CURRICULUM VITAE

BLASE MAFFIA

Department of Biology

University of Miami

      Coral Gables, Fl 33124

      Blase@miami.edu (305) 284 - 4313

EDUCATION

Graduated from Caesar Rodney High School, Camden DE. June 1976.

Received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Biology with honors from Delaware State College, Dover DE. May 1980.

Received the degree of Master of Arts in Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA. Thesis: The endomycorrhizal status of select plants in a neotropical cloud forest with special emphasis on Peperomia costaricensis C.DC. (Piperaceae). Committee chairperson: Dr. Nalini M. Nadkarni. Aug 1990.

Received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. Dissertation: Arbuscular mycorrhizae alter intraspecific competition. Committee chairperson: Dr. David P. Janos. Dec 1997.

TEACHING and PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

            Jan '07 - present                       Adjunct Faculty, Biology Dept.

University of Miami, Coral Gables FL.

                                                            Continue advising development of biology on-line course while  

                                                            looking for a teaching/advising/research position in the 

                                                            Orange County area of Southern California.

            Aug '00- Dec '06 Instructor and Undergraduate Advisor, Biology Dept.

University of Miami, Coral Gables FL. Teach both major

and non-major biology courses. Also teach environmental

science, science for education majors and in-service science education workshops. Advise undergraduates on course selection

Jul '03 & Jul '04 Integrated Summer Science Institute Director,

Co-developed week-long theme based workshops for elementary school teachers.

                                                            Funded by UM SUCCEED program.

Jun '03- Jul '03 Academic Migrant Students Institute Facilitator,

Liaison for AMSI high school teachers and the Science

Departments at UM. Helped develop and teach science

labs to native Spanish- and Creole-speaking students.

Aug '99- Jun '00 Fulbright Exchange Teacher, taught biology and introductory geography in Tampere, Finland.

Apr '95- Jun '99 High School Science Teacher, taught biology at

Gulliver Preparatory School in Kendall FL.

Jun – Jul '99 Aquatics Director, responsible for the training of staff and

Jun – Jul '98 operation of pool and waterfront facilities. Henson Scout

Reservation, Galestown, MD.

Aug '89- May '95 Teaching Assistant, Biology Dept.

University of Miami, Miami, FL

Responsible for two three-hour freshman biology labs per week.

May '94- Aug '94 Instructor, Biology Dept.

Florida International University, Miami FL

Taught human biology.

May '93- Jun '93 Instructor, Biology Dept.

May '92- Jun '92 University of Miami, Miami FL

Taught introductory biology.

Mar '88- Jun '89 Herbarium Assistant, Biological Sciences Dept.

Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA Worked part-time assisting Curator in maintaining collection. Also responsible for advertising, mailing and bookkeeping associated with Herbarium publications.

Jan '89- Jun '89 Teaching Assistant, Biological Sciences Dept.,

Jan '88- Mar '88 Environmental Studies Dept., and Geography Dept.

Jan '87- Jun '87 Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Apr '86- Jun '86 Supervised lab and discussion sections for: freshman biology; botany for non-majors; introductory entomology; environmental science; and physical geography.

Jan '85- Apr '86 Nurseryman, Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, Santa Barbara, CA. Packed and shipped orchids, helped grow and sell orchids.

Jul '83- Jan '85 Benchman, Addison Optical Co. Goleta, CA.

Ground, repaired, and dispensed eyeglasses.

Jun '81- Jun '83 United States Peace Corps, teaching high school biology and chemistry in Belize, Central America. Also coached boy's basketball.

GRANTS and FELLOWSHIPS

Fulbright Teacher Exchange to Tampere, Finland. 1999-2000.

AWARDS

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Departmental Award 1989-1990. Dept. of

Biology, Univ. of Miami.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Departmental Award 1991-1992. Dept. of

Biology, Univ. of Miami.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, College Award 1992-1993. Dept. of

Biology, Univ. of Miami.

Nominee for University of Miami Excellence in Teaching Award 2006

PUBLICATIONS

Maffia, B., N.M. Nadkarni, and D.P. Janos. 1993. Mycorrhiza. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae of epiphytic and terrestrial Piperaceae under field and greenhouse conditions.

Maffia, B., N.M. Nadkarni, and D.P. Janos. 2000. Vesicular-arbuscular Mycorrhizae of epiphytic and terrestrial Piperaceae In: Monteverde: Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (Eds.) Oxford University Press, New York.

Blase Maffia and Lisa Ganser. The lowdown on a drawdown. Opening essay for Enger & Smith Environmental Science textbook. 2004.

