Sean Sharp

I am a wetland ecologist who focuses on plant communities and how they respond to disturbance, including saltwater intrusion and drought. I received my undergraduate degree from a small liberal arts college where my professors ignited my passion for wetlands and propelled me to a career in academia. Throughout my graduate and postdoctoral training, I sought out opportunities to teach in the classroom and mentor students in research.  

As I was inspired by my instructors, I strive to inspire and guide students at Hood  both in and out of the classroom and the hallways. At Hood I teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including BIOL 201 (Ecology and Evolution), BIOL 202 (Animal and Plant Physiology), ENSP 210 (Coastal Oceanography), and ENV 502 (Principles of Ecology). I’m also excited to contribute to our new curriculum, teaching first year students about ‘Wicked Problems’ (i.e. societal problems with complex or non-existent solutions) in Environmental Science. In addition, I mentor both undergraduate and graduate students in hands-on research, exploring timely topics including how eutrophication influences abundance of benthic stream algae, how watershed development affects wetland capacity to take up pollutants, and how saltwater intrusion impacts the health of native wild rice in tidal freshwater wetlands within the Chesapeake Watershed.  

In my spare time, you’ll find me with a pair of binoculars birding for my next ‘lifer’ (a bird you’ve seen for the first time) or on a kayak in the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers. I’m also on a quest to visit all 30 Major League stadiums across the USA and Canada, but Camden Yards will always be my favorite. Go O’s!  

• Learn more about my research here: https://seansharp.wixsite.com/home