Chris Grissett

About me

I have had a passion for animals and the ocean since I was little. During high school, I took a marine biology class and fell further in love with our planet’s marine fauna. Upon graduating high school, I took a multiple year hiatus from schooling and joined the US Navy, travelling on a huge aircraft carrier and spending each and every day on the ocean. About four years after my enlistment term was complete, I began attended Saint Petersburg College for the launch of their inaugural Biology program and graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Biology in 2012. Immediately following this, I moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL, and began my Master’s degree journey at Nova Southeastern University. My research looked at the effects of power plant shutdowns on local and transient Florida manatee populations and I graduated with a Master’s of Science in Marine Biology in 2014. After graduating, I began to adjunct in 2015 back at my alma mater of Saint Petersburg College in the Biology program and discovered a SECOND passion that I did not know I had…educating the next batches of biologists, researchers and medical professionals! I fell in love with teaching and expanded my adjuncting to other educational institutions, including Hillsborough Community College, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, University of South Florida Tampa, University of Tampa and Valencia College. I have taught numerous biology courses, including Anatomy and Physiology, Biology for majors and non-majors, Microbiology, Marine Biology, Ecology, Mammalogy, Manatee Biology, Animal Physiology, General Zoology and Invertebrate Zoology. I also have worked as a volunteer for the Marine Mammal Pathobiology Lab in Saint Petersburg (I assisted in marine mammal necropsies, pathology, rescues, rehabilitations and releases back into the wild) and the Florida Aquarium in Tampa (I helped take care of mammals, including North American river otters and ring-tailed lemurs, as well as African penguins and pelicans). I am currently obtaining my PhD in Biology at the University of South Florida with a specialization in Biology Education Research with a projected graduation in May 2022. My current research involves analyzing student written responses to understand and learn how they are thinking about the biological concept of food webs and how educators can assist in and improve their learning and retention.

Education

• PhD, University of South Florida, Biology, Specialization: Biology Education Research, 2017-2022 (projected completion)
• MS, Nova Southeastern University, Marine Biology, 2012-2014
• BS, Saint Petersburg College, Biology, 2009-2012

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