David Charifson

I am a marine invertebrate zoologist and evolutionary ecologist interested in investigating research questions involving how animals respond to environmental change and fluctuation. My research centers on phenotypic plasticity and organismal responses to environmental variation, especially regarding inducible defenses of prey to their predators. To study this, I examine molluscan biomineralization, shell construction, and interior shell remodeling. The molluscan shell is a dynamic skeletal structure that lends itself well to studies investigating morphological phenotypic plasticity in response to predation risk and other sources of environmental variation.

I enjoy teaching a wide variety of courses and topics, including evolutionary biology, ecology, zoology, and marine biology. My classes are designed so that students engage with biology through active discussion, conceptual development, and inquiry-based labs and activities. Through my teaching, I intend to instill a deep appreciation for the breadth of biodiversity by highlighting obscure or remarkable organisms that inspire thinking about biological concepts in novel ways.

Teaching

• BIO 114 Integrated Concepts in Biology II (and lab)
• BIO 240 Biostatistics for Life Scientists
• BIO 234 Marine Biology