CURRICULUM VITAE

 

Andrew R. Swanson

 

Office Address:                                                                Home Address:

Department of Natural Science                                             4705 Mink Road

Manatee Community College                                    Sarasota, Florida  34235

8000 South Tamiami Trail                                                     (941) 360-0362

Venice, Florida  34293                                             arswans@gmail.com (personal)

(941) 408-1494                                                                      

swansoa@mccfl.edu

aswanson@ncf.edu

 

     Date of Birth: 30 April, 1966; Lakewood, Ohio, USA

 

     Current Positions:  Assistant Professor of Biology, Manatee Community College

      Adjunct Assistant Professor, New College of Florida

      Microbiology Consultant, Breathe Easy Mold Remediation, Inc.                 

Education:

·        Ph.D. Biology, 2005, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

·        Coursework, Physics & Astronomy, 1997, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana

·        M.S. Botany, 1992, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

·        B.S. Field Biology, 1988, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

 

Academic Positions Held:

  • Assistant Professor of Biology, Manatee Community College, Venice, Florida (2006-present)
  • Student Chair/Adjunct Assistant Professor, New College of Florida (2006-present)
  • Adjunct Instructor, Manatee Community College, Bradenton, Florida (2003-2006)
  • Research Assistant, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas (2003-2005)
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas (1999-2003)
  • Instructor, Manatee Community College, Venice, Florida (1994-1999)
  • Instructor, Ohio University – Cambridge Campus, Cambridge, Ohio (1992-1994)
  • Instructor, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio (1993-1994)
  • Instructor, Ohio University – Eastern Campus, St. Clairsville, Ohio (1991-1992)
  • Teaching Assistant, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (1989-1992)

 

Memberships:

Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA)

Mycological Society of America (MSA)

National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)

National Geographic Society (NGS)

Tropical Conservation Foundation (TCF)

Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. (ΦKT)

 

Teaching Experience:

Lectures: Mycology (New College of Florida), Plant Biology (Arkansas); Non-majors’

General Biology I & II, Majors’ Fundamentals of Biology I & II, Microbiology

(Manatee C.C.); Natural Science I, Introduction to Biological Sciences, General

Biology, Biological Sciences I & II (Columbus State C.C.); Spring Flora, Woody

Plants (Ohio - Cambridge); Principles of Biology (Ohio - Eastern).

            Laboratories: Mycology (new College of Florida), Plant Biology, Plant Physiology,

Principles of Biology (Arkansas); General Biology I & II, Microbiology (Manatee

C.C.); Natural Science I, General Biology, Biological Sciences I & II (Columbus

State C.C.); Principles of Biology (Ohio – Eastern); Introductory Biology, Plants

and People (Ohio).

Field Courses: Belize Field Course (Manatee C.C.); Spring Flora, Woody Plants

(Ohio - Cambridge); Integrative Tropical Botany (Ohio).

Guest Lectures: Mycetozoans (Tulane University); Mycology, Protistology (Arkansas);

Alternative Agriculture (Ohio).

            Continuing Education Workshops: Slime Molds (Great Smoky Mountains Institute at

Tremont); Medicinal Plants of Ohio (Ohio).

 

University/College Service:

Student Engagement Task Force (2006-present, Manatee C.C.)

Vice President, Faculty Council (1997-1999, Manatee C.C.)

Evaluation Review Committee (1995-1999, Manatee C.C.)

Discipline Committee (1996-1999, Manatee C.C.)

Advisor, Ecology Club (1994-1999, Manatee C.C.)

Staff & Program Development Committee (1996-1998, Manatee C.C.)

Disabilities Advisory Committee (1997-1998, Manatee C.C.)

Maintenance Search Committee (1997)

Chemistry Search Committee (1995, 1996)

 

Grants & Awards:

  • Travel Award, International Conference on the Systematics and Ecology of

Myxomycetes, Brussels, Belgium (2002)

  • Biology Teaching Award, University of Arkansas Department of Biological Sciences

(2002)

  • Southwest Florida Water Management District Cooperative Funding Grant #K012 for

Ecology Conference on Sensible Water Management (1998)

  • Southwest Florida Water Management District Community Grant #98PCNC00228 for

Environmental Education Observation Platform (1998)

  • Continuing Contract Award (Tenure), Manatee Community College (1997)
  • Catlin Trust Grant #97-8-190 for an Environmental Education Kiosk (1997)
  • Plantation Community Foundation Grant for an Environmental Education Center (1995)
  • Manatee Community College Mini-Grant for Computer Microscope Instruction (1994)
  • Ohio University Graduate Scholarship (1989, 1990, 1991)
  • Botanical Society of America Young Botanist Recognition Award (1988)
  • Ohio University Wolfe Award (1987)
  • Ohio University Stocker Scholarship (1985, 1986)
  • Alpha Lambda Delta & Phi Eta Sigma Honor Societies (1985)

Professional Service:

  • Referee for professional journals: Journal of Biogeography, Mycologia. (2000-present)

·        State of Florida Advisory Committee on Environmental Education (1998-1999)

·        West Central Florida Environmental Education Advisory/Coordinating Committee, Regional Service Project IV (1997)

·        Public lectures on General Genetics (Orchid Society of Venice, FL., 1999) and The

Rainforests of Belize (Native Plant Society of Columbus, OH., 1994).

