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Dr. Alison I. Morrison-Shetlar Ph.D., Dundee College of Technology, Scotland Phone: 407-823-3544 Email: aims@mail.ucf.edu

Research Interests

Dr. Morrison-Shetlar’s research has been primarily in two areas, one in the field of marine molecular biology, the other science education. For the last seventeen years I have been active in the study of membrane transport, initially with sodium-glucose cotransporters and more recently with sodium-hydrogen transporters. Her areas of expertise are in the molecular, biochemical and immunological study of marine organisms such as the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias), the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), and the long-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus). Using physiological, molecular and biochemical techniques her lab has been able toclone, sequence and compare isoforms of the sodium-hydrogen transport protein, generate antibodies to the proteins, and locate the protein in gill tissue using immunohistochemistry. Most of this research has taken place in the summer months at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Maine.

As a teacher she is interested in how students learn, what teaching methods work best in which learning environment, and how to create an effect learning experience for all students. Over the last seven years her research has led to considering a wide variety of teaching strategies that have implemented in her classroom and assessed in terms of student learning. The results of this research led to the publication of a book on teaching strategies and presentations and consultations nation wide.

Selected Publications

Choe, K. P., Morrison-Shetlar, A. I., Wall, B. P. and Claiborne, J. B. (2002). Immunological Detection of Na+/H+ exchangers in the gills of a hagfish, Myxine glutinosa, an elasmobranch, Raja erinacea, and a teleost, Fundulus heteroclitus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 131, 375-385.
Teaching Creatively: Ideas in Action. 2002. Alison I. Morrison-Shetlar and Mary R. Marwitz. Publisher: Outernet Publishing LLC, Minnesota.

Claiborne, J.B., Edwards, S.L., and Morrison-Shetlar, A.I. Acid-base regulation in fishes: Cellular and molecular mechanisms. Journal of Experimental Zoology. - 293:302-319, 2002.

Morrison-Shetlar, A., Edwards, S. and Claiborne, J.B. Molecular identification and cloning of an NHE-2 like isoform from the gills of the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias). Bull. Mt. Desert Is. Biol. Lab. 41,11, 2002.

Battles, D.A., Franks, G., Morrison-Shetlar A.I., Orvis, J. and Rich, F. Development of an Undergraduate Environmental Science Program. Journal of College Science Teaching.

Edwards, S.L., Claiborne, J.B., Morrison-Shetlar, A.I., and Toop, T. Expression of Na+/H+ exchanger mRNA in the gills of the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) in response to metabolic acidosis. J. Comp. Biochem & Physiol., Part A, 2001, Vol 130/1: 81-91, 2001.

Sanders D. and Morrison-Shetlar A.I. Student attitudes to web enhanced learning in a general biology course. The Journal of Research on Computing in Education. 33:251-262, 2001.

Morrison-Shetlar A.I. and Heinrich K.H. Mentoring at the Edge: Faculty Groups Foster Experiential Teaching - Journal of Experiential Education 22:5-11,1999.