Teaching Interests
As a senior lecturer, I strive to teach students to think critically and skeptically, to educate themselves thoroughly via multiple, reliable sources, and to think for themselves. Evolutionary theory provides the basis for this enterprise, as it allows me to show students how to recognize the differences between science, pseudoscience, and faith. I seek to show students how to view the world as a scientist, to analyze all aspects of a difficult problem, and make logical conclusions based on observable facts.
At the undergraduate level, I teach Evolution and Biodiversity, Genetics, Comparative Physiology, and Ecology for biology majors. I also teach several courses for non-science majors, including Introduction to Evolution, Biology of Plants, and Zoology. I am the coordinator of our first year laboratory courses. This involves creating and writing laboratory exercises that lead students through the scientific process, helping them design original research projects, learning to collect data, statistically analyze data, and draw valid scientific conclusions.
At the graduate level, my Teaching Techniques in Biology course is designed to train graduate student lab instructors in effective teaching techniques via demonstration, peer critique, and hands-on teamwork to create a stimulating intellectual environment for our undergraduates.
Personal Interests
Dana Krempels is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Miami. Her scientific interests include evolutionary biology, herpetology, and the biology and natural history of Lagomorpha, Leporidae.
Education
| 1989 | Ph.D. , University of Miami |
| 1980 | B.S. Biological Studies, University of Southern California |
| 1980 | B.A. English, University of Southern California |
Professional Experience
| 2008 - | Senior Lecturer, Department of Biology, University of Miami |
| 1995 - | Director of Undergraduate studies, University of Miami |
| 1989 - | Coordinator of First Year Biology Laboratories, University of Miami |
| 1988 - | Ecology Instructor, Coordinator, HHMI Research in Ecology Program |
| 1990 - 2008 | Lecturer, Department of Biology, University of Miami |
| 1997 - 1997 | Coordinator/Ecology Instructor, NSF Young Scholars Program |
Honors & Acknowledgements
Women in Eye Research Grant, April 1987 Awarded travel funds to attend the 1987 meetings of ARVO.
Robert E. Maytag Fellowship, November 1981 - June 1984 Graduate Research fellowship awarded through the University of Miami
Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid-of Research, January 1983 award to fund research on infrared reflectance of Costa Ricanherpetofauna.
Organization for Tropical Studies Course Fellowship, June 1981 Awarded full tuition and travel funds by the University of Southern California forthe #81-3 summer field ecology course.
Jessie Noyes Foundation Grant, December 1981 award to fund research on infrared reflectance of Costa Rican herpetofaunaAwards
Outstanding Biology Educator of the Year - May 1996 Voted by graduating senior Biology majors, University of Miami
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges - June 1989 Voted for inclusion by the University of Miami Biology Faculty
Outstanding Graduate Student Award - May 1986 Awarded by University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences
Teaching Assistant of the Year Award - June 1981 Awarded by the University of Southern California Biology Department.
Evolutionary Biology | Biology and Natural History of Lagomorpha
Publications
Krempels, D.M., M. Cotter & G. Stanzione "Ileus in Domestic Rabbits" Exotic DVM 19-21 (2000).
Krempels, D.M. "Doctoral dissertation" Visible light and near infrared reflectance of amphibians and reptiles and the visual system of avian predators (Accipitridae: Buteo spp.) (University of Miami . 1989).
Donnelly, M.A., C. Guyer, D.M. Krempels & H.E. Braker Copeia 1987 The tadpole of Agalychnis calcarifer (Anura: Hylidae)247-250 (1987).
Hayes, M.P. & D.M. Krempels "Vocal sac variation among frogs of the genus Rana from Western North America" Copeia 1986 927-936 (1986).
Hayes, M.P. & D.M. Krempels Herpetological Review 16 Centrolenella vireovittata: a new locality record in Costa Rica31 (1985).