 

 

Community Service:

  • Judge, Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair (2000-2003)
  • Organizer, Earth Day educational booth on Arkansas’ ecosystems (2001)
  • Adoption Leader, Sarasota County Adopt-A-Shore Cleanup Program (1995-1999)
  • Host, Manatee Community College Annual Ecology Conference (1995-1999)
  • Judge, North Port Home School System Science Fair (1998)
  • Presenter Sarasota County Public Schools “THINKS ‘97” Festival (1997)
  • Organizer, Earth Day educational displays on Belize’s tropical Rainforests (1990-1991)

 

 

Research Interests:

            Ecology of free-living eukaryotic protists, specifically the Dictyostelid (cellular) slime

molds, with emphasis on island biogeography, population biology, taxonomy, and

evolutionary relationships. 

 

 

Publications:

   1. 1992. Swanson, A.R. Distribution of Dictyostelid Cellular Slime Molds in Different Plant

Community Sites of Belize and Northern Guatemala, C.A., M.S. Thesis, Ohio University,

Athens, Ohio.

 

   2. 1995. Swanson, A.R. & Dudley, J.W. General Biology I Student Lab Packet to Accompany

BSC 1005. Manatee Community College, Venice, Florida.

 

   3. 1995. Swanson, A.R. & Dudley, J.W. General Biology II Student Lab Packet to Accompany

BSC 1006C. Manatee Community College, Venice, Florida.

 

   4. 1997. Swanson, A.R. & Collier, W.L. General Biology I: Coursebook for Distance

Learning. Manatee Community College, Venice, Florida.

 

   5. 1998. Swanson, A.R. General Biology II: Coursebook for Distance Learning. Manatee

Community College, Venice, Florida.

 

   6. 1999. Swanson, A.R., Vadell, E.M., & Cavender, J.C. Global Distribution of Forest Soil

Dictyostelids. J. Biogeog. 26:133-148.

 

 

 

   7. 2000. Stephenson, S.L., Schnittler, M., Darrah, R.G., Rollins, A.W., Novozhilov, Y.K.,

Mitchell, D., Landolt, J.C., & Swanson, A.R. New records of mycetozoans from the

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Proc. W. Virginia Acad. Sci. 72(1):33-34.

 

   8. 2002. Swanson, A.R., Spiegel, F.W., & Cavender, J.C. Taxonomy, slime molds, and the

questions we ask. Mycologia 94(6):968-979.

 

   9. 2004. Swanson, A.R., Shadwick, J., Hemmes, D.E., & Spiegel, F.W. Ecological

succession of dictyostelid slime molds on the island of Hawai’i. Syst. Geog. Pl. 74:67-79.

 

   10. 2004. Swanson, A.R. A Guide to the Common Dictyostelid Slime Molds of Great Smoky

Mountains National Park. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

 

11. 2005. Swanson, A.R. Biogeography and Ecology of Hawaiian Dictyostelid Slime Molds.

PhD. Diss., University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

 

 

 

Professional Presentations:

  • Response of soil Dictyostelids to agricultural disturbance III: Species distributions in disturbed and undisturbed subtropical environments of Central America, International Conference on Agriculture and the Environment, Columbus, Ohio, 1991.
  • The Distribution and Occurrence of Dictyostelid Slime molds in Belize and Northern Guatemala, Ohio University, Athens, 1992.
  • Distribution of Dictyostelid cellular slime molds in different plant community sites of Belize and northern Guatemala, Central America, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Athens, Georgia, 1993.
  • Global distribution of forest soil Dictyostelids, American Institute of Biological Sciences 48th Annual Meeting, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 1997.
  • Biogeography of forest soil Dictyostelids, 3rd International Congress on Systematics & Ecology of Myxomycetes, Beltsville, Maryland, 1999.
  • (Ecomunch)   University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 1999.
  • Dictyostelids of Hawaii: where are the tropical species?, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Burlington, Vermont, 2000.
  • A phylogenetic analysis of Dictyostelid slime molds using morphological characters, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Burlington, Vermont, 2000.
  • Using a Geographic Information System to characterize the distribution patterns of slime molds in Hawaii, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2001.
  • Ecological succession of Dictyostelid slime molds on the island of Hawai’i. 4th International Congress on Systematics & Ecology of Myxomycetes, Brussels, Belgium, 2002. 
  • Surfing with slime molds: investigations of Hawaiian Dictyostelids, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 2004.
  • Investigations into the biogeography, distribution, and ecology of Dictyostelid slime molds on Hawai’i, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Asheville, North Carolina, 2004.
  • The primary habitat for Dictyostelid slime molds on Hawai’i, Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Asheville, North Carolina, 2004.
  • A phylogenetic analysis of dictyostelid slime molds based on taxonomically-informative morphological characters, Annual Eumycetozoan PEET (Partnership for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) meeting, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2005.

 

 

Additional Conference and Workshop Participation:

  • 11th Annual Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Conference, Columbus, Ohio (1990)
  • Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Madison, Wisconsin (1990)
  • An Introduction to Tropical Fruits and How to Grow Them, Sarasota, Florida (1994)
  • Values and Ethics in the Classroom and the Curriculum, Plant City, Florida (1995)
  • Meeting the Challenges of General Science and Mathematics Education, Clearwater Beach, Florida (1995)
  • 25th Annual Convention of the National Association of Biology Teachers, Charlotte, North Carolina (1996)
  • Landscaping with Florida’s Native Plants, Sarasota, Florida (1997)
  • Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico (1998)
  • 9th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville, Florida (1998)
  • 4th Annual Florida Health Show, Orlando, Florida (1998)
  • 2nd International Canopy Conference, Sarasota, Florida (1998)