Mei Sato

Background

Mei Sato is on the faculty of the Department of Environmental Science and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Before Porter, Mei did restoration ecology for a nonprofit land trust.

Mei's work centers on teaching and curriculum in climate and land use and conservation biology, including course redesign and mentoring newer instructors.

Areas of expertise

• Climate and land use
• Conservation biology
• Undergraduate research and project mentoring

Teaching

Mei regularly teaches courses in Environmental Science, Geology, Geography. Specific sections and syllabi are listed in the class schedule each term.

Mei designs courses around clear, visible learning outcomes, frequent retrieval practice, and prompt feedback, and revises the sequence each year based on where students actually get stuck.

Advising and office hours

Mei advises students in the Environmental Science programs and holds weekly office hours during the fall and spring terms, posted on the office door and in the course pages. Prospective students are welcome to email to arrange a visit or a call.

Advising conversations usually cover course sequencing, whether to add a minor or a concentration, and how classroom work connects to internships, research, or graduate study. Students who are undecided are welcome; part of the job is helping them narrow things down.

Recent and representative work

Mei's recent activity centers on teaching scholarship and curriculum work in climate and land use and conservation biology. Representative items:

• A redesigned course sequence in climate and land use, with open or low-cost materials.
• A conference presentation on teaching conservation biology at the undergraduate level.
• Mentoring of new instructors and teaching assistants in the department.

Titles and venues here are illustrative. UW–Porter Falls is fictional; Mei has no real publication record.

Get in touch

The fastest way to reach Mei is email (msato@uwporterfalls.edu); messages during the fall and spring terms are usually answered within two business days. Prospective students and families can ask the Environmental Science department office to set up a call, a class visit, or a meeting during an admitted-student day.