As a teacher, I try and further the fundamental goals that students should have a holistic understanding of the world they live in, be able to communicate effectively and achieve some depth of knowledge in their area of specialization.

My teaching philosophy is that students should be active learners rather than passive recipients of knowledge. As such, I challenge my students to do work of high quality, to show mastery over the material through understanding and hands-on learning and eventually to develop habits that make them lifelong critical thinkers.

As a scientist, I am actively engaged in studying host-parasite associations. I use parasites of freshwater fishes to address fundamental questions of speciation, the nature of species and the biology of invasive parasites. The research involves a mixture of field work and lab work, and uses morphological and molecular techniques.

Long-term collaborations and projects include research in Canada, Mexico, Panama, and in the United States and involve scientists there. St. Norbert College students continue to be active and constant participants and co-authors in this research through collaborative grants and independent studies courses.