 Contributing Author, Current Publishing's Life on an Ocean Planet.  Working with my wife, we completed chapters 3, 8 and 14 for the Teacher Laboratory and Activity Manual. 2005.

PRESENTATIONS

Effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae on seedling survival and size hierarchies of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Annual meeting of the Plant Biologists of South Florida, 1992. Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Miami FL.

Arbuscular mycorrhizae alter intraspecific competition. Annual meeting of the Plant Biologists of South Florida, 1997. USDA Research Station, Miami FL.

'Mycorrhizas: what are they and what do they do?' Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida. Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, FL. Jan. 2001.

'The art & science of lecturing'. Informal presentation to the Biology Dept.'s 'Friday lunch bunch'. Apr. 2006.

POSTER SESSIONS

Maffia, B., N.M. Nadkarni, and D.P. Janos. Mycorrhizae of epiphytic and terrestrial Piperaceae in a tropical montane cloud forest in Costa Rica. Eighth North American Conference on Mycorrhizae. Jackson, WY. 1990.

Maffia, B., N.M. Nadkarni, and D.P. Janos. Mycorrhizae of epiphytic and terrestrial Piperaceae in a tropical montane cloud forest in Costa Rica. "The Biology and Conservation of Epiphytes" Symposium. Marie Selby Gardens, Sarasota, FL. 1991.

Maffia, B. and D.P. Janos. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae influence seedling survival and size disparity in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in dense, monospecific stands. Ninth North American Conference on Mycorrhizae. Guelph, Canada. 1993.

SOCIETIES

Board Member, Delaware Natural History Society, 1978-80.

Alpha Chi Honor Society charter member, 1979.

Board Member, Santa Barbara Audubon Society, 1986-1988.

Mycological Society of America, 1990-1994.

Plant Biologists of South Florida, 1991-1997.

National Science Teachers Association member, 1995- 2000; 2003-present.

Bromeliad Society of South Florida member, 2003.

American Tarantula Society member, 2006-present .

ACADEMIC and PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Discussion Leader, Freshman teaching assistant orientation, Graduate School Division, Univ. of Miami. 1991.

Judicial Review Panel. Panel member for a case concerning a graduate student's dismissal, Graduate Division, Univ. of Miami. 1991.

Science Fair Judge, Dade County High Schools. 1992.

Mentor, Dade County Public High School. Supervise a high school senior as she assisted me with my dissertation work. 1992-1993.

Freshman Advisor. Advise ten incoming biology and pre-med freshman. Duties included helping select classes and deal with scheduling problems. 1994-1995.

Science Fair Judge, St. Stephens Elementary School. 1995.

Reviewed manuscript for Mycorrhiza. 1998.

Reviewed manuscript for Ecology. 1999.

Science Fair Judge, Gulliver Preparatory High School. 2001 – 2006.

Academic Appeals Committee, College of Arts & Sciences, 2001- 2004.

Biology Curriculum Committee, Department of Biology, 2001- Dec 2006.

Advisor, Pre-veterinary Society of the University of Miami, 2002- Dec 2006.

Steering Committee, Fairchild Tropical Gardens Eco-Challenge, 2003 - Dec 2005.

Advisor, UM Greenpeace, 2003- Dec 2006.

Reviewed manuscript for Biotropica. 2004.

Reviewed two chapters of Concepts in Biology, 11/e by Enger, Ross and Bailey for McGraw-Hill Publishers. 2004.

Reviewed four chapters of The global environment, an integrated systems approach by Cleveland & Kaufmann for McGraw-Hill Publishers. 2004.

Social Committee Chair, Biology Dept. Organize Holiday Party for Dec. 2004, 2005 & 2006.

Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Miami area selection committee. Dec. 2004.

South Miami Lutheran Church Council, Jan. 2005 – May 2006.

Pre-medical advisory committee, College of Arts & Sciences, May 2005 – Dec 2006.

Publication Review Panel for Journal of College Science Teaching, Jun, 2005 – present.

Summer Youth Servant Camp Cook, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Florida, 2003 – 2005.

Private tutor for junior high and high school students.

Reviewed three chapters of Life, 8/e by Purves et al., for Sinuaer Associates Inc. 2005.

Reviewed three chapters of Street Biology: Scientific Literacy for the Modern World, 1/e by Jay Phelan for Norton Publishing, Jan. 2006

Reviewed one chapter of Environment, 2/e by Withgott and Brennan for Benjamin Cummings. Feb. 2006

            Textbook discussion group for Jay Phelan's Street Biology: Scientific Literacy for the Modern World, 1/e for Norton Publishing, Jan. 2007