Annette’s bio:

   

After my high school education in Germany and Texas, I earned an AA from Cottey College, Mo. and a BSc in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University. I went on to research humpback whale feeding ecology in SE-Alaska for my MSc thesis in Oceanography with Dr. Tim Parsons at UBC. This was followed later by a BEd degree at Malapina University-College (now VIU).

I have been here at Camosun College Lansdowne campus on the traditional territory of the Songhees people since 2003, and have taught in both the Biology Department and the Environmental Technology Program. My specialty courses are Marine Biology (BIOL 105) and Vertebrate Diversity & Ecology (ENVR 242). My teaching philosophy includes taking students into the field as much as possible, e.g. intertidal explorations, stream assessment and restoration, amphibian and urban deer population surveys etc.  In addition to post-secondary course work, I have also taught briefly at the elementary and high school level. My “Life before Camosun” further includes eco-tourism and ranch work along with various biological and oceanographic research projects, such as the EXXON VALDEZ oil spill impact assessment. 

I see great value in interweaving Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) with Western Science to facilitate a deeper understanding of nature and respect for all life forms, and I actively support Camosun’s Indigenization Project. With a growing passion for animal welfare, I have volunteered as a humane educator – with the loyal assistance of my late cattle dog Nip – and community councillor for the BCSPCA. I also belong to the Animals & Society Research Initiative (ASRI) at UVic, a local forum for Critical Animal Studies. And as a member of the Camosun College Climate Coalition (“C4” is a group of concerned staff, faculty and students), I am facilitating a committee on diet and climate change, promoting a plant-forward diet.

In my spare time (greatly increased since my full retirement in 2023!) you can find me playing with my dogs Dash and Belle or my horses Kuper and Ranger, riding, hiking, camping, doing yoga, or exploring the habits and habitats of various animals. Seeing African elephants in the wild is still #1 on my bucket list…

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