Professor Coleen Edwards

Biography

Professor Coleen Edwards joined Niagara University in the winter of 2003 as the instructor of General Biology Laboratory courses BIO123 and BIO124. In her current position as a faculty fellow, Coleen teaches a variety of courses supporting the biology and environmental science major including environmental biology, environmental health, introduction to environmental studies, botany, and field ecology. 

Her background is in aquatic ecology, including both marine and freshwater ecosystems. She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Bowling Green State University in 1995 and her M.Ed. in Science Education from The Ohio State University in 1998. In addition, she has extensive experience aboard large research vessels, including work with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in the North Atlantic, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the Gulf of Mexico, and the USEPA in Lake Erie. Her primary interest is plankton, small animals and plants that form the base of the food chain in oceans and lakes. Coleen is currently working with several students in the environmental science research lab on developing a method to determine zooplankton diet preferences utilizing molecular techniques.

Current Research

Publication:

• Edwards, W.J., & C.T. Edwards. 2011. Population Limiting Factors. Nature Education Knowledge 2(1):1.

Grant:

• 2022-2023 Undergraduate Student Faculty Research Collaboration Award. Niagara University Research Council. Project: Field Testing new method in zooplankton molecular diet analysis: Niagara River and Green Lake.

Presentations: *Invited presentation +Undergraduate student researcher

• Wojtas+, S.E., A.A. Hepler+, C.T. Edwards, W.J. Edwards, & C.L. Marnocha. 2022. Diet Analysis of Niagara River Copepods. Rochester Academy of Science Fall Presentation and Poster Session. 
• Wojtas+, S.E., A.A. Hepler+, C.T. Edwards, W.J. Edwards, & C.L. Marnocha. 2022. Diet Analysis of Niagara River Copepods Using Molecular Techniques. Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference.
• Hepler+, A.A., S.E. Wojtas+, C.T. Edwards, C.L. Marnocha, & W.J. Edwards. 2022. Method Development: Zooplankton Diet Analysis using Molecular Techniques. Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference.
• Hepler+, A.A., S.E. Wojtas+, C.T. Edwards, C.L. Marnocha, & W.J. Edwards. 2022. Method Development: Zooplankton Gut Content Analysis Using DNA Extraction and Amplification of the 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA Genes. Eastern Colleges Science Conference. 
• Wojtas+, S.E., A.A. Hepler+, C.T. Edwards, W.J. Edwards, & C.L. Marnocha. 2022. Niagara River Zooplankton Preservation and Diet Analysis using Molecular Techniques. Eastern Colleges Science Conference.
• Wojtas+, S.E., A.A. Hepler+, C.T. Edwards, C.L. Marnocha, & W.J. Edwards. 2021. Method Development: Zooplankton Gut Content Analysis Using DNA Extraction and Amplification of the 16S rRNA Gene. Rochester Academy of Science Fall Presentation and Poster Session.
• Kaczmarek+, N., E. Kelsey – Gossard+, W.J. Edwards, & C.T. Edwards. 2021. Population and Size Dynamics of Zooplankton in Fayetteville Green Lake. Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference. 
• Kelsey – Gossard+, E.M., N. Kaczmarek+, C.T. Edwards, C.L. Marnocha, & W.J. Edwards. 2021. Feeding Experiment and DNA Sequencing Methodology for Gut Content Analysis of Zooplankton from Fayetteville Green Lake. Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference. 
• Kaczmarek+, N., E.M. Kelsey – Gossard+, W.J. Edwards, & C.T. Edwards. 2021. Relative Abundance and Biomass of Zooplankton in Fayetteville Green Lake. Eastern Colleges Science Conference.
• Kelsey – Gossard+, E.M., N. Kaczmarek+, C.T. Edwards, C.L. Marnocha, & W.J. Edwards. 2021. Zooplankton gut analysis using microbial 16S rRNA gene sequencing Fayetteville Green Lake is a meromictic lake located south of Syracuse, NY. Eastern Colleges Science Conference.
• *Edwards, C.T., J. Kostin, & P. Titus. 2020. The past, present, and future of the Stella Niagara Preserve. New York State Outdoor Education Association, Annual Conference.
• *Edwards, C.T. 2020. Connecting Education to the Outdoors. Niagara University, Niagara University’s Annual Vincentian Heritage Week Celebration, “Caring for Our Common Home”. 
• Kelsey-Gossard+, E.M., Edwards, C.T., & W.J. Edwards. 2020. Birds not on Niagara: NU Field Ecology and Bird of the Everglades. Birds on the Niagara Festival.

Current Involvement

• NUSTEP, Environmental Science Liaison
• NYSOEA, Niagara University Affiliate Member

Educational Background

• B.S., Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University
• M.Ed., Science Education, The Ohio State University