Teaching and Curricular Interests: Christopher F. Sacchi

          As a faculty member in Biology at Kutztown University since 1998, I have taught a variety of courses including non-majors introductory biology, to a special topics honors course in ethnobotany, to majors classes in general ecology, environmental biology, and in plant ecology.  I am interested in introducing students to direct experience with the process of science through hands-on labs in all classes I teach.  The importance of learning about the process of science through research is emphasized and I encourage students to participate in independent research projects in my primary subject area of plant ecology whenever possible.

 

Since coming to Kutztown, I have worked as PI on two National Science Foundation grants in a positive collaboration with several colleagues to utilize new technology in the undergraduate biology laboratory. 

 

The team of collaborators adapted and revised the lab curriculum and exercises in thirteen lab courses we teach to utilize digital cameras, high quality microscopes, and computers to capture images that students analyze using commercial and free software.  These curricular adaptations and revisions were made possible with the support of a National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education (NSF-DUE), Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) – Adaptation and Implementation (A&I) grant.  The project (NSF-DUE 9952337) Biology Lab Adaptation and Digital Imaging Project was the result of work by co-PI’s Wendy L. Ryan, Carol C. Mapes, William F. Towne, and Anne E. Zayaitz. $59,289 (with $59,289 University match.  Total =$118,578).  Students conducting independent research with co-PI's have also successfully used digital images and image analysis in their research.  We have reported on the successful use of digital imaging technology in the biology classroom (Sacchi, Zayaitz, Ryan, Towne, and Mapes (2002) (see CV)).

Digital Imaging WorkStation	Elodea cells in 10% NaCl solution from Osmosis Exercise

 

            The second NSF grant that promotes laboratory improvements incorporates use of physiology equipment to study the effects of environment on organismal physiology in a variety of courses from Environmental Microbiology to Plant Physiology, Marine Biology, and Ecosystem Ecology.  This grant, now in progress, will allow acquisition of materials to analyze dissolved oxygen in aquatic systems and oxygen and CO2 generation or consumption by plants under different environmental conditions.  This grant (NSF-DUE 0126817) through NSF-CCLI-A&I, entitled Integrated Study of Environmental Effects on Organisms was written in collaboration with co-PI’s Wendy L. Ryan, Carol C. Mapes, and Anne E. Zayaitz. $74,812 (with $74,812 University match.  Total =$149,624). 

 

Courses taught at Kutztown University

BIO 010          Introductory Biology: BIO010-011 Fall 98, 99, Spring 99, 01

BIO 011          Introductory Biology Laboratory:  Spring 99, 00, 01, 02,03

BIO104           Principles of Biology BIO104-105: Spring 02

BIO 105          Principles of Biology Lab: Fall 98, 99, 00, 01, 02 Spring 99, 00

BIO 109          Introduction to Botany Laboratory: Fall 98, 99, 00, 02

BIO130           Environmental Issues: Global Perspectives: Break Session 01, 02

BIO222/223    Environmental Biology: Spring 00, 01, 02, 03

BIO242/243    Ecosystem Ecology: Fall 01, 02

*BIO324/325 Plant Ecology: Fall 00,01 Summer 03

*BIO371         Ethnobotany: Plants and Society (Special Topics in Biology: Honors Course- Spring 2003)

BIO380           Senior Seminar in Biology: Spring 99

ENV 380         Senior Seminar in Environmental Science: Spring 99

* Courses developed at KU

 

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