Ronald Kaufmann
College of Arts and Sciences
University of San Diego
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Biography
Ron Kaufmann, PhD, joined the USD faculty in 1997 and currently serves as director of the Marine Science Graduate Program. His areas of specialization are ecology and environmental biology, and his teaching includes courses in biology, environmental studies and marine science, as well as interdisciplinary courses that are team-taught with colleagues in the humanities. Kaufmann’s scholarship focuses on biological communities and their dynamics as well as their responses to changing environmental conditions. He has studied marine communities in extreme environments such as the Antarctic and the deep ocean.
Research Interest
Kaufmann has taught introductory courses in biology and marine biology; upper division courses in biological oceanography, marine resources, and contemporary environmental issues; and graduate courses in marine science. He also has team-taught courses for the Honors Program that focused on applying both scientific and philosophical approaches to modern environmental issues. In all courses he emphasizes critical thinking, student engagement and a process-based approach to learning.
