Alison M. Roark

Assistant Professor of Biology

Tel: (301) 696-3657
E-mail: roark@hood.edu
Office: Hodson Science & Technology Center, Room 158
Office Hours: By Appointment

Education

PhD (Zoology), University of Florida
BS (Chemistry), University of Virginia

Courses Taught

BIO 202 (Physiology of Plants and Animals)
BIO 307 (Human Anatomy and Physiology)
BIO 408/409 (Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology)
BIO 470 (Senior Seminar)

Biography

Dr. Alison Roark joined the Department of Biology at Hood College as an assistant professor in 2009. She teaches courses in anatomy and physiology, including BIO 202 (physiology of plants and animals), BIO 307 (human anatomy and physiology), and BIO 408/409 (advanced human anatomy and physiology). In addition, she has taught BIO 470 (biology seminar) and has several research students completing BIO 375 (independent study) in her laboratory. Her research areas include nutritional ecophysiology and endocrine disruption. One of her research students is currently studying the effects of intake and growth rates on bone histomorphometry in green turtles, and another student is looking for evidence of reproductive dysfunction in crayfish exposed to sewage effluent.

As an undergraduate student, Professor Roark completed both a BS in chemistry (specialization in biochemistry) and the Distinguished Majors Program in biology at the University of Virginia. She then completed her doctoral work in the laboratory of Dr. Karen Bjorndal, director of the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research at the University of Florida. After receiving her PhD, she worked as a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Dr. Lou Guillette, an HHMI professor at the University of Florida.

Research and Teaching Interests

Broadly speaking, I am interested in the ways in which animals interact with and respond to the environment. More specifically, I test the effects of environmental perturbations (such as alterations in food availability or exposure to environmental contaminants) on the growth, reproductive ability, and overall health of animals. One of my students is currently analyzing green turtle bones histologically to determine the effects of rapid growth on parameters such as bone mineralization, density, and morphology. Another student is using various techniques (including western blots, gel stains, and phosphoprotein assays) to determine whether male crayfish produce a female-specific protein when exposed to effluent from upstream water treatment plants.

In the classroom, I am interested in pedagogical innovations and employ active learning strategies to help students construct their own knowledge about the world around them. As a participant in an NSF-sponsored teaching program called FIRST IV (Faculty Institutes for Reforming Science Teaching), I collect data about student learning gains in each of my courses. These data are being compiled as part of a nationwide evaluation of teaching efficacy and will provide insights into teaching methods and student learning styles.

Publications

Roark, A.M., K.A. Bjorndal, A.B. Bolten, and C. Leeuwenburgh. 2009. Biochemical indices as correlates of recent growth in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 376:59-67.
Roark, A.M., K.A. Bjorndal, and A.B. Bolten. 2009. Compensatory responses to food restriction in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Ecology 90:2524-2534.
Roark, A.M., and K.A. Bjorndal. 2009. Metabolic rate depression is induced by caloric restriction and correlates with rate of development and lifespan in a parthenogenetic insect. Experimental Gerontology 44:413-419.
Emerson, J.K., and A.M. Roark. 2007. Composition of guano produced by frugivorous, sanguivorous, and insectivorous bats. Acta Chiropterologica 9:261-267.