Biography

Websites:
My Profile

Education:
Ph.D., Ecology and Evolution, Ohio University
M.S., Biology, Saint Joseph's University
B.S., Environmental Science, Allegheny College

Teaching Narrative:
I am an aquatic ecologist and eco-educator. I teach a variety of quantitative and ecological courses at Rowan University, including Biometry, Introduction to Ecology, Climate Change Biology, Limnology, Pine Barrens Ecology, and Lab/Field Research. My teaching blends instructional techniques and modalities with a focus on improving ecology education and enhancing experiential learning with technology. Students in my courses frequently participate in scientific research through a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) and/or participation in on-going aquatic or eco-educational projects taking place in my courses.

Professional Memberships:
Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Society for Freshwater Science (SFS)
British Ecological Society (BES)
Association for the Science of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Selected Publications:
Ruhl N. 2024. Hybrid Group-Based Concept Mapping. Journal of College Science Teaching, 53:5, 480-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2024.2373020

Ruhl N and *Sanders B. 2024. Exploring the nature of science with abnormal frogs. Journal of Biological Education, 58:1, 209-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2022.2041459

Ruhl N, *Ruggiero D, *Iuliucci S, Grove M, and Richmond C. 2023. Predicting the density of zooplankton subsidy to a stream with multiple impoundments using water quality parameters. Aquatic Sciences, 85:1, 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-022-00931-x

Ruhl N, Crumrine P, Oberle J, Richmond C, Thomas S, and Wright S. 2022. Harnessing the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education Framework to redesign an introductory ecology course in a changing higher education landscape. Ecosphere, 13:2, e03857. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3857

*Spicer RL, Lugo A, and Ruhl N. 2020. Landform type mediates compositional change in a hurricane-damaged forest. Ecological Processes, 9, 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-020-00223-y