Sapp, Joe

Joe Sapp is a graduate student who studies behavioral ecology in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at UC Santa Cruz.  His thesis work is on the territorial and raiding behavior of slave-making ants; socially parasitic ants that steal their workforce from other species of ants.  Joe participated in the Professional Development Program in Spring, 2009 and helped implement a new three week unit on the Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Eukaryotic Genetics Laboratory (Bio105L) at UC Santa Cruz.  The experience changed the way Joe views the teaching of science for the better and re-affirmed his interest in teaching.  Upon completion of his Ph.D., Joe hopes to become a faculty member in behavioral ecology.  In addition to a long career studying the behavior of ants and other amazing critters, Joe looks forward to teaching, mentoring, and inspiring future scientists with the tools the PDP has given him.