conversation”.
On the research front, my lab explores cellular, molecular and genetic mechanisms that drive life-history dynamics in the unicellular, ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena thermophila. I also explore and document the Natural History of marine organisms living in saltwater ponds in The Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands. It is especially fun to share these scientific adventures with our undergraduates.
(If these interest you, contact me at colee@stolaf.edu. Put RESEARCH in the subject line).